Stirring up a Good Comedy the Recipe for Funny Children’S Television

RESEARCH Stirring up a good comedy the recipe for funny children’s television

Elizabeth Prommer

Can we create a scientific formula completely inappropriate and exagger- This basic idea, however, is not new. for good children’s comedy? This ated answer, contrasts and contradic- Already in 1669 the book Simplicius text presents such a formula as a tions, a provocation, or the breaking Simplicissimus (by Grimmelshausen) synthesis of academic analyses of of a taboo. Elements, which do not fit states the following: “It is the failing of humour and practical advice from together, are combined in order to cre- ideals due to the practical constraints scriptwriters. ate comedy. While scriptwriters refer of reality which brings about cynicism.” to this as the comic premise, scientists This comment describes the basic prin- What is funny, and how can we produce call this incongruity. However, they all ciple of comedy, that is, incongruity. humorous television for children? It is agree on one point: the fundamental Children’s understanding and decod- difficult to find a topic which is more element for comedy is inconsistency ing of this incongruity develops as they difficult to grasp than the production or incongruity. German philosopher develop. McGhee (1980) describes and reception of comedy and humour. Immanuel Kant is generally seen as the development of how incongru- Scientists in different disciplines have the original author of this theory, also ent humour becomes appreciated. attempted to uncover the principles referred to as incongruity theory. Kant Building on Piaget, he explains at for the production and effects of com- asserts that the source of comedy is which ages children can understand edy, as well as to set up categories and always an inconsistency. We laugh particular forms of comedy. Small theories for various types of comedy. when something does not fit together children enjoy simple incongruities, Their arguments are usually based or when a plot takes a surprising turn. while older children can laugh about upon abstract constructions and com- “Laughing is an effect of when an ex- more complex incongruities starting at plex theories and offer little practical pectation in suspense transforms into about 5 years old, because at around assistance. There is also no theoretical nothing.” (Kant, 1790, cited in Bach- this age they begin to independently research explicitly focused on humour meier, 2005, p. 25) Different forms of figure out the meaning of jokes (ibid.). in media or communication studies comedy, such as situation comedy or So the understanding of incongruities (Prommer, 2012). However, one can wordplay, are all based on the absurd, develops with one’s level of cognitive assume that the general principles of the illogical, and elements that do not development. humour production also apply to hu- fit together. mour production in media. How, then, Children and adults laugh can one create a scientific formula for Incongruity is the basis good children’s comedy? The following about different things text presents such a formula as a syn- of humour thesis of academic analyses of humour Also Prommer and her colleagues and practical advice from scriptwriters. Incongruity is the basis of humour; see a relationship between cognitive it is the conflict between that which development and the understanding a person expects and that which he of humour. They found that preteens The comic premise or she actually experiences. There are and adults laughed about different studies on the neurological activities things in the same television show. Fundamental for the production of in someone’s brain while he or she is When 10- to 13-year-olds watched comedy is the comic premise which is laughing or comprehending a joke, in The Simpsons, they mainly found the the gap or the divergence between 2 which researchers can even recognise slapstick humour funny, while adults realities. Something unexpected hap- the impulse to laugh as a reaction to a were amused by the societal and pens, for instance a norm violation, the conflict; which then can be either re- inter-textual references (Prommer et clash of different frames of reference, a solved with laughter or with opposition. al., 2003).

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Knowing this, how can we create hu- Comic conflict Explanation Examples morous or comic media content? It is Man against nature Normal character in comic Pedro & Bianca important to differentiate between 2 (global conflict) world or comic character Back to the Future (normal levels of comedy. On the overriding in normal world boy in a past which is strange level, a comic premise needs to be set for him) up based upon a comic conflict and The Amazing World of Gum- comic characters. These are the comic ball (cf. Ill. 3) narrative macrostructures. On the mi- Man against man Normal character against Wizards of Waverly Place cro- or dialogic level, gags and jokes are comic character (wizards in a normal world integrated as comic microstructures, with normal people) The Big Bang Theory (Sheldon and these are based, in turn, upon small as nerd vs. the others; Penny, incongruities. the blonde, vs. the geniuses) Man against himself Inner conflict Big or Freaky Friday (child in the body of an adult) Comic conflicts Homer Simpson, who fails due to his own appetites

