Does Comedy Need To Be Funny?

[mrsticky005]

Have you ever heard a joke that you found to be utterly hilarious only
to repeat it with blank stares and a reprimand from the Secret Service?
Ok maybe not. But it is at least clear that everyone has their own sense
of humor even if seemingly they have none at all. Comedy is one of the
main genres of literature. The others being Drama, Horror, Tragedy,
Action and Adventure, etc. But what exactly is comedy? The simple
answer would be "literature that is funny". But that leads to a problem.
Who decides what is and what isn't funny? I'm sure I'm not the only
one who's watched a "comedy" film and not laugh once during those
miserable 17 hours. Okay I kid. It was only 16 hours and 68 minutes.
Still is it possible for nobody to find a comedy funny and it still be
possible to be comedy? If you think that the author must at least
find it funny then what about unintentional humor? Sometimes the
funniest things are when people are NOT trying to be funny.
So who or what actually decides what is comedy?

[junchurikioftheleaf]

the robots inside your head decide

[Wooster]

Mystery Science Theater 3000 decides.

But yes, it is what the creator intends that doesn't mean there aren't bad comedies. Just that the writers have failed. But unintentional jokes can be really funny, but then you are laughing at the creators not at their brilliance.

[junchurikioftheleaf]

i sense possibility of paradox

[Bacon]

Wasn't comedy originally suppose to be love stories, in the classical definition?

[zerosameri]

com-e-dy/kaməde/Noun

1. Professional entertainment consisting of jokes and satirical sketches, intended to make an audience laugh.
2. A movie, play, or broadcast program intended to make an audience laugh.

[mrsticky005]

com-e-dy/kaməde/Noun

1. Professional entertainment consisting of jokes and satirical sketches, intended to make an audience laugh.
2. A movie, play, or broadcast program intended to make an audience laugh.


Also note the key word of "intended".

[zerosameri]

Also note the key word of "intended".
True :lol:

[Rasengan-]

Black Comedy or Dark Comedy?

[Shikamaru Nara]

Sense of humor is all just perspective. That's all there is to it.

[Sheelah]

Everyone has their own tastes on what they think is 'funny' or not...also some of the best moments in comedy sometimes turn out to be accidents...Some may be intentional, others, not...

[Maikeru D. Shinigami]

No one decides and everyone decides. I also think comedy can be more shocking.

[Kreegah!!!]

When's the last time a comedy has been truly funny? Not that it matters since comedies weren't originally meant to be funny anyway...

The original Pink Panther films and Married With Children will always be cherished by me, however. And look Around You. >_>

That said, there are things that are never humourous regardless of intent, such as anything Sarah Silverman does of her own accord. So by that one declaration, I presume to say that a "comedy" that isn't funny isn't a comedy. It's a load of balderdash foisted upon the unsuspecting by people who have no humor but think they understand it. Like those Idol auditioners who think they can sing regardless of absolutely everyone else's prevailing opinionsfacts.

[Bacon]

Wasn't comedy originally suppose to be love stories, in the classical definition?

com-e-dy/kaməde/Noun

1. Professional entertainment consisting of jokes and satirical sketches, intended to make an audience laugh.
2. A movie, play, or broadcast program intended to make an audience laugh.

<3

Shakespearean Comedy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearean_comedy)

Up yours, Zero. :3

[Kreegah!!!]

Greek Comedy was around long before Shake-a-Spear's. And a comedy is just a happy ending, or at least anything not a tragedy.

[Bacon]

:D Well, I'm don't know squat about comedies really, that was just a tid bit I remembered from Freshman year. xD

[Chiku]

Have you ever heard a joke that you found to be utterly hilarious only
to repeat it with blank stares and a reprimand from the Secret Service?
Ok maybe not. But it is at least clear that everyone has their own sense
of humor even if seemingly they have none at all. Comedy is one of the
main genres of literature. The others being Drama, Horror, Tragedy,
Action and Adventure, etc. But what exactly is comedy? The simple
answer would be "literature that is funny". But that leads to a problem.
Who decides what is and what isn't funny? I'm sure I'm not the only
one who's watched a "comedy" film and not laugh once during those
miserable 17 hours. Okay I kid. It was only 16 hours and 68 minutes.
Still is it possible for nobody to find a comedy funny and it still be
possible to be comedy? If you think that the author must at least
find it funny then what about unintentional humor? Sometimes the
funniest things are when people are NOT trying to be funny.
So who or what actually decides what is comedy?
http://www.deviantart.com/download/118612991/ShamWUT____Hi_res____by_pjman.jpg
lolwut?

also, if no one thinks its funny its called a repost,no one thinks of it as humor....so no, if its not funny its not comical...