Theories of Humour: Surprise / Incongruity / THE COMIC EVENT

THE FINAL SKETCH: https://youtu.be/_-pLEo-s0aQ

1. What is your understanding of the comic form and theories of humour explored this week, with reference to the reading(s), in-class discussion, and/or your own research?

The comic event is one in which expectations are set up and then are disrupted. These expectations are built up by societal conventions and what is considered the ‘norm’. When there is a deviation from these accepted behaviours and norms, there is a sudden shift, and the audience can feel anything from surprised, to scared, to uncomfortable and a range of other emotions. It is this shift that for whatever reason gets a laugh out of an audience.

One of my favourite examples was the example of the sketch from ‘I Think You Should Leave’, in which an office worker tries to make her co-workers laugh and repeatedly fails. What was so funny to me during it was the awkwardness. The reactions from the others in the office is just hilarious because it is a very normal reaction to have to the situation, but the silence in the air attempts to make the audience uncomfortable, and in doing so creates that comic event.

1. How does your media artefact (sketch) respond to these constraints and concepts?

In my sketch, I wanted to recreate that awkwardness and make the audience feel that discomfort. One way I thought I could do this was through using a ridiculous song (funky cold medina) as a ringtone in a situation where nobody would expect to hear the Funky Cold Medina. My original idea was to do it in a setting where somebody was losing a job, or receiving some sort of bad news, so that there would be some sort of tension to cut through. However, due to time restrictions, I had to settle for the setting of watching a movie at home.

I also found the point from the first reading “The funniest thing is something exploding that you wouldn’t expect to explode” (Simons 2023) hilarious, and wanted to wrap with some sort of mention of something or someone exploding. Specifically answering the call and saying “what do you mean they exploded, leaving some ambiguity.

Overall, my sketch focused on disrupting the norm with discomfort and reactions from someone else portraying that norm.