The Humor Code
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The Flamingo Resort and Casino (Las Vegas), 35
fly-down experiment: benign violation theory and, 128
football: Dundes’s views about, 134–35
Ford, Thomas, 142
Foxworthy, Jeff, 104
France
and French folklore, 135
and French love of Jerry Lewis, 97–98
and randy-Frenchmen bon mots, 96
free speech: Mohammad cartoons and, 130, 144–45
Freedom Theatre (West Bank), 165–66, 167, 169, 171
Freud, Sigmund, 6–7, 134, 164
Frevert, Louise, 136
Friedman, Josh, 20–21, 23, 40
Fry, William, 48
Gacy, John Wayne, 187
Galifianakis, Zach, 41–42
game: humor as a, 123–24, 141
game shows, Japanese, 116–17
Gaza Strip, 149–50
restrictions in, 157
“gelotophobia,” 124
gender
as bias in comedy, 108–10
and humor in dating/mating, 109
Japanese humor and, 107
joke-writing competition and, 110
and jokes about women, 108
laughter and, 89–91, 92
Martin’s studies of humor and, 108–9
political jokes and, 112
sense of humor and, 95
and what makes a successful comedian, 35
Gervais, Matthew, 76–79
Gesundheit Global Outreach, 181–82, 183–89, 191
See also Amazon, trip to: clown brigade and
Gesundheit! Hospital (West Virginia), 181
“Giggleometer,” 114
Glick, John, 181–82, 183, 187, 191–92
Goldstein, Dan, 37
The Goodies (sketch-comedy show), 129
Gordon, Rae Beth, 97
Gotham Comedy Club (New York City), 38
Gottfried, Gilbert, 61
Gough, Jacob, 166, 169, 171
Great American Lawyer Joke Cycle, 97
Greengross, Gil, 37, 38
Greeves, Lucy, 36
Grey New York (advertising company), 63–66, 208–9
grief: humor and, 194–96
Groupon (website), 58
Gruner, Charles, 123–24, 141
HAHAcronym Generator, 50
“Haiti” text experiment, 60–61
“Hakuna matata” (“no worries”), 70, 73, 92
Hall, Arsenio, 20
Hall, Edward, 104
Halpern, Charna, 28
Hammerschlag, Carl, 192–94
Handey, Jack, 112
Handler, Chelsea, 104
Hanson, Todd, 59–60, 61–62, 205
Harlan, Patrick, 110
Harman, Jennifer, 38
“Harold” technique, 28
Harris, Sidney, 55
Harvard Lampoon magazine, 47
Hawaiian good luck sign, 154, 155, 190
health: humor and, 175–96, 200
Heaven Spa (Osaka, Japan), 102
Hebron (West Bank): McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 171–73
Hempelmann, Christian, 89
Hicks, Bill, 112
Hitchens, Christopher, 108
Hodzic, Nihad, 139, 140, 141, 148
Holocaust, 162, 163–64, 170, 173
homophobic jokes, 141
Hook, Theodore, 140–41
Hotz, Kenny, 203–5
Huckabee, Mike, 111–12
Huh, Ben, 13
human rights, 124, 204
humor
Adams’s views about, 186–87
as balance of pleasure and pain, 210
cause of, 52, 154
comedy differentiated from, 117–18
comparison of American and Japanese, 117–18
complexity of, 210–11
as coping/relief tool, 134, 163–64, 167, 173, 189–91, 200
creation of, 41–66
dark side of, 119–48, 200
enjoying your own, 189, 193–94, 200
evolutionary origins of, 109
as a game, 123–24, 141
health and, 175–96, 200
Koestler’s definition of, 49
McGraw’s thoughts about, 212
purpose of, 6–7
selling of, 51–54
as subversion tool, 165, 173
team-based, 201
universal, 114–15, 118, 200
See also comedy; joke(s); laughter; sense of humor; specific topic; type of humor
HUMOR (quarterly publication), 6, 8, 9, 13, 26, 89
Humor Research Lab (HuRL) (University of Colorado)
benign violation theory development at, 10–13
birth control campaign study by, 53–54, 167, 205
and dark side of humor, 120
founding of, 2
and “Haiti” text experiment, 60–61
and importance of information to funniness, 128
McGraw-Warner’s first meeting at, 2–3
McGraw’s founding of, 2
New Yorker cartoon study by, 45
purpose of experiments at, 3, 15
Humor Research Team (HuRT), 2–3, 110
See also specific person
Humorous Behavior Q-sort Deck, 28–29
HUNT-2 study, 180
hunter joke, 114–15
The Hurricane Club (New York City): alcohol-humor study at, 63–66
Hurricane Sandy, 170