In order to integrate a comic premise Ill. 1: The 3 types of comic conflict dramaturgically, a story needs a comic conflict about a comic character. Also in this case, incongruity is the main feature of comedy. The sitcom-author youth series Pedro & Bianca, 2 unusual According to Vorhaus (2001, pp. 57 ff.; and textbook writer John Vorhaus or comic characters are confronted cf. Ill. 4), in order to be funny, a story (2001) says that discrepancies are the with a normal world. Pedro and Bianca needs a comic perspective. This other prerequisite for comedy. He claims are funny, because even though they perspective is the unfamiliar view upon that these discrepancies are the most are twins, their skin colour is differ- the normal. This unusual view of the important element. There must be a ent. With this the story alludes to the world must be clearly different from gap between the comic and the actual conflicts in Brazilian society, but at the the common one. The comic perspec- reality; only then is something funny. same time produces incongruity. The tive should also be exaggerated, in For him and for many other authors second comic conflict is man against order to bring the funny character this is the fundamental principle of man or normal person against comic further into the comic world. An ex- comic conflict. character. Third, man against himself, ample of a comic perspective upon the According to Vorhaus, there are 3 types that is, the inner conflict. For instance, world could be to see it with “fear.” The of comic conflicts, based upon the clas- in the movie Big, a child becomes the exaggeration for this would be that the sic drama (cf. Ill. 1). First, man against head of a company (cf. Ill. 2). character jumps at the sight of his or nature. This can be a normal person in her own shadow. a comic world, such as a person in a The comic character also needs a char- drawn comic world or a comic charac- Comic characters acter flaw, in order for the audience ter in a normal world. The character of to find the person’s troubles funny Lisa in the series The Simpsons is a nor- Comedy handbooks also analyse the instead of just feeling sorry for him. mal character in a comic world. In the importance of the comic character. This creates a distance between the

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Element Example Effect will and may be used in different comedy genres, such as stand-up comedy, Comic perspective Fear Not funny yet literature, comics, and comic film (ibid., Exaggeration Jumps at his/her own A little funny p. 2). It is possible to divide these comic shadow techniques into 4 main categories: Failings Complains all the time Glee comedy involving language, situation Human qualities Helpful Empathy and sympathy comedy, comedy involving action, or Total ingredients = The comic character character comedy (cf. Ill. 5). Ideally, different techniques are combined with Ill. 4: “Ingredients” of the comic character each other. Berger’s list of techniques involving Technique Examples language includes the use of allu- Comedy involving Nonsense, exaggeration, Horrible Histories sion, bombast, definitions of words, language wordplay and jokes, funny (cf. Ill. 6) exaggeration, facetiousness, insults, language, irony (not appropriate for all age groups) infantilism, irony, misunderstandings, over-literalness, puns, wordplay, repar- Situation comedy Clowning, clumsiness, Tom & Jerry, Mickey slapstick Mouse tee, ridicule, sarcasm, and satire (ibid.). He emphasises that these techniques Comedy involving action Repetition, imitation Anke in The Show with the Elephant (cf. Ill. 7) usually appear in combination, and also that they let us know what people are Character comedy Animals with human char- The Amazing World of acteristics, making faces, Gumball laughing about, but not why they are changes in the body or body laughing (ibid., p. 4). form Most books written as handbooks for comedy authors include similar lists Ill. 5: Comic techniques and formulas (e.g. Vorhaus, 1994). If we are focussing on the analysis of comedy on television, then these comic character and the viewers. The Show comedy is developed directly by 4 major categories in Berger’s discus- character does not only jump at the the moderators or other actors such as sion of techniques are helpful. All these sight of his or her own shadow, but also studio guests. This also applies to the authors assume that in order for jokes, complains constantly. His failings result film clips in TV total, because media irony, and satire to be funny, they must in chain reactions, leading to absurd characters are presented with their break the frame of reference. In tell- situations. The comic figure also has to weaknesses. ing a joke, a narrative first presents a have human qualities, which connect known frame of reference including him or her with the audience. This is a familiar stereotypes, but then it intro- tip given in all scriptwriting handbooks, Comic techniques duces an unexpected difference within underlining the fact that the hero of a that frame of reference. The recipient film must not only provoke sympathy, After establishing the comic premise, must recognise the stereotypes and but also empathy. that is, the comic character and his or the frame of reference, as well as the Vorhaus developed over 20 categories her comic conflict, then comic tools variation of the frame of reference; for on what makes characters or actions at the micro-level generate further in- funny. These include exaggeration, congruities. These comic tools include inappropriate reaction, comic oppo- jokes, hoaxes, gags, and many other sitions, truth, tension vs. resolution, techniques. Depending on the author, inter-textuality, conflicting frames of the categories of these techniques may reference, comic perspectives, lies, and be differentiated even further or de- repetition (Vorhaus, 2001, pp. 82 ff.). fined differently in detail. Authors who Assuming, as Vorhaus does, that com- do a more intensive analysis of these edy is mainly driven by characters, then comic techniques or tools include this can also be applied to real people Palmer (1994) and Vorhaus (1994). and television hosts. For example, in Berger (1998, pp. 3 ff.) even describes the German shows TV total (The Stefan 45 different techniques for producing Raab Show) or The Harald Schmidt comedy. These may be combined at

