10 Comedy Writing Techniques to Make The Funny
These are techniques that I have either formally learned or observed on my own. The one's that I've learned will include the formal name of the technique, the ones that I've observed will use a name that I make up on the spot. If YOU know the formal name for any of these please chime in.
1. Minimal Response
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"Minimal Response" is the joke that is created when a character is reacting to something extreme or fantastic with the utmost apathy or even boredom.
Here is an example from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
Two missiles are miraculously turned into a sperm whale and a bowl of petunias by the Improbability Drive. Adams then describes what the surprised whale was frantically thinking right before it fell to the planet's surface and died. Then he writes this:
"Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was 'Oh no, not again.' Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the Universe than we do now."
2. Maximum or Exaggerated Response
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3. Rule of Three, Cracked
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The cracked version is very similar except the third item is unexpected:
"Faith, Hope, and Natalie"
4. The Truth Smarts!
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Here are three examples, all of which are funny but true descriptions of popular movies:
Starwars: Orphan farm boy kisses sister while dead beat dad tries to get him to join the family business.
Captain America: Man gets steroids and a frisbee to fight off Nazis.
Lord of the Rings: A group spends nine hours returning some jewelry.
5. Anachronism
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"Men, you are about to embark on a great crusade to stamp out runaway decency in the west. Now you men will only be risking your lives, whilst I will be risking an almost certain Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor."
6. Misinterpretation
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Here's an example:
"Call me a doctor."
"Okay, doctor."
Here's Another:
"Say goodbye, Rick."
Rick responds: "Goodbye Rick."
And finally:
"My toddler was about to hit her head on a bar at the playground, so I told her to duck. She quacked at me and then hit her head."
Which brings us to our next technique...
7. Word play
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Back to our earlier example:
"My toddler was about to hit her head on a bar at the playground, so I told her to duck. She quacked at me and then hit her head.
I guess she quacked her head."
8. Distance Plus Brutality
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So you've probably heard Mark Twain's quote “Comedy is tragedy plus time”. That's a pretty good summary but not a very funny one.
Here's Mel Brook's version:
“Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.”
9. Misdirection
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Here's an example from Woody Allen:
“And my parents finally realize I'm kidnapped and they snap into action immediately: They rent out my room.”
Here's another from Sarah Silverman:
“I understand that the doctor had to spank me when I was born, but I really don’t see any reason why he had to call me a whore.”
10. Censorship, Cracked.
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For the next, and final example I am posting the entire "radar" sequence from Austin Powers which has instance after instance of this sort of substitution:
Johnson: [Noticing Dr. Evil's phallic shaped spaceship on radar] Colonel, you better have a look at this radar.
Colonel: What is it, son?
Johnson: I don't know, sir, but it looks like a giant--
Jet Pilot: Dick.
Dick: Yeah?
Jet Pilot: Take a look out of starboard.
Dick: Oh my God, it looks like a huge--
Bird-Watching Woman: Pecker.
Bird-Watching Man: [raising binoculars] Ooh, Where?
Bird-Watching Woman: Wait, that's not a woodpecker, it looks like someone's--
Army Sergeant: Privates! We have reports of an unidentified flying object. It has a long, smooth shaft, complete with--
Baseball Umpire: Two balls.
[looking up from game]
Baseball Umpire: What is that. It looks just like an enormous--
Chinese Teacher: Wang, pay attention!
Wang: I was distracted by that giant flying--
Musician: Willie.
Willie Nelson: Yeah?
Musician: What's that?
Willie Nelson: [squints] Well, that looks like a giant--
Colonel: Johnson?!
Johnson: Yes, sir?
Colonel: Get on the horn to British Intelligence and let them know about this.
Later, as Dr. Evil is escaping: Basil: Did we get Dr. Evil?
Johnson: No, sir. He got away in that rocket that looks like a huge--
Schoolteacher: Penis. The male reproductive organ. Otherwise known as tallywhacker, schlong or--
Dad: Weiner? Any of you kids want another weiner?
Son: Dad? What's that? points at rocket
Dad: I don't know, son, but it's got great big--
Peanut seller: Nuts! Hot salty nuts! Who wants some-- Lord Almighty!
Woman: That looks just like my husband's--
Ringmaster: One-eyed monster! Step right up and see the One-Eyed Monster!
One-eyed Monster: jumps out and scares crowd, then points to the rocket Hey, what's that? It looks like a big--
female Fan: Woody! Woody Harrelson? Can I have an autograph?
Woody Harrelson: Sure thing. [Sees rocket] Oh my lord.
Female fan: It's big!
Woody: Nah, I've seen bigger, it's--
Dr. Evil: (To Mini-Me) Just a little prick. It's a flu shot. You've been in the coldness of space...
Preview
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