How To Be Funny | Video Essay

In this video essay I identify the single quality that all jokes posses...
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[@TheCloserLook]

Hey guys, thought I'd just have the first word on this discussion. I forgot to address absurdist humour. Essentially that is when the comedic value comes from the ridiculesness. Monty python is a classic example of absurdist humour. A good example of this to deconstruct is when in the holy grail john cleese is running up the hill. Here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHfYl6KFnKiAjZo So in this example who is the victim? Well an argument could be made that the victim is either the audience or the filmmakers themselves. Essentially in the first few shots it builds up expectation that the knight is going to run up and kill the guards. Then they totally break those expectations by just repeating the same clip over and over again. The moment when we realise our expectations have been broken is the moment we start laughing. So due to these broken expectations the victim could be us as the viewer because they successfully deceived us or more likely it was the filmmakers themselves because we laugh at their inability to be sensible and get such a basic thing right. That really is the essence to ridiculous humour. The victim is usually the joke teller because they are acting like a buffoon. Ridiculous humour such as monty python is another form of self deprecating humour.

[@mackprime6975]

Wow never though of comedy that way great observation!

[@krishacz]

The victim is the expectation itself.

[@spikethegodposter1293]

The Closer Look You should do a video about charlie Kauffman.

[@alexmartinez3719]

Krisha Actually mmh, thats an interesting point. Can concepts, actions and ideas be a valid victim for a joke or does it just work because he take the people wich take part in those actions and ideas as the victims?

[@Jacobinfantozzi]

The Closer Look A very good comedian that switches constantly between self deprecating humor and really offensive humor is Bo Burnham, his approach to using the audience as a victim is really interesting cause his attacks are so offensive they cease to be so. Just a thought, great video btw

[@mylesschutte6257]

"Every joke has a victim." That feels like somthing the Joker would say to justify his murdering.

[@TheCloserLook]

Do you want to know how I got these scars ;D

[@germanfan6481]

@@TheCloserLook yeah why not?

[@ruthsantos6845]

@@TheCloserLook Do you want to know how i got this meme

[@nacnud2115]

@@TheCloserLook well i look at a meme of just the word BEANS with a shake filter and i think it's funny who is the victim?

[@TheF0xskibidbopmmdada]

@@ruthsantos6845 do you want to know how I got nothing you lose good day sir

[@BigOugh]

Puns are funny because the victim is everyone you just told it to.

[@MrBLARG85]

Ha ha

[@MrBLARG85]

Jared Lo Oh my god my roommates want to punch me every time I make a pun lol

[@darthXreven]

puns are fine, it just depends how you use em, like if you say something and genuinely didn't catch the pun and say nothing about the pun it's funny but if you make a big deal about it that's where it get's to be puke inducing..... on the other hand there's a few times you can deliberately point out a pun and it's okay like how George Carlin did it, talking about names of singles bars and he mentions gar bar names and calls one "The Mouthful" which he points out the double pun....that's funny but amateur puns making fun of some name naww man IDK, maybe I'm a little wrong but it does depend on how you do it, how you deliver it.....anyone can say something like there were 2 lesbian hookers over there but a good comedian would turn it into a real joke like there were 2 lesbian hookers over there but they couldn't find a John anywhere.... another good rule of comedy is any good joke should never be explained....

[@fallinghippos9758]

MrBLARG85 So your roommate is the victim, at least until you actually get punched.

[@cactusmom8203]

thats why the pun teller finds it funny while the pun hearers groan

[@ShmurplesArePurple]

The past, the present, and the future walked into a bar. It was tense

[@greeninferno1339]

Shmurple Purple I feel victimized

[@Leto85]

You said 'walked'. How can the future be present in past presence? ;)

[@chichenchibab337]

Stop

[@kianadresse891]

That made me laugh way to much

[@Lanngeax]

lol

[@nolynste1926]

You can also do the reverse Conan, aka the "South Park". It's where you offend no one, by offending everyone.

[@Ghost_Text]

and especially when they really amplify into the point theyre trying to make with follow ups.

[@anupampeter3456]

Bill Burr is also a great example

[@seldochannel6660]

That's why I like that show because the reason it's pc is because everyone gets joked about

[@dakotapiner5389]

Another point is that South Park is so over the top with their jokes. While jimmys jokes about gamers come off as offensive south parks “Warcraft guy” is so over the top with Mountain Dew and bad posture that it’s funny.

[@thebluelobsterking8695]

@@dakotapiner5389 yeah, the south park creators definitely show the full extent of their knowladge when talking about a certain subject, I havent seen many episodes in which something was ignorantly overlooked, while Jimmy seems like he just looked at a few of the Minecraft lets players who would scream at the scene and determined that, that was the community

[@phanicattwentyonefallingdi2425]

I love self-deprecating jokes. I make them so often my girlfriend thinks I hate myself... I mean, I do, but that's not the point

[@TheCloserLook]

Ha ;D

[@DaveLuna12]

You sir are brilliant

[@zaidnava3728]

nice

[@ericleonardjr]

Same lol, except i don't have a girlfriend....I'm so lonely.

[@ariezon]

that was a good one.

[@lorcanatkinson609]

“60% of the time, it works everytime”. One of the best scenes in the movie 😂😂

[@anjaj4003]

Wow, that escaladed quickly.

[@jamesmallone]

Well it is one of the greatest MOVIES of all time. So it should come as no surprise.

[@cheneethompson5756]

Lol! 40% of the time, that joke works every time!

[@simunator]

statistically logical

[@Ryan-wc8wm]

"knock knock." whos there? "Broken Pencil." Broken pencil who? "oh, forget it there is no point."

[@adamwolf2535]

im the victim because i thought it will be a structured comment

[@Thisone109]

That is a Pun

[@pixlpigeon3613]

The victim is the pencil lol

[@evillaust5839]

Good

[@koopertrooper7008]

@@adamwolf2535 when the reply is better than the comment

[@Selrisitai]

"What's the trait these jokes have in common?" My opinion? It's that the actors play it straight. They don't try to be funny, they _let the joke be funny._ In Loaded Weapon, Priscilla Presley initially tried to "ham up" her lines, but the directors told her, "No, you just act just like you would in any other movie. Be emotional and as serious as the scene requires. Let the joke be funny." All of these examples you show seem to have that quality.