Hutcheson, Francis, 123
I Am Comic (documentary), 31
Ibrahimi Mosque (Hebron), 172–73
Improv Olympic Theater (iO) (Chicago), 28
improvisation, 27–28, 29–30, 37–39, 40
Ince, Elise Chandon, 97
incongruity theory, 7, 8, 12, 206
infants: laughter of, 84–85
Inoue, Hiroshi, 99, 100
instincts: and what makes comedians, 18
intangibles: and what makes a person funny, 22–23
International Humor Conference (Copenhagen, 2006), 124
International Society for Humor Studies (ISHS), 6, 13, 44, 95–96, 123
intifadas humor, 158–59, 164, 165
“Into the End Zone, Trying to Get a Touchdown” (Dundes), 135
Iquitos (Peru)
McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 176, 183–85, 186, 188, 192–94
Punchana neighborhood in, 193–94
See also Belén project (Peru)
Irish jokes, 98
Irving, Washington, 98
Isen, Alice, 50
Israel: and anti-Israeli jokes, 164–65
Israeli-Palestinian friendship, 173
Jackson, Victoria, 111
Japan
benign violation theory and, 205
characteristics of humor in, 95, 99
compartmentalization of comedy in, 102
Davies comment about, 99
as homogenous, 103
McGraw and Warner’s lessons learned from, 200, 205
McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 93–94, 205, 211
political jokes in, 110
samurai as central to humor in, 99, 100
U.S. influence on, 113
See also Osaka, Japan
Japan Society for Laughter and Humor Studies, 99
Japanese Humor and Laughter Society, 93–94, 102
JAPE (Joke Analysis and Production Engine) (robo-jokesters), 50
Jenin (West Bank): McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 165–67, 169
Jerichow, Anders, 130–32, 137
Jerusalem, McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 162–64
Jewish humor, 164
Jews: as comedians, 30
“Jihad Jane” (aka Colleen Renee LaRose), 145, 146
joke-writing
of Dean, 24–25
gender and, 110
of Raskin, 24–25
joke(s)
boring, 129–32
characteristics of, 141
as coping/relief tool, 134, 163–64, 167, 173, 189–91, 200
culture and, 95
dark, 148, 159
delivery of, 201
difficult circumstances and, 169–72
as failures, 128–29
as a game, 123–24, 141
offensive, 129–32
Palestinian, 158–59
purpose of, 134
for self-preservation, 163–64
in Soviet Union, 154–55
stereotypes and, 141
translations of, 104
world’s funniest, 114–15
See also type of joke
Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious (Freud), 6–7
“Jon Stewart Effect,” 54
Just for Feet commercial, 53
Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (Montreal)
and McGraw-Warner decision to participate in, 15
McGraw and Warner’s invitation to participate in, 203–4, 206
McGraw’s stand-up comedy routine for, 197–202, 206–10
Singer as talent scout for, 21
Jyllands-Posten (Danish newspaper)
incendiary imagery in, 134
Mohammad cartoons in, 124–30, 131, 133
survey about immigrants by, 138
threats against, 131
Kahneman, Daniel, 4
Kamala, Jason, 69–71, 88
Kan, Christina, 190
Kanaana, Sharif, 158–59, 161, 164, 165, 171
Kanin, Zachary, 46–48, 49, 51, 54, 55–58, 64–65
Kansai University (Osaka, Japan), 100
Kaplan, Bruce Eric, 43
Kashasha, Tanzania
laughter epidemic in, 68–69, 74, 83, 89
Rugeiyamu visit with McGraw and Warner in, 88–91
Katagelasticists, 124
Kataria, Madan, 178–79
Kaufman, Andy, 20
Keltner, Dacher, 140
Kinison, Sam, 20
Kiroyera Tours, 70
Klausen, Jytte, 127
Klegman, Sarah, 21, 22
Klikushestvo shouting manias, 90
Klovn (TV comedy show), 136
knock-knock jokes, 6
Koestler, Arthur, 48–50, 51
Koran, 156–57
Koziski, Stephanie, 30
labor unions, for comedians, 20
Ladonia (micronation), 146–47
LaMont, Alf, 19, 20
LaRose, Colleen Renee “Jihad Jane,” 145, 146
Larsen, Rune, 137–39
Las Vegas, Nevada: McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 34–37
Laugh Factory (Los Angeles club), 36
LaughLab (website), 114
laughter
of animals, 79–81
benefits of, 178–79
