Structure Flashcards
TAKE-OFF *
Take-off is an outrageous reaction (punchline) to the intended meaning
of a cliche - take-off example:
“small world, unless you have to clean it” (opposite of simple truth - reaction to unintended meaning of idiom)
SIMPLE TRUTH *
Simple Truth is a humorous reaction to the unintended meaning of an idiom - idioms do not have literal meaning and interpreting them as if they do is a good setup for humor - simple truth examples:
“cats have nine lives - makes them
ideal for experimentation”
“when you shoot a mime - should you
use a silencer?”
(opposite of take-off, intended meaning)
REFORMED CLICHE *
Altering a cliche to cleverly change its point of view and meaning -
reformed cliche examples:
“In the beginning man created God”
“Immigration is the sincerest form of flattery”
“In this country you are guilty until proven wealthy”
REVERSE *
Setup is a complete little story that is realistic and logical and then adding a logical if not realistic contradictory twist that changes (switches) the audience’s point of view - must contain a clue in
the setup for backward reinterpretation - structural misdirection works because we are wired for logical processing - sets us up to be surprised by the twist - example:
“if we knew grandkids were so much fun, we would have had them first”
TRIPLES *
Using three sequential comments, categories or examples to generate
and build anticipation and tension -
triples example:
my wife and I don’t get along, I take
my meals separately, I take separate vacations, I sleep in a separate bedroom, I’m doing everything I can do to keep this marriage together”
“you are what you eat - I’m fast, cheap and easy”
(flexible structure - variety of ways to create triples)
UNDERSTATED EXAGGERATION *
There are two types of exaggeration - overstatement and understatement - understatement is small exaggeration and overstatement is a big stretch -
both use logical premise and logical stretching to achieve equal balance between realism and exaggeration - realism-understatement example:
what is the handicapped parking
situation at the Special Olympics?
Still just the 2 spaces?”
OVERSTATED EXAGGERATION *
There are two types of exaggeration - overstatement and understatement - understatement is small exaggeration and overstatement is a big stretch -
both use a logical premise and logical stretching to achieve equal balance between realism and exaggeration -
realism-overstatement example:
“I like rice. rice is great when you are hungry and you want two thousand
of something”
SHOCKING EXAGGERATION *
Shock is a form of comedic surprise that generates laughter - vulgarity and taboo subjects works with standup, but not so much in mixed company, but there are almost always clean substitutes -
Realism-shock example:
I’m in a restaurant and I’m eating and someone says, mind if I smoke?
and I say, uh no, do you mind if I fart?
SARCASM + IRONY *
Saying one thing and obviously meaning something else - indirect form of insult or complaint, using irony to soften the blow
Example - irony / sarcasm:
DOUBLE ENTENDRE *
Double Meaning - one meaning is conventional and second one is spicy - setup joke with conventional meaning and then slip in the second meaning -
POW - double entendre example:
“we were so poor, if I wasn’t a boy,
I wouldn’t have had anything to play with”
“she is so hot (looking) even my tongue
is hard”
HOMONYMS *
using words with similar sounds and different meanings to generate funny viewpoints - homonyms have multiple close relatives however similar sounds and different meanings is the key idea
example - homonym:
OXYMORON / REDUNDANCY *
oxymorons are multiple incongruous words with clashing literal and figurative meanings that are often humorous
examples: oxymoron
“vacuuming sucks”
“dwarf shortage”
“criminal lawyer”- is that redundant?
“civil war”
POW - FUNNY WORDS
words with “K” sound funny -
cupcake, cookie, chicken, pickle, kitten, kiss, kumquat, turkey, duck, car keys - usually used in middle of joke,
often in groups - example:
“the best things in life are free,
so how many kittens would you like?”
