A quality comedian or entertainer will provide laughter, joy, and sometimes social commentary, giving you a break from the realities and stress of everyday life. While many people have different tastes when it comes to humor, understanding the theories behind what makes something laughable will help you connect with good comedy skits and comprehend the work that goes into them. The following guide offers an overview of the basics of what makes a comedian or joke funny.

A Guide to Jokes & Why People Find Them Funny

General Situations

Humor encompasses different situations and concepts that evoke laughter and amusement, like unexpected and taboo scenarios and wordplay. They can also evoke laughter by providing relief after tension or appealing to a sense of superiority. While jokes vary wildly and evolve as cultural norms change, most successful quips rely on one or more of these concepts for their comical effect.

Skits involving dangerous situations rely on the tension relief provided by a cathartic response, like a laugh, to alleviate any stress or unease. Recanting a tale of a scary scenario and inserting a comical description of the scene's climax can accomplish this. Jokes that play on the sense of superiority include lightheartedly poking fun at a person or group of people, often playing on social stereotypes.

Social Influences

What a person finds funny is influenced by their dreams and notions of what they want their sense of humor to be. While someone studying to be an accountant may not find a joke that plays on accounting stereotypes as amusing, a designer might find this topic comical. People who think they have a lofty sense of humor might find toilet and sex humor beneath them, and a person who values being down-to-earth and relatable may find wordplay jokes cringeworthy.

The way society and cultures change also needs to be considered. What one generation finds funny will likely fail to connect with others. The first hit comedy movies ever made were delightful to older generations because they were new, exciting, and presented fresh material. Younger audiences watching the same films might find the jokes overdone or struggle to understand the associated social references.

If you want an entertainer with the theories of humor to create exciting new comedy skits, hire BYG Giggles for your special event. This stand-up comedian is based in St. Paul, MN. He tours around the country, providing family-friendly live entertainment while using original material and 15 years of experience. Learn more about the comedian's services online, and call (651) 334-5951 to inquire about rates and date availability.