Stereotypes are real. We’ve all carry them. If we’re wise or well-disciplined, we don’t take action on them–moving from stereotyping to discriminating. Stereotypes are often ignorant and unfair, but they can be funny. Playing off them–or creating them–effectively can help you get some laughs. You’ve seen it a thousand times: “Dumb Blonde” jokes, “What do you call a Lawyer,” jokes, and for those of us in Minnesota, the “Sven and Ole” jokes. The simple character descriptions make the characters simple-minded, removes their humanity, and makes them easy and funny targets.
Scott Dikkers says your comedic characters should be limited to just a couple traits. Well-developed characters can be funny, too, but it’s easier to get a light-hearted laugh if the audience isn’t also processing the character’s life-long baggage. Heavy stuff isn’t funny–except Chris Farley, James Belushi, and John Candy. They were heavy and HILARIOUS.
I’ve been reading–and attempting to write–funny. The former is easier than the latter, though it is surprisingly rare to find a book that makes you laugh out loud. It takes more time to set-up the joke in literature than it does using quick visuals or physical humor seen in film and television. Scott Dikker’s book How to Write Funny attempts to offer a recipe. (Dikkers is the founder of The Onion.) In his book, Dikkers’ mentions a quote from E/B. White: “Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process.” Dikkers smartly chose the quote–recognizing that his book isn’t actually funny, but there were a few interesting tips I’ll share. You can learn more about Dikkers and his writing in GoodReads. And if you know of any books that made you laugh out loud, let me know!
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