For you, what is the definition of a funny person?
I think there has to be some wit and intelligence in the things that I find funny. I like wordplay and irony. I really don’t think there can be a place for racist, sexist or sizeist humor in this day and age. I’ve been left feeling out of place twice this week because I didn’t laugh at a sexist joke and then a racist one. But I think its best to be honest and not laugh in these situations, if you go along with the crowd you really are condoning making fun of people because of prejudices. This might make me left wing stick in the mud, but I don’t care! Mark Thomas is funnier than Jim Davidson any day of the week.
I don’t find the retelling of “jokes” funny. I prefer humor that is spontaneous and directly related to the current conversation. I also like when people get a laugh out of people and 15 minutes later are able to craft a second punchline out of the same funny elements when people don’t expect it. I think the “Don Rickles” style of humor has come and gone – people don’t respond to racist humor, and it’s a good thing too; looking back, those jokes were cheap shots, like smacking a man in the balls and laughing about it. Now if we could only phase out testicular trauma humor…
Great question! I love people who can find humour in everyday situations, who can laugh at themselves rather than at the expense of others, and who know how to engage in word play. I am not a fan of physical comedy and do not enjoy very basic, simplistic humour–there must be intelligence behind it. I enjoy wit, sarcasm, irony–all of which require excellent command of language. I also enjoy the sudden, unexpected joke in the middle of seriousness–one of my friends is expert at that, and his laugh makes me laugh. There are few sounds more wonderful than someone laughing genuinely–I am very disturbed by forced/fake laughter. Humour is everywhere: we have to be willing to let go of our egos, not take life so seriously, and take the time to find humour in ourselves and in the essential absurdity that is the human condition. Edit: Perhaps the person below me saw my dad? My father is so funny, in and of himself. He’s 72, has long (I mean long) silver hair, will never be spotted without a