[@staalman1226]

Dancing scene in airplane doesn't

[@DFivril]

The delivery is important. Conan lives his joke, while Kimmel (to name one) conveys it. Conan didnt laugh at his own joke until after its delivery, and his bodylanguage was a natural extension of what he said. He invested all his being towards the joke, allowing for little misinterpretation or confusion.

[@jamisonwoodson8548]

Conan is a great host and interviewer

[@MrBLARG85]

I absolutely love Conan. He makes me laugh every time.

[@eartianwerewolf]

It's easier to trust Conan too. I do think trust is actually a part of humor too. If you feel ulterior motives, etc, it undercuts the joke.

[@XKCDism]

In short, he sold the joke

[@mikitz]

The true victim of that Conan joke was the one who included the damn hotel in the map.

[@triggerhappy7206]

Why did Sally fall off the swing? -Because she had no arms. Why did Jimmy drop his ice cream? -Because he got hit by a truck. Why did the truck hit Jimmy? -Because Sally was driving it. Knock knock -Who's there? Not Sally. The victim is you, the reader, for having to spend 30 seconds reading this stupid joke

[@manuchaildofbramha5117]

Triggerhappy 720 jokes on you...i spent five minutes...

[@brendanjones6448]

You are also the victim be cause you spent your time writing it. You also spent your time reading this comment so you are the victim twice. I am the victim twice to be cause I read your comment along with typing my own one myself.

[@adwadswadsda8458]

The joke made me laugh...so i guess being the victim was worth it x^d

[@angelaphsiao]

I suppose the victim of this joke is Sally

[@LichKingg23]

Ok, I was mad with the joke but not Sally got me

[@perjoonican4097]

I'd argue that while most good jokes have a victim, that victim doesn't have to be a person. Plenty of times you can make some sarcastic wisecrack remark about a situation that gets a laugh and yet in no way demeans yourself, I'd say that in that situation, the victim is the situation itself, rather than anyone involved.

[@isaywhateveriwantandyougot7421]

can you give a good example please?

[@jameslillie5445]

@@isaywhateveriwantandyougot7421 Politics

[@abdalkaaderjaber36]

That's what Ricky Gervais talked about when he said there's a distinction between the target of a joke, and the subject of the joke

[@starter_4008]

@@jameslillie5445 your too smart for your own sake

[@PamIsley314]

@@isaywhateveriwantandyougot7421 Any joke about flying. It's not usually at the expense of one particular airline its usually just about the relatable things we all go through whenever we fly somewhere. Jokes about Monday, trying to find a cab, saying bye to someone and then leaving in the same direction. Also weather jokes

[@Jose_Ruiz932]

I remember a quote going somewhere along the lines “comedy isn’t just randomness or shock or anything like that. It’s something simple but hard to master. The key to a good joke, is intelligence and honesty”

[@ADARVE44]

That’s not true. I disagree.

[@Vooodooolicious]

I run conversation classes and I find this to be true. I am just honest and human and because people relate, the laugh. I think that comedy is sharing an human experience, especially one that you didn't know other people shared.

[@RogerNbr]

I actually laughed at the "that doesnt make sense" rather than the "60% percent of the time it works everytime" line

[@TheCloserLook]

That's because it is reinforcing our thoughts that it was a non sequitur. When he said that he validated our thoughts and made the joke a little more obvious to people who didn't get it the first time around.

[@somedude84961]

I actually disagree with you there. I think that another form of comedy that does not have a victim is the literal form. That is to say, when people say or explain exactly what is happening or what they are witnessing with such bluntness that it is funny.

[@bright-vision8766]

somedude84961 but then, the victim is the person who explains the obvious thing, because he is "stupid" and Tells something that is totally obvious, showing us that he Things what he just told is not obvious at all, wich makes him an Idiot.

[@somedude84961]

Bright- Vision I think that is a bit of a stretch, but if I had to say there was one overarching characteristic that all comedy needs, it would be timing. Timing can be funny all on it's own, and an otherwise funny joke can fall flat if the delivery is off. So I think timing is required more than a victim

[@eartianwerewolf]

I did too hahaha!

[@johnwolfenden7599]

Not sure who said it first, but I think humor is a reversal of expectations at its heart.

[@flobb91]

i agree. when expectations are met with something odd we learn something. a new connection between two things that we didnt know fit together. in german a joke is called 'witz'. but 'witz' can also mean wit. to make a joke you need to be witty and put together two seemingly unrelated things.

[@jacobturner4815]

I agree, THIS is the core of comedy. There is plenty of comedy which has no victim. Though if you want to stretch and say that the teller of the disconnected joke is the victim because they should not have connected those things (as was done to Liam Neesan's clip at the start in this video), then sure.... you can make everything have a victim I suppose. Watch Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Must Die. Hilarious almost all the way through, and no... I would say there is no victim to most of it.

[@TayyubIbrahim]

Can't the same thing be said about great tragedies?

[@roryshannon7629]

John Wolfenden pretty sure it was Charlie Chaplin who demonstrated it first

[@Roogy88]

Vsauce

[@LordQueezle]

My favorite self-deprecating joke is, "That's what they said when I was born." This is a really fun line to throw in after a comment like, "What _is_ that?" or "Who would want this?" I love the reactions that comment gets out of people because out of nowhere, I throw myself under the bus. I like to think of it as "verbal slapstick" humor. :)

[@AtomBacon]

That reminds me of one of my favourite jokes from the game Madworld. There is an mini-boss in one of the levels called the "Big Long Driller" and when he spawns a few dialogue exchanges can occur between the in game commentators Howard&Kreese (Greg Proops&John Dimaggio), and among them is this: K: And here comes the Drill Man! H: That's what the ladies used to call me before my accident. K: What do they call you now? H: They don't call me... Or if you want something a little more ridiculous there is this exchange from a different level: K: There are more bits flying there than when I stick my dick in a blender full of pickled herring! H: Why the heck would you do that? K: Well I like Penis-Caladas.

