Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Humour

Maybe I am getting too philosophical. I just watched the end of an episode of the American "The Office". It struck me as totally unfunny. Now, as an early signup to the 500-channel digital universe in this country, I long ago got to see the BBC "The Office". I never found a single moment of it at all funny, and I work in an office! I know office life well. Well, one form of it, and it has no resemblance to that show.
Earlier today I got pointed at what I found to be a blog that made me laugh helplessly, only to find someone I love and consider close to me responded to it totally coldly. That person offered a theory about the difference, and I think it explained a lot, but it made me wonder about a lot more.
One thing I know with certainty is that the laughs I got out of that blog are somewhat like the laughs I get out of the more erudite 'Flashman' novels. But reflecting on it I know I read those novels largely because of what is outside the direct source of humour - but never totally away (in fact it makes the historical part believable).
I know that we would agree that "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was up there in the top 5 TV Series ever made. I am not sure how we would place 'Seinfeld' (which I loved, once my parents taught me about it - I don't really watch network TV unless instructed).
So how does humour work? It continues to mystify me.

3 Comments:

At 8:31 AM, Blogger rondi adamson said...

Wow! I don't like Flashman either (not that I'm an expert on them)! I think it's the same reason as yesterday. I love MTM and Seinfeld, though.

 
At 8:24 PM, Blogger EclectEcon said...

So what about National Lampoon's Animal House? It's one of my favourite comedic/philosophic movies.

 
At 9:26 PM, Blogger rondi adamson said...

Oh, and I *did* like the Robin Cook entry on that blog, though I know you didn't!

 

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