ETEC 531

Media Study Guide

The art of being funny

by Laura Hall & Sarah Irwin=Gibson

Introduction
Being funny isn't a science - it's an art!
Thankfully there are no rules and the
results are entirely subjective. We all may
laugh for very different reasons.
Funny is best studied through the corner
of your eye. If you over-analyze the moment
- the magic of the humour may get lost. This
study guide will provide an interactive
approach to what makes things funny.
Looking specifically at how the self
influences what it means to be funny
through the exploration and application of
looking back and current media studies,

About the show...

Just for Laughs: Gags (or in French, Juste pour rire: Gags) is a silent comedy reality TV show
from Canada, created by Pierre Girard and Jacques Chevalier. The show emerged from the "Just
for Laughs" comedy festival - the largest stand up comedy festival in the world. The series, which
began in 2000, used the format of a hidden camera, playing silly pranks on unsuspecting
subjects. The show is filmed mostly in Quebec, Montreal and Vancouver.
Several different countries have been interested in showing episodes thanks to its silent format,
which requires no translation. It has been aired in over 100 countries, to be played in airports and
airlines around the world!

FUNNY:
1. causing laughter or amusement; humorous. "A funny story".
2. difficult to explain or understand; strange. "I had a funny feeling you'd be
around".
("funny, adj")

01
Key Concepts
Statement of Inquiry: Students will understand that comedy takes inspiration from
ones individual experiences and perspective of the world.

INSPIRATION
IDENTITY AND SELF-DISCOVERY

INSPIRATION

http://web.uri.edu/iaics/files/13-Estrella-Marie-Gonzales-RichardL.-Wiseman.pdf

https://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/1pqobj/tips_fo
r_writing_comedy_how_writers_get_their/

PERSPECTIVE
http://www.allenklein.com/articles/perspect.htm

AUDIENCE
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-humor/

02
What types of
comedy are there?
SLAPSTICK

Slapstick comedy is primarily a

physical comedy, using mild
violence for humour.

PARODY

Where this is found: Charlie Chaplin, The

Three Stooges, .
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVHCWvlVfiw

SPOOF

Spoof is light parody or gender

imitation.

Where this is found: Charlie Chaplin, The

Three Stooges, .
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auh4GvvsgJc

SATIRE

Where this is found: Scary Movie and

Austin Powers.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOjfxEejS2Y

IRONY

Irony is where the opposite of what

is expected happens or where
someone says the opposite of what
they mean.

FARCE

Farce is a type of comedy that is

achieved through the use of
exaggeration and extreme characters
in preposterous circumstances that
seem to spiral out of control and
become ever more ludicrous.

Where this is found: The Importance of

Being Earnest.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX0LOcjs-hQ

SURREALISM

Surrealism is throwing together

completely disjointed concepts and
random ideas to weave together
something bizarre.
Where this is found: Mr. Bean and Monty
Python.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=YEiFIKBPUq8&list=PLC768043B5AE1C52F

Satire is where a section of society

or politics is deliberately mimicked
and mocked in order to poke fun at
them and point criticism using
humour.
Where this is found: Catch-22 and To Kill
a Mockingbird.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNBP18nrRdw

SARCASM

Where this is found: Romeo and Juliette

and The Social Network.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqg6RO8c_W0

Parody is where a work

deliberately mimics the type of
another for comic effect or ridicule.

Sarcasm is where an insult or a

quick remark is fired at someone
with the intention of causing injury.
Where this is found: Pride and Prejudice,

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziH9St7ajuw

BLACK
COMEDY

Dark comedy is where a light

humoured touch is applied to very
dark and serious subject matter in
order to ease the pain or make some
specific point by juxtaposing humour
and sadness.
Where this is found: M*A*S*H and Bad
Santa.

Link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_comedy#/media/File:Irony.jpg

STAND UP

Stand up comedy is where an

individual comedian orally delivers
jokes to a live audience - similar to a
monologue.
Where this is found: Dave Chapelle, Robin
Williams and Whoopie Goldberg.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7lsrGfagFw

03
Focus Questions
My Notes
Factual:
- Why do people laugh?
- Why do people laugh when things aren't
funny?

Conceptual:
- What purpose does comedy hold in our
lives?
- How much of ourselves do we reveal
through comedy?
- What does comedy reveal about our time,
our culture, our place in the world?

Debatable:
- Is humour a basic human need?
- What is the line between being funny and being offensive?

04
Ties to curriculum
PLO CONNECTIONS (LANGUAGE ARTS)
- Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy
- People understand texts differently depending on their
worldview and perspectives
- Exploring text and story helps us understand ourselves
and make connections to others and to the world
- Exchange ideas and viewpoints to build shared
understanding and extend thinking
CROSS CURRICULAR (BIG IDEAS)
- Student's will examine significant cultural
achievements (Socials)
- Artists often challenge the status quo and open us to
new perspectives and experiences (Art Education)
- Creative growth requires patience, readiness to take
risks, and willingness try new approaches (Art Education)

05
Student activities
Being funny and enjoying in laughter is to truly experience humour. To
fully appreciate Just for Laughs: Gags, and engage in the experience,
we have designed a WebQuest for students to navigate and to be
immersed with material first hand.