[@JosefZeethuven]

everytime someone says something like what would your friends think i always answear what are friends

[@spaghetto9836]

@@AtomBacon That is insane lolol.

[@ayekantspeylgud]

I’ve never heard that one before. Thanks, I plan to steal it.

[@you_were_the_chosen_one]

What did the amputee say to the police officer? "Don't shoot! I'm unarmed!"

[@captaincurd2681]

Good one.

[@cheneethompson5756]

Lol!

[@AlexSoetekouwProductions]

Why did the chicken cross the road? He didn't, there is no chicken and there is no road. It is all fake. -Vsauce

[@djninjitsuchannel7857]

we all live in a simulation

[@guiguspi]

Poor chiken =(

[@TMthe33rd]

Or am i?

[@AleK0451]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5Xapmefi6Zkr9E

[@Braaaap.]

we live in a society

[@callumunga5253]

I think that it should instead be: "Every _good_ joke has a victim".

[@chrystian4]

Callum Shamwana I would go with the original "every joke has a victim" because a bad joke still has a victim, as exemplified with puns, not every pun is a good one and the victim is still the joke teller. And i would add "every joke also has a misdirection" because you normally will expect things to go one way, but they go the complete opposite

[@SCP.343]

The Joker 🃏 completely agrees.

[@maxk2828]

I agree with the sentiment of what callum said. I am one of "those people" who like puns and I disagree that puns have a victim. Some simple jokes like that are funny because you didn't see the wordplay coming and it's not what was expected which I don't think makes the listener the victim. I think that once one strays from that in to other, often more complex jokes, victims start to appear and these jokes can be the funniest.

[@dantegoat8568]

no pal. EVERY. EVERY joke has a victim.

[@manliovalenza7955]

True, the basic structure of comedy is: Setup, Turn, Punchline, where the punchline resides within the victim and the turn is a consequence of misdirection

[@williamehrhardt918]

Jokes don't require a victim. They require a contradiction between a reasonable expectation and reality. It is reasonable to expect Sargent Angel to know common prank call tactics, but he applies that over-zealously and insults a member of the public. He is a diligent and proper police officer so him insulting a member of the public is also a contradiction in expectation versus reality. (i.e. the joke works on multiple levels) Every joke has a contradiction, but not every joke has a victim.

[@aaronseet2738]

Yea I was surprised that he came down to that basic conclusion. Jokes about plants and objects and laws of physics are all about victimisation too, I guess.

[@KEP1983]

Thanks, this makes a lot of sense.

[@PamIsley314]

THANK YOU!

[@spaghetto9836]

I agree. I really didn't like that conclusion, you can have a victim to your joke & it can still be bad. I thought he'd teach how to write good humor in stories or something.

[@ivovanderavert1269]

You confuse humor and a joke.

[@acycle2124]

Important to note, if you plan on using self-depreciating humor in your daily life make sure it comes from a place of confidence, self respext or something you can manage well about yourself. A lot of people I've met make the mistake of projecting actual insecurities through their jokes, making them more uncomfortable than funny

[@clabe9010]

Why can't t-rex clap? Because they are dead Who is the victim? Me(for being stupid), the dinosaurs(for not being able to clap/for being dead), you(for not understanding the obvious) or no one?

[@wisecrack3461]

The viewer for making an assumption, then being made a fool of

[@randominternetsurfersurfin7595]

André C-B the t rex

[@Pruemedia]

Jeff Goldblum and the chaos theory.

[@talentleesdorito9771]

Rex arms are to little

[@theshrimplorde3969]

Definitely the t-rex, I can't believe you killed them just for a joke

[@jankuiper3422]

Many word jokes don't have victims in them. For example: "Two rights don’t make a wrong; they make an aeroplane." Personally I think the heart of a joke is setting up a premise/expectations, then getting a conclusion that is contrary to what people expect. That is the hart of absurdity, two elements that oppose each other. That is why many people like black humour, because that takes something that is sacrosanct, and than drags its through the dirt.

[@dere7343]

that wasn't a good joke. Even absurdist jokes need to follow some kind of logic

[@jankuiper3422]

I'm not going to argue if it is a good joke or not; that is up to the individual. But to be honest, I simply wrote down one of the jokes I heard when I was young, because humour geared towards kids often is quite tame (read: I agree, the joke was a bit lame) The joke does follow a certain logic though. The Wright brothers made the first aeroplane, so two "Writes" made a plane. The common phrase is "Two rights don't make a wrong". The discrepancy in this joke is that the word 'right' is being taken for the name of the Wright brothers. So that would be the logic of the joke if you dissect it. As far as I can see, this joke does not have a victim (unless you count the possible cringe it might invoke).

[@dere7343]

do you like the show 'come fly with me'? tis very funny

[@VOYAGEUR-YT]

De Re How doesn't it have logic?

[@jankuiper3422]

I didn't know that show, so I had to google it. Watched some videos, and I like it :) Who could know the right (ba dum tshhh) joke, could lead to a good new comedy show (sorry, couldn't leave that one out :0 )

[@edenmckinley3472]

I have a brother, and he's hilarious, but his kind of humor isn't self-deprecating. It's more of a situational humor. He just starts telling a story with several characters in a situation, and he gives each of the characters a voice and a personality right off the bat. It's so fun because he tells the story through his face and voice, and makes each line both unexpected and original. I think that's another key cornerstone to being funny. Originality. I Love Lucy was a hilarious sitcom because a lot of the situations are very original - like a grown adult getting a job at a candy factory for the express purpose of eating candy. My favorite type of humor is when absurdity is treated seriously, and no one (except perhaps for one straight guy) realizes that this situation is completely absurd.