POW - ANTONYM / SYNONYM
“tilling the soil” in search of arrowheads - sharp words for humorous alternative interpretations
TOPPER (keep it rolling)
Comedic tactic that involves a series of punchlines, each related to the previous one, especially used when the audience is on a roll
PAIRED ELEMENTS *
Two grammatical structures that are similar in construction that play off each other in meaning - paired phrases - the second line is written first - setup is then written to match the cadence - paired words (synonyms, antonyms, homonyms)
paired numbers (ascending, ascending, repeating) - contrasting aphorisms (optimistic, pessimistic)
example - paired elements
“don’t sweat the petty things,
and don’t pet the sweaty things”
USAGE BLUNDER / MALAPROP
Comedic tactic, on purpose or accidentally, which involves making spelling or grammatical errors -
similar in concept to malaprops - unintentional mangling of language - example - malaprops
“include me out”
“that restaurant is so popular,
no one goes there anymore”
RUNNING GAG
A line that comes early in a monologue and then is repeated as a payoff line for jokes scattered throughout the routine
SIMILE + METAPHOR *
comparing one thing to another
for comedic effect - punchline
usually begins with the like…
simile example:
“fighting for peace is
like fucking for virginity”
“marriage is like a hot bath,
once you get used to it, it’s not so hot”
AMBIVALENCE *
Simultaneous presence of conflicting emotions - love/hate relationships -
ambivalence example:
“make love, not war,
or do both - get married”
FLIPPING THE TARGET *
Joke targets can become cliches in themselves (criticizing politicians or criticizing wife) - pretty predictable - flipping the target can refresh the
format - politics - target the public -
marriage - play to ambivalence and acceptance (love/hate)
INCONGRUITY *
Audience is fully aware of all the facts
but someone they are observing is not - enables audience to feel superior
NON SEQUITUR *
punchline does not follow logically from the setup - similar to mixed metaphors - funniness from disconnection
SAVER
A line used to “save face” when a joke bombs
THREES (rule)
general rule: 6 qualities or ingredients or metaphorical building blocks are present in most jokes - the acronym THREES is an easy way to remember these 6 qualities: Target, Hostility, Realism, Exaggeration, Emotion and Surprise
TEE (rule)
Acronym for truth, emotion and explicitness - three criteria that determine whether a premise
properly sets up a punchline -
CWS 3/121 - Tee Test
MAPP (rule)
There is a interconnected relationship
of mutuality, agreement and support between 4 key concepts of humor - Material, Audience, Performer and Purpose - all must comfortably fit together - a VENN diagram visually demonstrates the relationship
SAP (rule)
S = setup (preparation)
A = Anticipation (triple)
P = punch line (story payoff)
(works great with triples)
(Developed by William Lang)
SWITCHAROO
“Steal and conceal” - John Cleese - modifying characters and situations within an joke to fit current comedic needs - can include updating an
old joke to today’s standards
IF, THEN… (question) *
“If we are all God’s children, what’s so special about Jesus?”
“if ignorance is bliss, why aren’t more people happy?”
WHAT IF… (question) *
“what if hypothetical situations did not exist?”
WHAT IS… (question) *
Definitional - goal is to define a word or idea in a funny way or to play with the impossibility of defining something:
“Fear is getting stuck in traffic after,
two cups of coffee and a bran muffin”“What is another word for thesaurus?”
DIFFERENCE (between) *
“what is the difference between a man and a pig? A pig doesn’t become a man when it drinks”
Tag Line
Call out at the end of a punchline - example - if topic is scary, tag line would be - “now that’s scary” - similar to TM - tells them what you told them - solidifies - reminds them why they are laughing
Judy Carter - four comedic attitudes: weird, scary, hard, stupid
be prepared to act-out these attitudes for my emotional hot button issues - on the spot / on demand
Observational Humor
Type oh humor in which humorist focuses on a realistic action or logical thought with the intent of destroying it - similar to realism-exaggeration however instead of seeking a balance, you are trying to destroy - Judy Carter - hit or miss - no real emotional commitment
Summary = 16 structural forms of humor - marked with asterisk above - use each type (16) for complete comedy monologue - assures jokes do not become monotonous
PUNCH UP - structural in up/down sense - social status issue - always punch up to higher status - don’t pick on people who are lower in status - poor taste - they don’t need more pain
