Comedy
How does it work?Why does it work?Why doesn’t it work sometimes?
How can you fix it when it’s not working?
The Comedy Perception Test
l A) Man Slipping on a Banana Peel l B) Man in Top Hat . . .l C) . . . After Kicking a Dogl D) . . . After Losing His Jobl E) Blind Man . . . l F) . . . Dog Slipping . . . l G) Man Slipping on a Banana Peel . . .l and Dying.
WHAT IS COMEDY?l Comedy tells the truth
l Comedy tells the truth . . . about people
COMEDY EQUATION
l An ordinary guy (or gal)l Struggling against insurmountable odds l Without many of the required skills and
tools with which to win . . .
lYet never giving up hope!
The Hidden Tools of Comedy
l NON-HERO
l METAPHORICAL RELATIONSHIP
l STRAIGHT LINE/WAVY LINE
NON-HERO
l Someone who lacks some, if not all the skills and tools required to win.
METAPHORICAL RELATIONSHIP
l The essential relationship beneath the surface relationship.
"We used to think that comedy was watching someone do something silly . . . we came to realize that comedy was watching somebody watch somebody do something silly.“
---John Cleese
STRAIGHT LINE/ WAVY LINE
STRAIGHT LINE/ WAVY LINE
l The one blind to, or creating, the problem, & the one struggling with the problem.
Using Humor to Deepen Connection
lHumor doesn’t compete with drama; humor completes drama
Contact Steve Kaplan [email protected]
Follow Steve on Twitter at@skcomedy
our website is:www.KaplanComedy.com
Top Related