[@quirogatnonerrat3214]

Well your brother is also talented with a good voice being able to pull off the multiple voices situation. I myself don't like jokes where people are getting offended even if it is self deprecating, it is harming someone and it bothers me. But funny situations are a whole different thing 👌🏻

[@brettlivingston595]

60% of the time it works everytime is not contradictory, it's redundant. It works 60% of the time.

[@maximusbroyles5786]

"The suffering of Others is the most amusing thing there is" -King Dedede

[@TheCloserLook]

It sounds evil but really we are all guilty of laughing at someone in pain at some point :/

[@AndrusPr8]

I guess king Dedea to Dedec had other opinions

[@ziggydeath9397]

This is only partly true; the real reason why something is funny, why we laugh at all about something, is because of its degree of inappropriateness. The more inappropriate, the funnier. Suffering is not an appropriate thing to think lightly of, and therefore it is the most funny.

[@bartholomewthundercatiii3484]

Yeah. Every time I see dat dere Kirby getting clobbered I get a chuckle.

[@papilloneffect4015]

"That joke sucks" - Kirby

[@yoavsigler4457]

The problem is that you forgot something very crucial. If you make self depreciating jokes about things you are insecure about, you're not approachable or likeable. You have to be confident in order to make fun of yourself without damaging anything, the same way that if you make fun of someone else, you make fun of things that they don't care about or undeniably good at. However, I don't recommend making this type of joke, it's just an example. You should elevate others and deprecate yourself, if you can take it.

[@danielgrigg3426]

Have you been watching charisma on command? As that is almost a direct quote from one of his videos on a similar topic

[@raginbakin1430]

"If you make self-depreciating jokes about things you are insecure about, you're not approachable or likeable." That's not necessarily true. Joking about your insecurities can make you seem strong because you're showing that you can transcend your insecurity and poke fun at it, and people appreciate that about you. Part of the way that you get over your insecurities in the first place comes from laughing at yourself and seeing the humor in your flaws. People are able to laugh because they know that you're cool with them laughing at your joke. And showing insecurity isn't all that bad. While excessive amounts of insecurity is damaging, showing a healthy amount of it can make you more approachable. If people see that you are embarrassed about something you did wrong or a character flaw you have, they see you in a positive light because you're at least acknowledging your faults. Also, delivering self-deprecating jokes in a slightly awkward, insecure tone of voice and demeanor can be comedy gold! It feels more "in character" and real than if you're confidently talking about your problems(unless, of course, the humor lies in your being overly enthusiastic, open, or apathetic about your flaws). You're most likely not too insecure about your flaws you poke fun of anyway (in my experience at least).

[@arturodelarosa4394]

@@raginbakin1430 He has 1/2 of a point in my opinion. There is something to be handled correctly in order to make a successful self-deprecating joke. A thin line must be walked. It is hard to put your finger on what it is.

[@skyesthelimit6251]

It may be that you don't poke fun at things that they have no control over, unless they themselves are ok with it and they let you know in some way.

[@Playzon]

In a technical way, an aspect of jokes you missed was the "upsetting of the expected." Puns are the most straight forward example. You are given a setup that encourages the listener to expect it to go one way. A really good pun can end with the listener hearing 2 conclusions simultaneously because of the homophones.

[@TotallyNotJoe_]

you mean homophobes

[@opinionatedarsehole6495]

5:58 that was the shittest, most unintelligent joke ever

[@josephcastano4598]

Achievement Unlocked: Offend Nobody

[@DuelScreen]

The best theory of humor that I have found is Benign Violation Theory by Peter McGraw (1) a situation is a violation, (2) the situation is benign, and (3) both perceptions occur simultaneously

[@greyfox4838]

Three things I disagree- 1) All jokes have misdirection, not a victim. Plenty of jokes are victimless. Now I know you would refute it by saying the misdirection makes the audience the victim. But that sounds silly considering the audience are elated by a joke and not at all feeling like a victim or the butt of a joke. 2) Inoffensive jokes aren't the best comedy. Kimmel's joke was bad because it was more offensive/wrong/untasteful than it was funny. All offensive jokes are good if they are more funny than they are offensive. And a tasteful offensive joke can easily beat a safe inoffensive joke. 3) Self-deprecating humor isn't the best form of comedy. Your video was essentially "let's look at one particular type of effective comedy and why it works", but your presentation of it as "this is how all good comedy should be" comes off as naive or arrogant. Pretty well done video otherwise. The examples were pretty good in explaining your points, even if the scope was limited to self-deprecating humor.

[@phrog7193]

i certainly think inoffencive jokes are the best comedy, not because they are the funniest but because they are the friendliest

[@lezanji1884]

@@phrog7193 whats the name of thy creature

[@kaelkommers6631]

This comment is even better than the video

[@vaclavjebavy5118]

Just because you don't feel bad doesn't mean you're not the "victim". But I agree.

[@chickencurry420]

I think what he's saying is that self-deprecating humor is not the one and only way to be funny, but that self-deprecation simply exhibits all of the base components of what makes a joke a joke. And of course, there are exceptions to every rule and rules to those exceptions. If you take any joke a boil it down to its bare bones, you'll find that it's funny because of this or because of that, butbself-deprecation is the one form of comedy that has every single "rule" of comedy rolled into one

[@Prami4]

What is Red and smells like blue Paint? Red paint Victimless Joke here

[@thomashall6733]

i'd say the victim is me for having sat through such a lame joke

[@treymagathan847]

Prami 1: The joke teller is the victim by responding in such a stupid way, effectively causing the audience to laugh at the joke teller's lack of intelligence. 2: That's not even a humorous joke. Can you even say it's a joke at all?