Student Activity # 1
This activity is designed to have students interact
and form meaning through a guided experience of
humour through the eyes of Just for Laughs:
Gags. The WebQuest The Art of Being Funny is
composed of four-steps with a final activity to
engage and reflect on their understanding of
humour and what it means to be funny. This
activity will give students background
information and require them to think critically
about what makes people laugh. CLICK HERE to
explore the WebQuest.
Response Questions: Students will be required to select two of the following questions to respond to in paragraph format through
teachers medium of choice.
Why do people laugh?
- Why do people laugh when things aren't funny?
- What purpose does comedy hold in our lives?
- How much of ourselves do we reveal through comedy?
- What does comedy reveal about our time, our culture, our place in the world?

Student Activity # 2
After developing an understanding and
discussing with peers what makes things
funny, students will be given the opportunity to
really show their knowledge and create their
own script. Looking at elements of stage and
humour, students will share and build their
scripts with their peers. CLICK HERE to follow
activity and review the evaluation criterion.

Student Activity # 3
Once complete, students will prepare to debate
the following two questions as a class - ready to
justify their responses utilizing appropriate
background knowledge as acquired through the
first two activities.
Debate Questions: Students will be provided with these debate questions to prepare for while composing their script.
- Is humour a basic human need?
- What is the line between being funny and being offensive?

06
Sources for further
study
INSPIRATION:
http://www.videojug.com/interview/how-to-get-inspiration-as-astand-up-comedian
https://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/1pqobj/tips_f
or_writing_comedy_how_writers_get_their/
IDENTITY:
http://web.uri.edu/iaics/files/13-Estrella-Marie-Gonzales-RichardL.-Wiseman.pdf
http://www.academia.edu/2629951/From_I_to_We_The_Role_of
_Putdown_Humor_and_Identity_in_the_Development_of_a_Tem
porary_Group
DISCOVERY:
http://news.discovery.com/tags/humor.htm
PERSPECTIVE:
http://www.allenklein.com/articles/perspect.htm
http://www.public-speaking.org/public-speaking-internationalarticle.htm

AUDIENCE:
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-humor/
http://boostblogtraffic.com/how-to-be-funny/
UNDERSTANDING FUNNY:
Snow, S. (2014, April 1). A Quest to Understand What Makes
Things Funny - The New Yorker. Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/a-quest-tounderstand-what-makes-things-funny
What is comedy and what makes something funny? (2010).
Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
http://www.thinctanc.co.uk/words/comedy.html
WEBQUEST:
Irwin-Gibson, S., & Hall, L. (2015). The Art of being funny.
Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
http://theartofbeingfunny.weebly.com/

07
References
Gonzales, E., & Wiseman, R. (2005). Ethnic
Identification and the Perceived Humor and
Rudeness of Ethnic Jokes. Retrieved October 12,
2015, from http://web.uri.edu/iaics/files/13Estrella-Marie-Gonzales-Richard-L.-Wiseman.pdf
How Does Laughter Work? (2014, September 11).
Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
https://youtu.be/FnZnbN3mQJ4

(n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2015, from

http://enroute.aircanada.com/files/entertainment/tv
_shows/5273265a4ff6b.jpeg

Huge Red Flag Protest Prank. (2011). Retrieved

October 12, 2015.

(n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2015, from

http://img.youtube.com/vi/7F_lU0aSzK4/0.jpg

Irwin-Gibson, S., & Hall, L. (2015). The Art of being

funny. Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
http://theartofbeingfunny.weebly.com/

(n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2015, from

https://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comment
s/1pqobj/tips_for_writing_comedy_how_writers_
get_their/

Just for laughs: Gags. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12,

2015, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_for_Laughs:_Ga
gs
Klein, A. (n.d.). The Perspective of Humor by Allen
Klein. Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
http://www.allenklein.com/articles/perspect.htm
Magnetic Spoon Prank. (2012). Retrieved October
12, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=itXKhw_Cdd0

(n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2015, from

http://37.media.tumblr.com/6d146f14e8809eaf66be
f2feba595307/tumblr_n6faeeCguh1r8a8smo1_25
0.jpg

Pink Elephant Prank. (2011, May 21). Retrieved

October 12, 2015, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ZwJfXgTO7J4
Seewood, A. (2014, January 17). S&A 2013
Highlights: Why White People Don't Like Black
Movies. Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/whywhite-people-dont-like-black-movies

Snow, S. (2014, April 1). A Quest to Understand

What Makes Things Funny - The New Yorker.
Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/aquest-to-understand-what-makes-things-funny
Strongest Girl In The World Prank. (n.d.). Retrieved
October 12, 2015, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zs6mi5bvic
Webb, A. (2014, May 6). 3 Ways to Use Humor to
Keep Your Audience Coming Back. Retrieved
October 12, 2015, from
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/socialmedia-humor/
What is comedy and what makes something
funny? (2010). Retrieved October 12, 2015, from
http://www.thinctanc.co.uk/words/comedy.html
Who Wears The Pants? (n.d.). Retrieved October 12,
2015, from
https://whowearsthepants1.wordpress.com