Thursday, September 13, 2007
How To Make Things Funnier
Last night for no good reason I was recounting to Shelly one of the choice experiences of my life. I was telling her about the first time I read, in Douglas Adams' "Life, the Universe, and Everything," about Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged. I recounted how funny it was to me at the time, but then I remembered another experience that took my comedic euphoria to even higher heights.
As I look back on my life to date, the instance in which I laughed the hardest was one evening when I was perhaps 13 or 14. Maybe 15--I'm not sure. I was alone, in the recreation room in my parents' basement, sitting on the gray leather chair that was down there. I was reading Dave Barry's "Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States," and I reached the end of the chapter on the Civil War. There appeared the following discussion question: "If he had a beard, where would he apply the rouge?" I put the book down and laughed my head off (figuratively) for (literally) at least ten minutes. I think I even actually fell out of my chair.
You probably don't think that line is very funny, but that's for two reasons. The first is obvious: you haven't read the chapter that precedes it. That is just the punchline, and the whole chapter (perhaps even the whole book to that point) is the setup.
I'll get to the second reason in a second.
I asked Shelly what was the experience in her life that had made her laugh the hardest, and after a moment of quiet reflection, she responded that it was at girls' camp, one evening when she and her friends and leaders made up a language they called "Chig Latin," which consisted of attaching the letters "CH" at the beginning of every word.
Now, although Shelly found that experience more hilarious than anything else she's ever come across, Chig Latin is not funny to you for only one reason, and it's the same as the second reason why my hilarity apex is not funny.
You're not a teenager.
I came up with a theory last night as a result of this conversation. I think if you asked anyone what the funniest experience of their life was--what it was that made them laugh harder than anything else has--I bet the vast majority would cite something they experienced during their teens.
I don't know why it is. Maybe teenagers are lighthearted and foolhardy enough to just let themselves go and succumb to a really good laugh. Little kids aren't smart enough to get the really good jokes, and adults are too self-conscious to fall out of their chair laughing for ten minutes. Or maybe adults just don't have ten minutes to devote to laughing.
I think I'll start a poll: what was the experience that made you laugh the hardest you ever laughed? And I bet you were a teenager when it happened.
As I look back on my life to date, the instance in which I laughed the hardest was one evening when I was perhaps 13 or 14. Maybe 15--I'm not sure. I was alone, in the recreation room in my parents' basement, sitting on the gray leather chair that was down there. I was reading Dave Barry's "Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States," and I reached the end of the chapter on the Civil War. There appeared the following discussion question: "If he had a beard, where would he apply the rouge?" I put the book down and laughed my head off (figuratively) for (literally) at least ten minutes. I think I even actually fell out of my chair.
You probably don't think that line is very funny, but that's for two reasons. The first is obvious: you haven't read the chapter that precedes it. That is just the punchline, and the whole chapter (perhaps even the whole book to that point) is the setup.
I'll get to the second reason in a second.
I asked Shelly what was the experience in her life that had made her laugh the hardest, and after a moment of quiet reflection, she responded that it was at girls' camp, one evening when she and her friends and leaders made up a language they called "Chig Latin," which consisted of attaching the letters "CH" at the beginning of every word.
Now, although Shelly found that experience more hilarious than anything else she's ever come across, Chig Latin is not funny to you for only one reason, and it's the same as the second reason why my hilarity apex is not funny.
You're not a teenager.
I came up with a theory last night as a result of this conversation. I think if you asked anyone what the funniest experience of their life was--what it was that made them laugh harder than anything else has--I bet the vast majority would cite something they experienced during their teens.
I don't know why it is. Maybe teenagers are lighthearted and foolhardy enough to just let themselves go and succumb to a really good laugh. Little kids aren't smart enough to get the really good jokes, and adults are too self-conscious to fall out of their chair laughing for ten minutes. Or maybe adults just don't have ten minutes to devote to laughing.
I think I'll start a poll: what was the experience that made you laugh the hardest you ever laughed? And I bet you were a teenager when it happened.
Comments:
Hi Matt! It is Cindy, friends with Sabrina/Lorne. I am married to Kevin, I know we haven't talked a lot, but I love reading your blogs!
I guess I will be the first to comment on your poll request!
I believe one of the funniest moments I can recall when actually when I was younger then a teenager; I was in the 4th grade. I had to give my first presentation- ever. It was during the Gulf War and my report was on based on Kuwait I believe.
Well, I remember working on the report with my mother and we came up with this really catchy rap or "song" to sing before after I gave the report, simply to make my fellow classmates laugh. After all, my Mom and I thought it was hysterical! It was basically a play on the words of the Middle Eastern countries...for example...I RAN to the city and KuWAIT for the bus and didn't...yea, completely stupid and silly (and I am sure it was SO MUCH better then that but I do not recall the silly little ditty so many years later).
Now, I am very involved in theatre, and have had tons of spot light on the stage, but at this point, I had never done something "alone" like this before.
The day for the report came and I was REALLY nervous. I started off really shaky, but the overall presentation went really well. Then it came time for the "rap song." Well, rather then singing it for all my classmates, about one sentence came out and I proceeded to start laughing. Looking back, it was probably a release of nerves, tension and relief the presentation had gone well. I ended up laughing so hard I started to cry and couldn't breathe. Well, my classmates thought all this was hysterical and it took everyone a good five minutes or so to calm down. When I finally regained my composure, I reread the "rap song" and everyone loved it. The teacher loved it so much, I was asked to sing it over the intercom system at the beginning of the school day a few days later, so the entire school could hear it!:)
Not sure anyone else would find that funny, but it was the start of what I call Cindy hysteria. From that point forward, if I ever tried to hold back a laugh, or found something extremely funny, I would end up laughing so hard, I would usually cry and have a hard time breathing.
Good times indeed. :)
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I guess I will be the first to comment on your poll request!
I believe one of the funniest moments I can recall when actually when I was younger then a teenager; I was in the 4th grade. I had to give my first presentation- ever. It was during the Gulf War and my report was on based on Kuwait I believe.
Well, I remember working on the report with my mother and we came up with this really catchy rap or "song" to sing before after I gave the report, simply to make my fellow classmates laugh. After all, my Mom and I thought it was hysterical! It was basically a play on the words of the Middle Eastern countries...for example...I RAN to the city and KuWAIT for the bus and didn't...yea, completely stupid and silly (and I am sure it was SO MUCH better then that but I do not recall the silly little ditty so many years later).
Now, I am very involved in theatre, and have had tons of spot light on the stage, but at this point, I had never done something "alone" like this before.
The day for the report came and I was REALLY nervous. I started off really shaky, but the overall presentation went really well. Then it came time for the "rap song." Well, rather then singing it for all my classmates, about one sentence came out and I proceeded to start laughing. Looking back, it was probably a release of nerves, tension and relief the presentation had gone well. I ended up laughing so hard I started to cry and couldn't breathe. Well, my classmates thought all this was hysterical and it took everyone a good five minutes or so to calm down. When I finally regained my composure, I reread the "rap song" and everyone loved it. The teacher loved it so much, I was asked to sing it over the intercom system at the beginning of the school day a few days later, so the entire school could hear it!:)
Not sure anyone else would find that funny, but it was the start of what I call Cindy hysteria. From that point forward, if I ever tried to hold back a laugh, or found something extremely funny, I would end up laughing so hard, I would usually cry and have a hard time breathing.
Good times indeed. :)