[@shnpio]

Prami no the paint is the victim cuz i just assumed it's colour

[@GabrielDipo]

-_-

[@1000aaronaaronaaron]

@@treymagathan847 lack of intelligence?? For a weird joke with a simple answer? Nah.. Its a subversion of expectations. Not sure where the lack of intelligence is besides someome thinking "why didn't i think of that"

[@KodyackCasual]

I disagree that a joke needs a victim; some of the best one-liners don't have victims, if you wish to claim the joke teller is the victim, I must simply ask... how? If I was to say "The fastest way to get fired from a calendar making factory is to take a day off every month" How am I the "victim" for telling that joke? I'd instead argue that a good joke does (at least) one of three things: subvert expectations, tend toward absurdity, or use ambiguity to make an unexpected result. even jokes like "why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side!" is a joke of that regard, due to joke culture making you think that the result won't be something so simple, though that may fall into the catagory of "anti-joke" also on the topic of "dark" humor that is often treated as offensive, we aren't expecting someone to use those situations in a way to make a joke, which is why they are some of the better jokes, in a lot of situations. I will say, many jokes do have a victim in some way or another, but humor is a rather subjective thing, so I don't think you could boil it down to just one thing that makes something "funny" that's just my opinion though, and maybe I'm wrong, though I think one-liners make for a good counterpoint to the "victim" hypothesis.

[@themango494]

Kody A. Is that even a joke? Its a funny thought experiment with a double meaning.

[@KodyackCasual]

yes... it's a joke... it's called a "one-liner" in terms of category, also related to a pun. clearly you've been underexposed to good humor if you don't understand that it is a joke.

[@treymagathan847]

Kody A. It's not a joke, it's more or less a thought experiment. It's like saying brain teasers are visual jokes, which simply isn't true.

[@tdmclaug3508]

The reason you would be the victim is because the whole premise of a pun is that it is stupid and cringeworthy. That is arguably why most people laugh; the unexpected (clever, yes) and childish nature of these puns. By telling a pun, you are making a joke about yourself, similar to how conan did in the clip. It portrays (even if everyone knows that this is not the case) that you believe in and/or genuinely think your joke was funny.

[@foxtail7363]

subvert is the key

[@spencerallbritton9459]

I love classic British humor like Monty Python and and Fry and Laurie, also Rowan Atkinson. They were absolutely hilarious but also great writers.

[@mollybrown8361]

The humour of hot fuzz and airplane are right up my alley

[@weathforjr]

Thank you for pointing out how shameless and soulless Kimmel is as a "comedian" . The real victim, is the American public in his instance.

[@cia1360]

lol, triggered snowflake :D

[@skateordie002]

I think you're projecting. He pointed out how his joke failed, not his credibility as a comedian. (I enjoy his grillings of Matt Damon.)

[@SaintSC05]

Jimmy Kimmel is a hack who stands on the graves of mass shooting victims to push his political agenda.

[@solidsnake11087]

Eh he's not that bad

[@charlesgalliard1735]

C IA might as well call someone a normie

[@fatherireland5737]

Imagine Conan talks about this video on his next show

[@yoboimichproductionsinc.2948]

Connor Lee damn

[@thelittlewoman]

Connor Lee I hope so!

[@TheCloserLook]

Ha, would be cool but I doubt it :D

[@Finn-wm2no]

Connor Lee then i was here before he blew up

[@acrsclspdrcls1365]

The Closer Look it would be awesome though.

[@beardlessdragon]

I love a lot of what you said in here and how you approached it. Something else I want to point out is a sort of collective self-deprecating humor. You can make fun of a group you're a part of, and although other people in your audience may be a victim in the joke, it's still funny to them because it's built on a mutual understanding of something. For example, when a gamer makes a joke about the gaming community, it's funny to me. I get it because it applies to me too. It's at OUR own expense and it comes from both the joke teller's and the audience's self-awareness. When someone outside the community does it, however, it has the potential to feel like bullying or an attack because there's a recognition that they're removed from what they're talking about, and it can come off as very ignorant.

[@megaAbu33]

Thank you! I always believed that the best joke is one where everyone can laugh not having some people laughing at anothers expense. Great vid.

[@epm1012]

I’d say expectation subversion is the best way to be funny.

[@phulatrox5296]

Bait-and-switch, bathos.

[@jayv8068]

yes

[@bockmeow]

I'm 16 and I'll be getting a job soon. Once I have my own money I'll definitely donate. I love your videos and they help me become a better person artistically and creatively.

[@TheCloserLook]

Thanks, good luck with the job hunt :)

[@unicornwhale3807]

Lol I'm 16 too! I came to this channel for the same reason 😀

[@lovecuddle]

Matthew Arias thanks for posting. Your comment inspires me to create videos for I am touched by your appreciation. Someday I want to gift to the world so well that natural appreciation flows.

[@keeyonbeaty2424]

Same I’m getting one at 17 starting in summer

[@arturodelarosa4394]

@@TheCloserLook Her comes the: "...Not"

[@ismaelbelal9670]

great job man. I love your videos. It is realy fun seeing someone how realy cares about their work like you do.

[@NextOfKen730]

Awesome work, I love your videos. Never thought of it, like this, or realized. Thanks for breaking it down.

[@DoktorApplejuceAbridged]

I'd say yes, humor that's offensive towards others is often the easy, and therefor, lazy option. So often, amateur comedians believe that being offensive for the sake of being offensive is the way to go. Making, for example, a Trump joke, just because you can, and it's popular to do so, is cheap. However, if you make a joke that is offensive towards others for a good reason, I feel that is more valuable than self-deprecating humor. Humor is a form of criticism. Genuine criticism of the world around you, I feel, holds MUCH more weight than criticism of yourself, especially when that self-criticism is based on a purposely falsified attribute.

[@bjarkes7515]

DoktorApplejuce Abridged Great point, and I completely agree. Good humor is sometimes based on really dark subjects, such as racism, religion, and so on. I would say the reason why jokes about trump is so easy, is because they're getting boring. We hear about them so much and they never try to top themselves or do a twist. If you would make a joke where you would support trump and his ways, but in a way that's completely over the top, then you perhaps could make some really good and creative jokes. That's just my opinion at least.

[@timothymclean]

I'd argue that Trump jokes are hard, because it's hard to say anything about Trump without someone thinking that you're just telling them the news.

