Bob Mankoff: Anatomy of a New Yorker cartoon

The New Yorker receives around 1,000 cartoons each week; it only publishes about 17 of them. In this hilarious, fast-paced, and insightful talk, the magazine's longstanding cartoon editor and self-proclaimed "humor analyst" Bob Mankoff dissects the comedy within just some of the "idea drawings" featured in the magazine, explaining what works, what doesn't, and why.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more.
Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at www.ted.com/tra...
Follow TED news on Twitter: / tednews
Like TED on Facebook: / ted
Subscribe to our channel: / tedtalksdirector

[@Oniontears123TNG]

One of the best demonstrations of proper power point use I've ever seen.

[@Superstarfruit888]

I loved that they cut to people who were thoroughly enjoying his presentation to the point of bliss. Most humorists only know how to get a reaction by being offensive - these artists are actually making brainy humor and it's a relief for people, you can see that in their faces.

[@Millionsofpeas]

It is only brainy if you have the kind of limited, white, right wing and bourgie perspective that New Yorker readers tend to have. For everyone else these are not only boring but intellectually simple.

[@jpkatz1435]

@@Millionsofpeas yes, right wing, all hanady/ trump "ride alongs", that's reflexively obvious

[@hamperhamp895]

I would prefer the semicolon over the dash here.

[@jimpinney]

I hope I can remember this video the next time somebody says " humor cannot be explained" VERY GOOD VIDEO!!

[@ClipsByMiles]

What a great presentation and insight into the thinking involved with humour. Very entertaining and thought provoking.

[@benoitschwob3498]

Years ago, this vid has been one of the first TED talks I saw. Since then, watching TED talks online has become an regular occupation for me... :-)

[@Arnogorter]

That was a great talk! i could listen to this guy for hours!

[@jpkatz1435]

but eventually, ok Bob, enough already!

[@danbark4603]

the lassie, the witch and the stop and think ones killed me my god this was an amazing video

[@BarbaraLoraine]

Loved this. Great explanation of what humors us, the effect of context, and the reason for rejection (which helps).

[@greimalkin]

"how about never" is one of my favorite cartoons, now I know who made it Someecards ripped it off recently, I shoulda called them out on it.

[@tinywombat]

Long but well worth it. Very funny. Really directed to people who like New Yorker cartoons.

[@VelMa-opinion]

The guy who wished for him to drop dead did actually sign his comment: _Cordially, ..._

[@7bcoop2]

I noticed that too! :-D

[@yerazp6606]

STOP and THINK sortof makes you stop and think doesn't it

[@maryanncarcich4142]

I miss you as cartoon editor of the New Yorker, Mr Mankoff. Great Ted talk.

[@danaildanailov3847]

Bob is great.

[@gatitauk5206]

This legit brightened up my day, I'm glad it wasn't on proper ted or he wouldv had to skip past so much of his material

[@tabakeas]

Brilliant! Thank you for posting...

[@tonyk2614]

SO worth the listen!

[@lemmingsgopop]

Good thought provoking talk

[@Baxter0Luigi]

The audience doesn't seem fake to me, just much, much smaller and more intimate than the other TED talks. Seems a waste of time to judge the audience, though, doesn't it? I enjoyed Bob Mankoff, would love to see everything he sees in a day!

[@jpkatz1435]

B. M. is terrific, look for his "Getting and spending..." cartoon. A timeless summation imho.

[@persalba]

Excellent! Thanks.

[@KiKiStarling]

Love the Rodin joke at 6:44!

[@WheresWaldoProd]

It wasn't about the jokes, it was relaying and explaining how some humor works; why we laugh.

[@heidiannemorris]

Fabulous ! :O) ♥ thank you Bob & Ted

[@forgetmenot783]

As a vegetarian, I simply had to stop and take a screenshot of the cartoon at 17:34. Brilliant!

[@kgdblade]

Loved it!

