Why is something that is funny, funny?

Question

What makes something humorous?

Answer 1

I was reading an article a few months ago about humor. There's two kinds of humor. One type is slapstick and the other is more in depth. Basically, when your brain hears the punchline of a joke it thinks about all of the stereotypes associated with subjects in the jokes, and tries to find connections. When a connection is found (or "I get it!" ) the brain releases chemicals that make you feel good. All this happens extremely quickly in under a second. So that's what makes something funny, funny.

Answer 2

Interesting question and I read all the answers - I remember having a long debate about this before. I always believed that humor has to do with someone or something being stupid or getting hurt. Interestingly, none of the answers above seem to talk about it (at least as I read it). While having that debate however, a person brought out the point what everyone else is talking about here: the element of surprise or punchline.

I do agree with the surprise/punchline but I still think most of the humor has to do with some aspect of stupidity. Now why it makes people laugh to see someone else stupid? I am not sure, yet. I'll edit my answer if I can think of something.

Answer 3

It plays on peoples tentions or exagerates a claim made. Some laugh out of habbit, and others laugh because they don't want to face themselves. Mostly it is someone being mean. Jokes that aren't funny usually have nothing to do with violence, sex, racism, or irony. or are told to the audience they are making fun of

There are the select few though
"what do you get when you cross an orange?"
"A bicycle, because vests don't have sleeves."

For instance if people thought less of a black women than the comments that Don Imus made the other day would be funny. Not to black women, but to the rest of America.
"Nappy headed hos"
The funny thing about this is that one of the players interveiwed said, "Don who?" The ones that made a stink about the comments were two black ministers, and had nothing to do with the basketball team.

People doing things or acting in ways that are obviously idiotic makes us laugh at their stupidity. Humor is actually quite a cruel thing
"Did you shoot that deer? Nope, he ran down the hill and got stuck in the wall. Here's your sign"

Other examples are irony
"you were never in a car accident until the day you forgot to put your seatbelt on."

An audience has probably 90% of the reason why things are funny.

"What do you call a bunch of blacks burried in the dirt? so only their hair is showing? Afro turf"

This is obviously a racist joke but some white audiences may find this funny. Now imagine telling the same joke to a black audience, especially if you are a white male.

Answer 4

People laugh because it hurts so much... because it's the only thing that'll make it stop hurting...
...Find a joke or something else that gave you a real belly laugh, not a smile, then see if there is a "wrongness" in it somewhere- and whether you would laugh if the wrongness wasn't there...
...Death for example. Death is so sad that we must laugh at it... all religions filled with ways to help people be brave enough to laugh even though they know they are dying...
...Laughter is a bravery... and a sharing...against pain and sorrow and defeat.

Answer 5

Sometimes, a true story, that was not so funny when it happened can be very funny when remembered!

When I was in grade school, I was embarrassed because my ears stuck out! I was often called "Dumbo" by my classmates.

As the years passed, in my teen years, I wanted to wear my hair back to a dance, and sooo, I glued my ears back!! I know, pretty crazy.

While on the dance floor (thinking I was pretty cool) one of my ears popped out!! The look on my dance partner's face will be etched in my memory...forever. My face still gets red, but I just have to laugh!

Answer 6

Well not just anything can be funny. You first have to have a sense of humor. It's a key factor in anything.

There's are two kinds of funny. "Funny Wierd" and "Funny ha-ha."

You know if something is funny, it's just what it is....it's funny.

Can't really explain.

JUST LOVE, LIVE, AND LAUGH.

Answer 7

Freud said that something was funny because jokes use primary process thinking, which is the type of thinking that someone uses when they are a young child, or dreaming, or regressing. This is in contrast to secondary process thinking, which is adult thinking, rational, logical. Because jokes allow you to think using primary process thinking, it fulfills your desire to revert back to childhood (temporarily), and that makes it funny. He categorized humor as an advanced defense mechanism.

Answer 8

I often wonder that myself. I still find humor at what is supposed to be serious moments. I was thought crazy for laughing at things I saw when I was in the Marines > I felt that it reduced tension and kept me from going crazy by not holding it in. My ex also thought that I laughed at "inappropriate" things. I guess that is just part of what makes Me, Me!

Answer 9

The essence of all humor is pain. Pain that manifests itself in many ways. Physical pain, social pain, heartache, agony, suffering, etc. Pains that we can't do anything about except to endure it. That is what laughter does, allows us to endure the pain of our life. It can be a wry look at a situation, clever, sadistic, surprizing or compromizing. All these will lead to laughter while others shed tears.

Answer 10

Humans ultimately laugh when our brain encounters a set of concepts or objects that just don't fit together or feel out of place. Think of finding something funny as a brain spasam. It's our self-defense for when things go screwy. (And things just going screwy is a time-honored comedic method)