[@tomkenning5482]

DoktorApplejuce Abridged For me, an offensive joke has to either be non malicious or deserved.

[@eartianwerewolf]

The thing is a lot of times good jokes are also very clever. And it is in their cleverness that they are even more funny. Cliches are usually not funny, unless you go over the line somehow beyond what is expected of that joke.

[@eartianwerewolf]

Trump jokes never really worked in my opinion. Part of what ruins a joke is if you feel like the person is lecturing you, you are not in the mood to accept the joke. That is why people often don't find 'SJW ' humor funny. Most comedians who are well known are not coming at it from a place of moral superiority, but often from a 'I shouldn't be saying this' stance. It's a good reason South Park has been so hilarious in the past, even if it does have points to make. Also Trump is so ridiculous that you have to work extra hard, because just making fun of him an idiot is not gonna work. Saying that I do think Alec Baldwin does a decent job at it.

[@lukelemmon475]

It's deeper than victimization. It's about truth essentially; the Truth in Comedy. The court jester is above contempt and can say what everyone is thinking without being beheaded by the King. The pleasure we get out of laughter stems from realizing that we're not alone. Telling jokes about serious issues can help stir more serious conversations( think George Carlin making a joke about nuclear war, where he points out the similarities between ammunition and male genitalia). But as you said it risks offense which is where the art of comedy comes in. Because of the Truth in Comedy, comedians are indicators of the health of a nation. If for example, comedians are being thrown off campus or jailed for making a joke, that indicates an assault on the individuals right to education and to freely think. in other words, The King has beheaded the Court Jester so his subjects should look out!

[@azreal683]

What your saying is true 😭,it's sad, i like jokes but if i say anything ....well in my country of you say anything bad about the government , i guess bye bye

[@warponator2012]

I genuanly laughed out loud, and i'm just 2 minutes in. Man, that delivery! I really needed that. Thanks a lot! Not only for laughs, but on the quality of all the videos on this channel. Marathoning through all of it, kinda accidentally stumbeled upon the channel while searching for god-knows-what. Thanks, man, you're doing a great job! Keep on keeping on! :) Edit: some grammar issues. My writing english is a bit rusty. Quite a bit, i must admit

[@ThreeYsMenMedia3YMM]

This video was fantastic. As someone trying to make funny videos, it was really awesome to get an analysis of what and why some things are funny. Definitely food for thought. Much appreciated.

[@Nr1GamerGringo]

i always tend to make self deprecating jokes because i know i can take it, whenever i make a joke to my classmates i always say sorry afterwards and laugh so they absolutely know it was a joke. sometimes it comes of as being rude but my thought process is that if you are going to laugh at my jokes about me then dont feel offended when i make a joke about you thats not even half as bad. But i totally agree with what you said in the video and self deprecating comedy is always funnier in my own opinion

[@davyjones3319]

Warren Buffet takes the mic: Testing. One million. Two million. Three million.

[@jjef8706]

I don get it :(

[@johncasy5212]

jjef do you know warren buffet

[@jjef8706]

@@johncasy5212 noh

[@max8784]

jjef He is a billionaire

[@jjef8706]

@@max8784 oh

[@BarryZ883]

Brilliant assessment! This is gunna have me looking at comedy's a whole new way. Thank you.

[@MRSev_gh]

I was so immersed in this video was having a moment of the biggest realization this in many ways opened my eyes when suddenly I look at the screen and see a dog kicked and flies off a bridge XD

[@ChinoWantan]

I still dont forgive Jimmy and I not even a gamer myself xD

[@kingjellyfish7909]

Gamers! Rise up! We are being oppressed!

[@cabrondemente1]

Meh, I'm a gamer and those incels deserved it, their(over)reactions confirm it.

[@dru4111]

Jimmy Kimmel is not funny, his jokes can be summed up as, “i’m better than you and you’re not allowed to be offended by it.”

[@PersianSlashuur]

9:43 ...I _do_ do that. But every time I do it,everybody either rolls their eyes or stares at me with concern and possible fear in their eyes. Hell,some people have even asked me(multiple times by the way) questions like "Why do you have such a low opinion of yourself?" and "Can't you be a little more positive?",completely missing the fact that it was a joke.

[@roboxombie]

i grew up in a family that never understood my humor, so i would never use it. i would always have to be straight-forward with them. no sarcasm, no wordplay.. because it was either misunderstood or not acknowledged. it took until i was nearly 20 before i started meeting people that got it. so, i totally understand where you're coming from. now, all my friends are super cool, rich, and awesome people that understand my humor. okay okay, i was just kidding. i don't have any friends. all i'm trying to say is.... you just gotta find people that get you.

[@cameraman1234567890a]

perhaps you're making your jokes a little too self deprecating. maybe make your joke a little more obviously light hearted.

[@emperorampora8771]

being able to poke fun at yourself and not take yourself too seriously can be pretty refreshing for those around and help you shake off certain situations a bit easier, but the thing is: you gotta make self deprecating jokes sparingly and overtly funny. make them to subtle and people will think you need help, make them too often and you'll come off as insecure a personality trait that is _ALWAYS_ super fun to be around and not aggravating in the slightest if handled carelessly. just gotta be careful with them and not make it TOO self deprecating. like take an embarrassing story about your self and ask "how can i make this a short and as funny as possible?"

[@mohawmmadmahdi4618]

Don't talk about ur self that way... Wait! Were u joking?! 😕

[@cordeliaplain4039]

the first joke i thought of was the well known 'why did the chicken cross the road?' 'to get to the other side.' and as far as i ca tell a joke like this has no victim.. but obviously the point of a joke is to make somone laugh and this joke is so well known and so eye-roll worthy its barely even a joke anymore so as far as i can think your point still stands. i really enjoyed this video and i found it really interesting. i only just found this channel and i plan on watching all of your videos :) hahaha, keep up the good work!

[@SusanDonoho]

Thank you so much for the views and perspectives!!

