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pimple
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Likes it here |
Location: USA
Registered: March 2006
Messages: 375
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What are the things that make you laugh? I’m not talking about jokes, but the things (outside your own life) that prove that the Master of the Universe has a sense of humor.
For me the irony of unexpected juxtaposition can get me every time. The car with the pro-life and the NRA (National Rifle Assoc. for the right bank folk) sticker on the same bumper. Now that I’ve written it out, that isn’t a perfect example, but you get the drift.
Also, little kids do me in just about every time.
You?
Simon
Joy Peace and Tranquility
Joyceility
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Women's logic - everytime. Hilarious! But then I'm gay. Baffling too!
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pimple
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Likes it here |
Location: USA
Registered: March 2006
Messages: 375
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Thanks! I was begining to think I'd laid an egg.
S
Joy Peace and Tranquility
Joyceility
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I guess it depends on what you find strange/funny/whatever 
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cossie
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On fire! |
Location: Exiled in North East Engl...
Registered: July 2003
Messages: 1699
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... since you were quacking in your boots, laying an egg wouldn't be all that surprising! ;-D ;-D
Actually, I tried to reply to this thread yesterday, but the site went off-line at 3.00.a.m. GMT. This seems to happen quite often, always at that time, but it usually reappears in a couple of minutes; this time I still couldn't reconnect even after a couple of hours.
I had prepared a full 500-page dissertation, with illustrations, footnotes and an index, but I lost it when I tried to post, so you'll just have to settle for a summary!
I agree that the best humour is found in the situations and relationships in which we find ourselves. Regular readers will know that I have a weird and irreverent sense of humour, but I have never been able to master the technique of telling 'structured' jokes properly; they seem self-consciously artificial after the first hearing.
I especially enjoy surreal humour in the Monty Python mould - I think that the 'Dead Parrot' sketch involving John Cleese and Michael Palin was a classic of its kind. I don't know whether some types of British humour travel well, but we have a tradition of what we call 'Black Humour' which can be positively ghoulish but which has developed over the last century as a safety-valve to help us cope with adversity. Our other speciality is word-play humour, at which the late and much-lamented Ronnie Barker was a Past Master. Sometimes the humour was simplistic; there is a brilliant sketch in an ironmongers (a hardware store for the intellectually challenged!) which involves confusion between word sounds - 'fork handles' being misinterpreted as 'four candles', for example. In other cases there was huge subtlety. William Archibald Spooner (1844-1930) was a clergyman and academic who had a nervous speech impediment which caused him to transpose the first letter or half-syllable of adjacent words; this afterwards became known a 'spoonerism'. Announcing the hymn 'Conquering Kings their Crowns do take' in his College Chapel, he actually said 'Kinquering Congs ...', and when berating an idle student, he is reputed to have said 'My boy, you have tasted a whole worm, with precious little to show for it'. (Rebellious Colonials may need to know that term=semester). Advising his companions of his intentions for the forthcoming vacation, he mentioned a half-formed wish - but actually said he 'had a half-warmed fish to accompany a friend to Greece.' Ronnie Barker constructed a four-minute address consisting of a constant succession of spoonerisms - there must have been dozens of them - all of which translated into words which, although ridiculous in the context, were real and familiar words. Brilliant!
I also think that humour should have no artificial limits. Religion is fair game. In a fairly recent post, JFR provided a link to a short animation in which God created the world in seven days using a keyboard - and then deleted it when he realised what was really going on. It was simple, yet genuinely funny. By contrast, a couple of weeks ago there was widespread violence in the Islamic world because many European newspapers reproduced a series of Danish cartoons centred upon the prophet Mohammed. Perhaps this encapsulates the real challenge between cultures; our Western culture accepts humour aimed at our own religion, and naturally we feel free to treat other religions in the same way. The Danish cartoons were not aimed at a Muslim culture. It seems to me depressingly probable that if humour cannot help bridge the gap between cultures, nothing can. The politically correct among us will say that we ought to respect the sensibilities of other cultures - but surely other cultures should equally respect our culture, especially in our country.
(Steps down from soap-box and adjourns across the road for a malt whisky!)