[@menda9929]

merci pour la traduction!

[@Haydenthemaker1000]

I'm obsessed with his lectures

[@matthewwilliams1393]

Thiis was funny but also showed how humid can be used to connect with people. Also the lemming one was hilarious.

[@teodelfuego]

Matthew Williams humidity is, indeed, the crux of all humor

[@jpkatz1435]

@@teodelfuego you got that one write, Bubba

[@Michman2024]

Excellent.

[@lebasson]

I agree. But that's probably explained by that person he quoted (forgot the name): talking about humor is like dissecting a frog: nobody cares and in the end the frog dies. I wouldn't say laughing was the point here. I actually enjoyed the analysis of what they look for when selecting a cartoon.

[@clyde1255]

The one and only E.B. White, who created the whole New Yorker style. The speaker is not trying to give people the recipe of humor, instead, he is explaining how people process humor.

[@CybranM]

really interesting video, the humor is spot on!

[@darby_hudson]

if something is funny, it bypasses the cognitive analysis part of the brain and makes it into the magazine regardless of its "critical on brand assessment". i often feel that creativity is post-rationalised to be on brand or not

[@Rebasepoiss]

That was really interesting. :)

[@ktmtxt]

Amazing :)

[@yogeetharaghu1602]

Wow lovely ❤️❤️❤️

[@steveboo6311]

having read the new yorker, i can say losing the articles would probably be a plus.

[@teodelfuego]

Steve Boo I'm guessing you're a Trump supporter.

[@waremblem3405]

There are articles? I thought it was an Exxon Valdez dictionary spill.

[@waremblem3405]

Teo I'm guessing that you're still butt hurt from 11/08/16. TOOOOOO bad.

[@jpkatz1435]

@@waremblem3405 and speaking of the E. V. How is your energy sector growth fund doing?

[@DigitalNinjutsu]

failed to blur i can read that contract just fine :)

[@bruceyip23]

excellent and funny

[@VertigaDesignMEDIA]

The audience is there so we can observe ourselves.

[@JamesDuckettAuthor]

This guy was talking about people's reaction to humor, which I thought made seeing their "stupid faces" go with the subject of the discussion. Even without that, I didn't think it focused on the audience THAT much.

[@markphc99]

this was super

[@ItalyPaola]

Very helpful :D

[@ShawnRavenfire]

"I enjoyed getting your e-mail."

[@ronaldm4594]

Turn that M upside down and turn it into a W, hah!

[@ravishankersunderam1241]

I wonder how many people got you. This should be a cartoon gag !

[@TheYeldark]

0:10 - very convincing...

[@irenegaltung9304]

great!! :)

[@Dash03X]

I thought this Ted Talk was one of the funniest things I've seen in ages. I should thank someone here but I'm not going to.

[@johnlittle5422]

that's the truth he's not joking

[@PaulZink]

The "pole" is a lit cigarette: get a new prescription or squint more forcefully.

[@dreaminginnoother]

that was a fun one

[@UberDTfreaK]

yup. only fear would be biting...

[@6u6u7o]

This. But I guess that's the style of the videos. I don't see how it could be improved.

[@hurdygurdyguy1]

6:27 ... "sia qua non" ... that's why I'll never be a New Yorker cartoonist, I don't get Latin... 13:03 ... then put it within an article about , say Donald Trump... problem solved!

[@tvieno]

A little too much gum-to-tooth ratio we got going on there. 0:53

[@eurotomek2250]

I don't understand last joke. :/

[@scancool]

is fun at lunch time not so much at dinner time.

[@sanguibangui2543]

lol hilarious !!!

[@1acroyear1]

Which?

[@labyrinth564]

Michael Chabon's long lost older bro

[@PaulZink]

You may comment on Mankoff's appearance (and his "need" to change it) once you start creating cartoons as funny as his.

[@waremblem3405]

Mankoff's appearance has always been hideous. He's an "artist." It's mandatory to look like a slob.