[@Ismail-kv3ex]

October Friday the 13th The closer look: I'll make a video about how to be funny

[@TheCloserLook]

Going against the trend, living life to the extremes ;D

[@Ismail-kv3ex]

The Closer Look 😂

[@markparkinson6378]

The butt of the joke here is The Closer Look!

[@Lainfan]

I wrote this during the pause on the 3:19 min mark: How about wordplay (so not puns)? For example: The 'seven ate nine' joke (a basic one, but there are many much more clever ones) You could see language as a victim? But that is stretching it a bit in my humble opinion.

[@bethanyheston2039]

I love these Essays so much

[@xyon9090]

*I don't laugh at many jokes* Probably because I just didn't get it.

[@maira9994]

Same...

[@krishacz]

I'm gonna do a presentation on British comedy for Uni next week. This video of yours and British Vs American Comedy by Now You See It will be super helpful!

[@TheCloserLook]

+Krisha Actually I made a video on that topic before but i ultimatly didnt release it because I thought people would be offended. Essentially my idea was its all to do with the culture. Bristish humor is more self depricating. American is more laughing at others. The americans live in a socioty that perpetuates the feeling of fear and insecurity while the british does not. This means americans are less comftorble being the but of the joke because they feel less secure.

[@amychristmas6173]

British humour is so much better. We have almost no blocks to what we can say as long as someone laughs and we execute it right. But our humour is also ridiculous at times like the whole swan gag in hot fuss I found it bloody hilarious because it's so true.

[@LukeGibsonSS]

Step.1 Make people laugh Step 2. ? Step 3. Profit!

[@mw9688]

Another enjoyable and humbling essay. Well done Sir.

[@ThisisGlorious]

throughout my life ive found that although making fun of people is easier its also a way of pushing them away, especially things that might be out of their control. I ve seen great success while always trying to push my humor only to the point where people still feel comfortable about it, and also by trying to make it light hearted and smart youre playing yourself up, because most people find smart humor funny and also associate with intellect, instead of bully like humor which eventually makes people afraid of you if pushed too far.

[@coachrenaldo]

How to be funny according to the internet: 1. Have a regular scene play out normally. 2. Have one person make a statement. 3. Have another person question him about that statement. 4. HAVE THE FIRST PERSON YELL AS LOUD AS HE CAN WHILE CRANKING THE VOLUME TO 11 AND USE ALL THE DISTORTION EFFECTS AS POSSIBLE!!!!!!! Congratulations! You’re a comedic genius by internet standards.

[@akunekochan]

Don't forget about the *E*

[@TheOutsider69]

In my personal life, I started purposefully misinterpreting things people say for a laugh and it seems to work. Sometimes people feel a little embarrassed but never cease to laugh. It's a good ice breaker and it's my personal favorite style of humor. There was an example of this style from the film Airplane! in this video. Another example from the same film is: Rumack: "Can you fly this plane and land it?" Striker: "... Surely you can't be serious!" Rumack: *Deadpan* "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."

[@tsunamio7750]

7:30 The joke lands flat for gamers because you need a self-aware speaker for a self-deprecating joke. MFW, the TV guy makes a joke about being passive in front of a screen

[@jaymerete5346]

This is such a great lesson, thank you

[@keysersoze9040]

Conan is my king. He mastered what comedy is all about, making someone else happy

[@Hanhan-fi1dr]

"Puns make the teller the victim, because they're self-depricating" *Holds up can of beans* CAN you go there? Or have you already BEAN there? *"The teller is the victim"* *"teller is victim"* *"victim"*

[@aryehlitt2787]

I think that, in addition to what you said, a large part of comedy is building up a false expectation of the outcome, and then dashing that expectation with something unexpected

[@bigbaron9886]

THIS VIDEO IS AWESOME

[@williambrunsdon1189]

>Every joke has a victim **Flashbacks of highschool**

[@lewishutchinson1701]

I’m here for a friend

[@MrJCraft]

I personally have made jokes where I make fun of a mindset but not the person and the whole point of the joke is self reflection, I am not making fun of them or me, but of a mindset, and I wouldn't call a mindset a victim. "Yes yes I agree its the end of the world, all because ____", typically its something they are struggling with and it doesn't have a punch line its about tone, and execution, if done incorrectly the person feels insulted, but I only do this kind of humor when a person knows me decently well, specifically because they need the inside knowledge. its a joke with no punchline, no victim just a release of emotion. not really intended to make someone laugh but make the person smile. Idk if it counts as a joke, but that is the closest I can think of right now to a victimless joke. so I think like what you mentioned in your pinned comment, absurdity humor, prior knowledge humor, and reverse situation humor.

[@androssteague]

This was so enlightening. I believe what makes comedy is the same as what makes art. You take something simple and create exposition and/or misdirection around it. A janitor on the 8th floor opens the door to the supply closet only to fall from the building into the swimming pool cause the closet is completely gone. The Simple: Janitor and supply closet. The Misdirection: There is no closet. only the rules of gravity.

[@jdodds1612]

The funny thing imo about that anchorman clip is that everyone I hear reference it thinks it doesn’t make sense..... “60% of the time, it works every time” actually makes perfect sense, all he’s actually saying is...... “For 60% of people who use it, it works every time” The true “victim” of this joke is the audience who are convinced it’s stupid when in fact it makes perfect sense

[@metalman7825]

JDodds1 *dials 911*

[@reggulus652]

No he doesn't say 60% of the people who use it, he says 60% of the time. He uses 'time' in two different ways, which doesn't make sense as is.

[@JosefZeethuven]

the funny thing is the bad english he said 60% of the time it works everytime thats just bad english it means the same thing as 60%

[@woodisboringproductions.5667]

I find Jeremy Clarkson’s type of humour hilarious.

[@strykerman]

I find the key to humor is the subversion of expectations, and that the true victim of every joke is the receiver of the joke, who has had their expectations violated. As you mentioned absurdist humor, the expectations that are subverted are the understood and unspoken fundamental boundaries and logic inherent to life. slapstick subverts the proper behavior and coordination expected of your average person, and epic fail videos are an evolution of slapstick.

