Delving into this topic has been triggered by an assertion on chapter 3 page 102 of the book. The quote reads “There is only one way of making comedy richer and paradoxically, funnier and that is by making it more serious.” This is a quote that has been extracted from the book The Silent Clowns by Walter Kerr. The quote implies that the only way to make comedy funnier and richer is by being more serious. It got my attention since I started to reflect on the comedy shows that I have watched in the past. Most of them have cracked my ribs, and they are not serious at all.

I disagree with this assertion given the experience that I have had watching different comedy shows. I think there is more than one way of making comedies richer and funnier. To begin with, comedy is more of an art and not a science. It can be incredibly subjective as there are no rules involved. What one person finds as being funny might not be funny to another person (Littleton 13). That is why it does not sound right to say that it is only one thing that can make comedy funny and rich.

Among other things that can make comedy rich and funnier is drawing upon real-life experiences. These are experiences that people can easily relate with, and will easily understand any humor involved. Experiences tend to excite and fascinate the audience. Using the unexpected in comedy is also likely to make it rich and funnier. The element of surprise tends to boost how funny something is since the brain loves surprises. When the unexpected happens, the brain can produce dopamine, a chemical that is responsible for making people feel pleasure (Littleton 109).

Van Edwards (66) believes that using the rule of three will make the comedy funnier. This is a rule that structures jokes in a way that capitalizes on how people process information. This is also the smallest number that can contain elements necessary for creating a pattern. Van Edwards believes that the odd one should come last. A good example is when you are asked how your day was. You reply “It was great, I went to work, took out the trash and then questioned my existence for a few minutes” (Edwards 67)

There are several top-rated comedy shows that apply the rule of three. Among them is The Big Bang Theory. The rule of three is normally used when the characters are trying to express something miserable in their lives. It is more common with Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrappali. Using this technique makes the show extremely funny. The rule of three has also been widely applied in the comedy Series Two and a Half Men. Alan Harper is the character that was more prone to using this technique. Whenever the rule of three surfaces in any of these comedy series, one is sure to have a good laugh.

In conclusion, there cannot be a single way of making comedy rich and funnier. Yes, making comedy serious has the ability to make it rich and funnier, but it is not the only way to do that. People will be intrigued by different things. What is funny for one person might not intrigue the other.

Works Cited

Edwards, Vanessa van. Captivate: The Science Of Succeeding With People. Penguin Publishing Group, 2017,.

Littleton, Darryl. How To Be Funny: The Essential Comedy Handbook. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014,.

Do you need an Original High Quality Academic Custom Essay?