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Palmer such moments include familiar which they do not yet have. For most semantic and paralinguistic markers scientists and practitioners, the main (1987). Following his logic, the particu- characteristics of comedy are incon- lar social context, the media reception, gruities in the form of comic surprises, as well as the media content play an contradictions, and comic actions. important role in the production of Despite all of this good advice, however, comedy. Comedy always takes place in this comment by German comedian the context of a social interaction be- Herbert Feuerstein is probably the tru- tween the producer and the consumer. est: “While there are clear dramaturgic It requires that the audience process rules for mysteries, soaps, and musicals, this interaction in 2 ways. On the one humour must rely on the principle of hand, the funny comment or action hope: ‘Hopefully someone will laugh.’” must be understood cognitively; on the (Feuerstein, 2003, p. 31) other hand, it must also be placed in relation to a particular social context. this reason, understanding the joke Until then, it is not funny. is dependent upon understanding Ziv (1984) also sees comedy as a social references particular societal norms and taboos. message: “As with any social mes- This is another aspect of how children’s sage, it fulfils certain functions, uses Bachmeier, Helmut (Ed.) (2005). Texte zur Theorie der television needs to consider children’s certain techniques, has a context and Komik. Stuttgart: Reclam. Berger, Arthur Asa (1998). An Anatomy of Humor. New different phases of development. is used in certain situations.” (ibid., Brunswick: Transaction Publishers. In short, both the scientific and practi- p. 9) In his essay on the comparison Feuerstein, Herbert (2003). Gibt’s noch was zu lachen? cal media discussions on the produc- of humour of different countries, Ziv In Walter Klingler, Gunnar Roters & Maria Gerhards (Eds), Humor in den Medien (pp. 31-36). Baden-Baden: tion of comedy make it clear that a joke especially highlights the importance Nomos. or funny comment can only function as of the social context: “As mentioned McGhee, Paul & Chapman, Antony (Eds) (1980). Chil- comedy if it works with incongruities above, the greatest difference among dren’s Humour. Chichester: Wiley. as well as with changes and breaks in cultures should be found in the con- Palmer, Jerry (1987). The Logic of the Absurd.O n Film and Television Comedy. London: BFI. a frame of reference (cf. Ill. 8). text and situations of humour.” (ibid., Palmer, Jerry (1994). Taking Humour Seriously. Lon- p. XI) These findings underline the don/New York: Routledge. importance of the reception process Prommer, Elizabeth, Mikos, Lothar & Schäfer, Sabrina (2003). Pre-Teens und Erwachsene lachen anders. Tele Summary in humorous communication. vIZIon, 16(1), 58-67. Prommer, Elizabeth (2012). Fernsehgeschmack, Le In his text on “The Logic of the Absurd,” bensstil und Comedy. Eine handlungstheoretische Comedy develops from the Palmer (1987) asks whether comedy Analyse. Konstanz: UVK. viewer’s perspective Vorhaus, John (1994). The Comic Toolbox. How to be is an immanent aesthetic quality of a Funny Even if You’re Not. Los Angeles: Silman-James. text or if it arises only after it has been Vorhaus, John & Robert, Peter (2001). Handwerk Hu- negotiated and appropriated by an Humour and comedy can therefore mor. Frankfurt/Main: Zweitausendeins. audience (ibid., p. 20). Palmer, too, as- only develop from the perspective Ziv, Avner (1984). Personality and sense of humor. sumes that a funny comment must first of the recipient, since that person New York: Springer. be understood and then accepted as a must have the appropriate cultural joke, making for 2 processes. Whether and societal knowledge about morals, or not an audience finds something taboos, what is acceptable, and what funny is not completely random, but is forbidden. With regard to children, the AUThOR rather occurs in specific moments it is especially important to consider Elizabeth Prom- or at particular points in a plot. For the knowledge which they have and mer, Dr. phil., is Professor and Chair of Commu- Basic principle of comedy = incongruity = comic premise nication and Me- The comic conflict = The basic story with an unexpected turn dia Studies and The comic hero = The comic character in a comic conflict Director at the Institute of Media Style tool for children = Comic tools should be as simple as possible Research at the University of Potsdam, Ill. 8: Comedy for children – a checklist Germany.

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