[@britishcig5462]

Just found your channel tonight, im in love. Im kinda in the middle of a writing/film degree and this is a PERFECT KZbin channel for me to have foubd tonight, THANK YOU! Notifications are turned ON

[@dannyfentonphantom2]

4:06 that clip made me lmao

[@Charmello.]

That made me hostile like an Enderman

[@dangelangello8567]

I've been binge watching your show for about a week now. I'm a newly published writer, and I've been striving to improve my art and failing over the last few months, specifically with improving the content of one of my oldest books (it's been a WIP for 15 years). I went brutal on myself with the last re-write, dropping it from 1000 pages to around 600, and whilst i felt like it was refreshing, I was still left feeling empty. Then I started listening to you and after EVERY video, I end up moving to my notepad to jot down critical improvements that have reshaped a story that hasn't changed in over a decade, and I'm loving it!! For the first time in a long time, I'm genuinely excited to sit down and give this book a great new makeover. Nothing will likely come of it, for unlike my other works, it's very cliched (just think LoTR meets His Dark Materials), but I know that these lessons WILL follow me onto other works that I intend to get published. Areas that I've noticeably improved on is pinning down allegories, grasping humour, solidifying a character's description in one short sentence (like you did with the Harry Potter essay), as well as not just creating characters, but developing them to a point where they ALL have a purpose, they all have a challenge, a motivation, and an ending, as well as structuring the story and ensuring each act has a purpose. There's more that I haven't listed, and likely more that will come as I carry on watching your work. But I'll never forget how valuable your efforts have been to spread education, have a laugh, and genuinely help creators everywhere. Thank you

[@marcogil5092]

You must have had the best essays at school man! Cheers!

[@alexeul9843]

Very smart! I enjoy your analysis.

[@x--destroyer--x2059]

Hey can you do how to horrify people through film?

[@x--destroyer--x2059]

Since it's Halloween and all

[@TheCloserLook]

Already done it :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKbZe6iCqJuYeKM

[@x--destroyer--x2059]

The Closer Look thanks alot much appreciated. I would donate to your patron if I wasn't a broke college film student.

[@davidfroehlich5609]

It's called Jar Jar Binks

[@shrekonion8307]

conviently enough that was the video that was about to autoplay at the end of the video

[@teafollet5361]

0:14 What… makes something… funny *dramatic music in the background *

[@evilallensmithee]

Human functions around the subversion of expectation, it’s not about something being at victim or at the expense of another it’s about realizing their situation is not dangerous and that a surprise is not a revelation of concern but of relief this combined effect of relief and excitement by the surprise creates humor, this is why when you see a joke coming it’s not as funny

[@AllOuttaBubbles]

I once had a comedian tell me good comedy is all about which direction you punch, you only punch upwards at those more powerful than you are or towards yourself.

[@dylanscott9779]

Yeah I disagree. The thing that struck me about the first three comedy scenes was not that they had victims, but rather that they subverted expectations. The first by giving the non-sequitur of "60% of the time in works every time", the second by setting up the scene as a prank call before revealing P I Staker as being a real guy who actually lost his swan, and the third as subverting the serious moment of needing to get a woman to a hospital with an explanation of what a hospital is. Lots of jokes, good or bad, function without a victim. For example: "Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side" Who is the victim? At a real stretch you could say the person who is told the joke is the victim for being fooled, or for being told the joke if they already know it, but that seems a bit weak. The humour of the joke, whether you find it funny or not, is in that is subverts expectations. It sets itself up for a clever punchline and then just doesn't deliver, subverting our expectation. Similarly, not everything with a victim is a joke. "Man is held up by lunatic with gun" has a victim, but isn't really that funny. "Man is held up by a lunatic with a banana" follows more in the line of a joke, funny or not, and does has a victim, but seems to follow more in the line of a joke because it subverts expectations. To give an extreme example of this, look no further than the joke Jimmy Carr regards as the most offensive one he has ever written - see: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqLOaaaml8ydntE "If only Africa had more mosquito nets then every year we could save millions of mosquitoes from dying needlessly of Aids". Its a very dark joke, but one that draws a laugh from the audience. The reason it draws a laugh doesn't seem to be because they are laughing at the victims (here seemingly both mosquitoes and African children with Aids), but because it takes our expectation and flips it on its head. That's what I seem to draw from it anyway.

[@coykoi5128]

Very well put, exactly what I was thinking. Why couldn't you have taught that Comedy in Literature class I took all those year ago, it could have been five minutes long then.

[@sammyjoel123490]

I agree with this point of veiw almost 100%, but someone will ALWAYS GET OFFENDED.

[@georgevourtzoumis2967]

Such an interesting video! I think you deserve more subscribers.

[@blockvfive1196]

7:08 i play video games all the time and that sh*t is super hilarious

[@Gman941]

Turns out, even people who don't play video games knows Kimmel's a hack.

[@PhilFromSchool]

i thought the core of the gag was misdirect and punchline but this is good too. i appreciate this point that i hadn't really thought of

[@paulhermes990]

i loved this video but its also kinda funny because youre litteraly explaining jokes but very good video this is actually very helpfull

[@freepointsgals609]

6:40 Mattshea! I use to watch that channel. That was kind of like seeing your old friend in public but you guys are actually still cool. Ahh the memories...

[@daseinz]

"Every joke has a victim" I will use this line when someone plays the offensive card. Thank you.

[@suicidevenom996]

Corn flaek👌

[@austincross3001]

While I enjoyed your video and think that you brought up a lot of great points, I believe that having good timing is the best way to be funny. If you can time a joke (or anything else for that matter), then you have reached ultimate humor.

[@santdhai]

You hit the point! At first when you say "every joke has its victim", I am thinking about a pun (my most common trick among my friends) and it seems harmless, having no victim. After less than a minute, you bring it up. So, I am usually a victim of my own jokes.