(Btw - don't label me as racist! I think that Britain - and the rest of Western Europe - has everything to gain from a multi-racial society - but I don't subscribe to the 'multicultural' bleating of the politically correct. We need to learn to live together - and that does NOT include abandoning our own traditions!)
For a' that an' a' that,
It's comin' yet for a' that,
That man tae man, the worrld o'er
Shall brithers be, for a' that.
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pimple
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Likes it here |
Location: USA
Registered: March 2006
Messages: 375
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Hey, glad I'm not the only one awake. and that I haven't worn out my welcome with you.
I noticed the internet failure yesterday, it left me alone and in the dark for about 4 hours, something that I was working at avoiding with all my might.
A wee drop would be nice - but I'm not allowed.
I'm with you on the inability to tell a structured joke. Perhaps it has something to do with the first joke I can remember telling when I was six:
(to my mother) Do you know why Donald Duck divorced his wife? (No why?) Her quack wasn't big enough! Have you ever had your mouth washed out with bar soap?
We know about Spooner on this side of the puddle what with Reagan and the ever delightful GW.
Academic note: 4 terms in a year, but only 3 semesters
Not sure what to say about your Btw. We here understand that fully. Today was St. Pat's day. what's that to 95 percent of Americans? Green beer is an acquired taste!
Joy Peace and Tranquility
Joyceility
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hello my friend cossie,
1) i do love that british humor (hate shift key!)
2) you also are so funny with your: "full 500-page dissertation, with illustrations, footnotes and an index..."
3) and i know how you feel when you hit the submit button & all goes white. It was down at least 3 hours middle of the night here..I've gotta quit doing that midnight thingy! Composed a long letter to a friend
4) and the reason I opened this reply box:
you wrote:
Btw - don't label me as racist! I think that Britain - and the rest of Western Europe - has everything to gain from a multi-racial society - but I don't subscribe to the 'multicultural' bleating of the politically correct. We need to learn to live together - and that does NOT include abandoning our own traditions!
I say AMEN to that! We're on the same page!
Love ya', Mean it!, Teddy:-()
BTW is there an easy way to tell what time you all are posting from the east coast of the "good ole usa"? Some of you have 24 hour time, others not. should i just use a good international clock? teddy
st. patrick's day- corned beef & sauerkraut
Life's a trip * Friends help you through * Adventure on life!
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>Ronnie Barker constructed a four-minute address consisting of a constant succession of spoonerisms - there must have been dozens of them - all of which translated into words which, although ridiculous in the context, were real and familiar words. Brilliant!
Cossie, my dear fellow,
I have before me a collection of Ronnie Barker's complete works, and I am unable to locate this sketch. I had the bright idea of typing some of it in, but obviously I cannot if it doesn't exist!
However, possible contenders include:
Pismonuncer's Unanimous
Good Evening. I am the president for the loyal society for the relief of sufferers from pismonunciations; for people who cannot say their worms correctly. Or who use the wrong worms entirely, so that other people cannot underhand a bird they are spraying. It's just that you open your mouse, and the worms come tumbling out in wuk a say that you dick knock what you're thuddering a bing, and it's very distressing.
...
An Ear in your Word
A very good one to you all and evening. My name is Willie Cope. I am the president of the "Getting your Wrongs in the Word Order" society, and I've been asked by the BCB to come a night too long to aim the society's explains, and picture you firmly in the put.
(Caption over -- President, Getting your Words in the Wrong Order Society.)
Firstly, I would like to say here and now -- but I can't. I always say to seem now and here which nose me absolute get-where. And most of our troubles have this member. It is very difficult to undersay what people are standing, especially if, as I did then, people only get half their back words-wards. As you can imagine, funny and gentlemen, you get some ladies combinations.
...
More Worms
Good evening. Last year I spoke to you, appealing for help for those who, like myself, have trouble with worms. They can't pronounce their worms properly. Now, I am the secretary for the Loyal Society for the relief of sufferers from Pismoununciation. The reason I am once more squeaking to you tonight is that many people last time couldn't understand what I was spraying -- so I am back again on your little queens to strain it and make it all queer.
