The Elements of Humor

Auteur

SCOTT DIKKERS is the founding editor of The Onion, the most popular satirical news outlet in the world. He's a comedy writer, speaker, comedian, and the New York Times bestselling author of the How to Write Funny series, selling nearly one million copies worldwide.

Texte du rabat

Easy strategies and techniques to be funnier at work and in your personal life "In The Elements of Humor, Scott Dikkers does indeed dissect the frog, but he does so in such a delightful way that you don't really mind all the blood and guts. Functioning as both a Comedy 101 syllabus and an instruction manual for any extraterrestrials studying how humans process comedy, this book is required reading, especially if you're a Scott Dikkers completist like me."
--"Weird Al" Yankovic Discover the art of making people laugh with The Elements of Humor, where bestselling author and acclaimed comedy writer Scott Dikkers serves up a masterclass in funny for anyone looking to sprinkle their writing, conversations, speeches, and presentations with a generous dose of wit and comedy. This groundbreaking book offers credible, practical advice that stands out in its field. You'll find easy-to-follow, replicable instructions designed to unlock your comedic potential and engage your audience like never before. From the basics of joke construction to sophisticated satire, Dikkers guides you with simple instructions, entertaining illustrations, interactive exercises, and a detailed index of indispensable tools and techniques. Whether you're aiming to craft funny content, boost your speech delivery with laughs, or just be funnier in everyday interactions, this book covers essential strategies including self-deprecation and the art of wordplay. It delves into diverse humor types--referential jokes, shock humor, hyperbole, slapstick, and even metahumor, offering insights into how and why they work.

Contenu

Preface xiii

Chapter 1 The Unknowable 1

How This Book Is Organized 7

Best Practices 8

Exercises 8

Chapter 2 What Is Humor? 9

Humor in Animals 10

Humor in Babies 10

The Universal Field Theory of Humor 11

Humor Across Cultures 12

The Lost Skill of Humor 13

The Hope of Humor 16

Best Practices 16

Exercises 17

Chapter 3 Quick Start 19

The Tone of Humor 20

Communication Plus 21

Being Aware 23

Thinking Differently 24

Embracing Failure 25

A Relaxed State 26

Best Practices 27

Exercises 27

Chapter 4 The Humor Mindset 29

A Clown State of Mind 30

An Editor State of Mind 32

Just Kidding 33

When Humor Doesn't Work 34

Best Practices 35

Exercises 35

Chapter 5 The Right Kind of Laughs 37

A Willingness to Try 39

Being Self-Effacing 40

The Skill of Getting Laughs 41

Social Lubricant 43

A Temporary Reality 44

Riffing 45

Being Conscious of Your Target 45

A Rich Humor Environment 47

Best Practices 47

Exercises 48

Chapter 6 Being in the Moment 49

Confidence 50

The Mood of the Humorist 52

The Mood of the Audience 53

Social Proof 53

Reputation 54

Context 55

Best Practices 56

Exercises 56

Chapter 7 You Have the Floor 57

How to Communicate 59

Internal Messages 61

Turning Thoughts into Humorous Thoughts 62

Free Writing 62

Free Talking 64

The Opinion Generator 65

Best Practices 66

Exercises 66

Chapter 8 The Funny Filters 67

New Toys 69

The Funny Filters in Conversation 74

Humor Preferences 76

Best Practices 76

Exercises 77

Chapter 9 Isn't It Ironic 79

How Irony Works 80

Simple Comparisons 81

Dramatic Irony 83

Irony Examples 84

Using Irony 85

Best Practices 86

Exercises 86

Chapter 10 What a Character 87

How Character Works 88

Characters in Context 89

Character Examples 91

Character Archetypes 92

Is Everyone a Character? 94

Where Is the Surprise in Character? 96

Best Practices 97

Exercises 97

Chapter 11 A Point of Reference 99

How Reference Works 100

How to Find Reference 102

Reference Examples 103

Avoiding Clichés 104

Using Reference with an Existing Message 105

Other Types of Reference Humor 106

Best Practices 107

Exercises 107

Chapter 12 Shock and Outrage 109

How Shock Works 110

The Appetite for Shock 112

Shock with Your Message 113

Shock Humor for Kids 114

Shock Examples 115

Best Practices 115

Exercises 116

Chapter 13 A Hilarious Parody 117

How Parody Works 118

Parody Examples 119

Types of Parody 120

Impressions 121

Best Practices 121

Exercises 122

Chapter 14 So Much Hyperbole 123

How Hyperbole Works 124

Hyperbole Examples 125

Hyperbole Pitfalls 126

Setting Up Hyperbole 126

Best Practices 128

Exercises 128

Chapter 15 Playing with Words 129

How Wordplay Works 129

Wordplay Devices 130

Popular Wordplay Devices 136

Wordplay Examples 139

Best Practices 139

Exercises 140

Chapter 16 Getting Carried Away 141

How Madcap Works 142

Madcap Examples 143

How to Use Madcap 143

Best Practices 145

Exercises 145

Chapter 17 A Good Analogy 147

How Analogy Works 148

How to Use Analogy 149

A Hidden Message 150

Analogy Examples 151

Best Practices 153

Exercises 154

Chapter 18 Misplaced Focus 155

How Misplaced Focus Works 155

How to Use Misplaced Focus 156

Misplaced Focus Examples 157

Best Practices 159

Exercises 159

Chapter 19 Going Meta 161

How Metahumor Works 162

Metahumor Examples 164

How to Use Metahumor 165

Metahumor Pitfalls 165

Best Practices 166

Exercises 167

Chapter 20 Putting It All Together 169

Combining Filters 170

Keep Playing 172

Best Practices 173

Exercises 173

Chapter 21 The Cringe Factor 175

Canceled 177

Finding a Mooring Mast 178

Following the Rules 179

Best Practices 180

Exercises 180

Chapter 22 Make It Fun 181

Discover Your Own Way 182

Good Luck 183

Have Fun 183

You Got This 184

Humor Glossary 185

Acknowledgments 189

About the Author 191

Index 193