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Category: Theories About Jokes

These are theories that discuss the structure and other qualities of jokes.

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Parodic Satire

Posted on July 22, 2017 by nwilson

I need to continue with Lewis Black’s 2006 Grammy nominated HBO special, Red, White and Screwed. Black meanders through several topical and social bits, e...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Parody

Posted on July 21, 2017 by nwilson

Two voices Parody is another form of humor that is frequently conflated with verbal irony. In Gary Saul Morson’s read of Mikhail Bakhtin, parody is distinguishe...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Ironic Satire

Posted on July 7, 2017 by nwilson

I’m still talking about Bill Maher’s 2007 HBO stand-up showcase, Bill Maher: The Decider, where, after greeting the Boston crowd, Maher begins with ...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Problems with Satiric Irony

Posted on July 5, 2017 by nwilson

I’m still talking about Bill Maher’s 2007 HBO stand-up showcase, Bill Maher: The Decider, where, after greeting the Boston crowd, Maher begins with ...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Satiric Irony and Litige

Posted on July 4, 2017 by nwilson

To continue with Bill Maher’s 2007 HBO stand-up showcase, Bill Maher: The Decider, I’ve indicated the part after he greets the Boston crowd, where M...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Satire (and Litige)

Posted on July 3, 2017 by nwilson

In his 2007 HBO stand-up showcase, Bill Maher: The Decider, after greeting the Boston crowd, Maher begins with a critique of President George W. Bush.  Only 50 ...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Irony: Traditional Verbal Irony

Posted on July 2, 2017 by nwilson

Irony has been studied since at least Classical Greece.  There are a few different types of irony, including dramatic irony, where the words or actions of the c...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

I’m Joking/Just Kidding

Posted on July 1, 2017 by nwilson

A topic on my list of things to cover in this blog are statements of “just kidding” and “I’m joking.”  I started on this in my ana...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Victor Raskin’s Script Theory

Posted on June 28, 2017 by nwilson

Presuppositions, “common sense,” and scripts In proposing Script Theory, a major model seen to support Incongruity theory, Linguist Victor Raskin no...

Humor Theories/Stand Up Comedy/Theories About Jokes

Dick Jokes Vs. Sexual Jokes

Posted on June 14, 2017 by nwilson

Betsy Borns differentiates the dick joke from sexual jokes as based on “what makes the joke funny: if people laugh because the word ‘fuck’ is used, that’s a dic...

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