It's a terrible thing to be ting-tied; it's even worse when your words get all muxed up, and come out wuck a say, that you dick knock what you're thuggering abing. Like I did just then, only crutch much nurse. It can be cured by careful draining at special draining-schools, which the Society has fed up all over the Twittish Isles, and for the really ducky felt cases we have a three-week bash course on the Isle of Fright, where the doctors can get to grips with the patients, and the nurses can get to grips with the doctors, and everyone has a dolly good climb. Except the patients, of course, who find it Dudley Dell. Doggly Dill. Diddly Doll -- or, in other words, bitefully flooring.
...
Dr Spooner in the Bookshop (not a four-minute address, however: a sketch)
A Victorian bookshop. Enter Dr Spooner. A lady assistant appears.
ASSISTANT: Good day, sir.
SPOONER: My name is Spooner. Spoctor Dooner. I was just frassing the punt of your shop, and I thought I'd book in for a look. Look in for a book. Do excuse me, I sometimes get one word nuddled up with a mother. I'm stequently made a laughing frock.
ASSISTANT: Ah yes, Dr Spooner, of course. You're most welcome, sir. Which book did you require?
S: How about the completel shirks of Wakespeare? Or a book of peotry by Kelly, or Sheets?
A: I'm afraid we're rather low on poetry at the moment.
S: Oh, pot a witty, pit a wotty. It was to be a present for my pud lady.
A: Your pud lady, sir?
S: My wife, the dear thing.
A: Ah! If it is for a lady -- perhaps something fairly easy to read -- nothing too taxing for the female brain.
S: On the contrary, nothing too simple. My wife is a right little bl ... a bright little reader.
A: A romantic novel, then? The Vicar of Wakefield?
S: Possibly -- provided it doesn't arouse her animal instincts. She likes red beading -- beading in red, that is. Last month I bought Wuthering Heights for her, and the following evening I found her needing it in the rude.
A: I see.
S: So I don't wish to encourage her to leap out of her vicars for the Vicar of Wakefield.
A: Quite.
S: How about Chickens?
A: Pardon?
S: Chickens. Darles Chickens. One of our most nipping grovellists. Perhaps David Kipperfield or Knockerless Nickleby? Or the one about the lady with the large chest, who advertises it for sale in the local newspaper...
A: By Dickens, sir?
S: Yes, yes. Ah! Got it. The Tale of Two Cities.
A: I'm afraid not, sir -- we could order the book for you.
...
... and so on. All by Ronnie Barker, undoubtedly one of the country's greatest ever comics.
You can tell I have too much time on my hands, can't you? Though actually, typing all that up only took me about 15 minutes.
Deeej
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pimple
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Likes it here |
Location: USA
Registered: March 2006
Messages: 375
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There is a new organization in American schools goes by the initials: D.A.M.
Mothers Against Dyslexia
S
Joy Peace and Tranquility
Joyceility
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pimple
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Likes it here |
Location: USA
Registered: March 2006
Messages: 375
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Deej
Nice post number - 666
Hurry up and say something!
S
Joy Peace and Tranquility
Joyceility
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cossie
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On fire! |
Location: Exiled in North East Engl...
Registered: July 2003
Messages: 1699
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... and my recollections have become even more rosy!
I'm pretty sure that what I had in mind was an address rather than a sketch, but in the circumstances I'm off to book a place in an Old Folk's Home!
Incidentally, I thought one of his best-ever gags was in the 'Weatherman' sketch. Can't recall the whole sketch, but in those days BBC forecasters invariably ended by saying 'and now a look at the Summary Chart', or words to that effect. If my unreliable memory is holding up on this one, the sketch appeared to end in the same way; he said 'Here is the Summary Chart ...' and the chart in question was liberally sprinkled with sun symbols and high temperature figures. He then revealed a further chart, showing snow, rain and freezing temperatures, whist going on to say '... and here is the Wintry Chart'. Such a simple word-play, but it had never occurred to me before. I quite literally rolled on the floor laughing!
And yes, you do have too much time on your hands! Your course work will suffer, mark my words!
For a' that an' a' that,
It's comin' yet for a' that,
That man tae man, the worrld o'er
Shall brithers be, for a' that.
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