[@CurtHowland]

Just goes to show that not all TED talks are for everyone, either.

[@frunchzz]

It feels straight out of Dr. Good, or some other Onion show

[@Alistarwormwood]

Such an uptight, humorless audience. They laugh out loud and the most inane cartoons, but the funniest one, with the witches got hardly any reaction.

[@finze1]

+Alistar Wormwood Can you explain the witches to me? I don't get it.

[@Alistarwormwood]

+finze1 The joke is that when someone says, "I'm thinking about having a child" In normal, everyday context this usually means conceiving, and giving birth. Having a child of your own and raising them. In the context of the cartoon, it is implied that the witch is going to order a child from the menu because she intends to eat it.

[@finze1]

Alistar Wormwood Ah of course! Thanks for your patience in showing me!

[@nilsp9426]

Does that imply any of us can judge which one is the funniest without consulting many other people about it?

[@eucalipto9724]

an uptight, humorless audience? what about an annoying, predictable comment section... of course you all prefer to comment on how you are better than the audience because you laughed harder at a joke instead of commenting on the presentation itself. disgusting, as always.

[@thecommonsman]

I guess witches don't get the vegetarian jokes. The one with the big "X" was funny though.

[@muyflaca76]

non c'è con i sub in italiano? -.-

[@DeoMachina]

What an irony, a video about humour and RWJ is in the related videos section.

[@TheDarkFalcon]

omg its so bad I can't finish this..

[@johnhanson4777]

I''m sure my cartoon would be rejected by any publisher by the legal department, he,he.

[@XxPromiseYourselfxX]

Hilarious! :D

[@ghrimsaad]

Is that the woman from MOMA.

[@UberDTfreaK]

That girl in the black-and-white polka dots has some TEETH man.

[@julietacartagena]

greaat!

[@johnhanson4777]

I drew a cartoon, a cemetery and one tombstone says " Pepperoni and cheese " on it, thumbs up if you think it's funny ?

[@wcsah]

So interesting to see the cartoons from after 9/11

[@28Miola]

That girl in the audience has a bigger bit than sarah jessica parker.

[@waremblem3405]

A) Hire Roz Chast. B) Ruin. Job done.

[@B5903]

I dont get it neither

[@papackar]

Don't take Zorelto.... no matter what.

[@TheJoshLange]

"drawn just right, just not funny enough...". LOL

[@wcstorm11]

Kept hearing the croak-laugher

[@andrewy5972]

Who else is here for a fucking medical school exam.

[@Timrath]

Which joke was offensive? I must have missed it...

[@skruvmaejsel]

I don't get it.

[@joeymatee]

TOO MUCH GUMS AM I RIGHT??

[@scancool]

"I wish I was taller"

[@coffeefish]

millions and millions of people voted for Mitt Romney.

[@Sweet_game01]

😁😁2022😁😁

[@ceaderf]

Why did I hate the audience?

[@ridingboy]

Good talk, but the audience feels fake. I want to follow the talk and see the cartoons and not look into stupid faces from the audience.

[@Bestios10]

audience ruin this video.

[@otobotrecords]

Why?

[@cypehype]

the audience made me feel sick to look at -_- urgh, if I was him Id be so pissed after

[@otobotrecords]

Why?

[@osco4311]

cute, though

[@TenyLeons]

Its made me crack

[@tishaddams1762]

PS just watch Will Ferrell much better!!!! Making captions for the New Yorker my bets on Will

[@softpretzelclub]

I'm the woman

[@-inputoutput]

i wish this guy was as insightful as he thought he was

[@xLithePanther]

someone voted for Mitt Romney

[@Miranda-wu2eu]

I agree, I really think this audience was paid to be there or something. It seems really forced/ fake.

[@coffeefish]

So, a grown man who needs a haircut, walks into a bar...

[@dianasikandar8642]

LOL