benign violation theory and, 72, 78
in children/infants, 84–85
as contagious, 68, 73, 86, 88–89, 200
difficult circumstances and, 169–72
as “disabling” mechanism, 76
Duchenne and, 77–78
in everyday life, 72, 92
evolution of, 76–79
gender and, 89–91, 92
Gervais and Wilson’s views about, 76–79
and good versus bad audience, 33–34
health and, 175–96
madness and, 71
as mass hysteria, 89–90
McGraw and Warner as practicing, 33–34, 86, 205
McGraw and Warner’s lessons learned about, 205
mimicked, 78
as mysterious, 68
as pathological, 74
as protest, 89–90, 168–69
Provine’s explanation of, 71–73
purpose of, 76–79, 92, 199–200
at self, 199, 200, 201
as signal that things are okay, 83
social power of, 72–73, 85–86, 92
solitary, 72
stand-up comedy and, 72
stress and, 90–91, 92
tickling and, 79–80
uncontrollable, 71, 74
Laughter: A Scientific Investigation (Provine), 71, 89
laughter epidemics, 67–71, 73, 74, 83–85, 87, 88–90, 91–92
Laughter in Hell: The Use of Humor During the Holocaust (Lipman), 163–64
Laughter Universities, 179
laughter yoga, 178–79, 212
laughtivism, 168–69
lawyer jokes, 97
Le Roy, New York: student outbursts in, 90
Lear, Norman, 48
Lee, Judith Yaros, 44
Legman, Gershon, 121–22, 124
Leno, Jay, 20
Leonard, Bridget, 97
Leore (Israeli cabdriver), 150, 152
Letterman, David, 20
Levity (comedy agency), 21
Lewis, Jerry, 97–98, 124
Lewis, Richard, 20
liberals: sense of humor of, 112
Lichtenstein, Donnie, 9
Life Studies of Comedy Writers (Fry and Allen), 48
lightbulb jokes, 136
lighting: role in comedy of, 31–32
Limbaugh, Rush, 111
linguistic theory of humor, 24
Lipman, Steve, 163–64
Lorena (Argentinian clown), 189
Los Angeles, California
McGraw and Warner’s lessons learned from, 199, 205, 206
McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 17–41, 211
See also Central Casting; Comedy Store; Santa Monica Playhouse; Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB); specific person
Los Angeles Comedy Awards, 23
Louie (FX series), 17
Lubetkin, Steve, 20
Lutz, Chip, 177
Mad Men (TV show), 62, 107, 208
madness: laughter and, 71
Malin, Elisabeth, 112
Mamet, David, 56
Man Show (TV program), 142
Mankoff, Bob, 43–44, 45, 46, 47, 54–58, 64
manzai (two-man comedy style), 106, 107, 110, 113, 117, 205
Mark (Amazonian clown), 193
marriage: humor and, 75–76
Martin, James, 156
Martin, Rod, 108–9, 179, 180
Martin, Steve, 20, 25, 30
Marx, Groucho, 36
Masada, Jamie, 36
mass hysteria: laughter as, 89–90
mass-market jokes/comedy
creation of, 41–62
risks involved with, 58–59
See also the New Yorker cartoons
mass motor hysteria, 90
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): idea generation study at, 50
Massou, Khalid, 160
Mauss, Shane, 201
Mazzilli, Chris, 38
McGhee, Paul, 85
McGraw, Kathleen (mother), 3, 194–96
McGraw, Peter
educational background of, 3, 4
first attempt at stand-up comedy by, 1–2, 5–6, 13–15
impact of global expedition on, 212
personal background of, 3–4
personality of, 4
second attempt at stand-up comedy by, 197–203, 206–10
Warner first meets, 2–4
Warner’s relationship with, 211–12
See also specific topic
McGraw, Shannon (sister), 3, 195
McNally, Martin J., 137
medicine
laughter as best, 175–96
See also health: humor and
Mehdawi, Rami, 161, 171
Mer-Khamis, Juliano, 165–66, 167, 169
Metzger, Darwyn, 27–28
Miller, Dennis, 111
Mitchell, Alex, 129
Mohammad cartoons, 124–30, 131–32, 133–37, 138–39, 140, 141, 142, 143–46, 147, 148, 149
Montreal, Canada
See Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (Montreal)
moral violations
McGraw’s interest in, 4
See also benign violation theory
Morishita, Shinya, 94, 100
Morreall, John, 123
Muslims
in Denmark, 125–26, 131–32, 138–40, 141, 145, 148
humor and, 157
in Sweden, 145
See also Mohammad cartoons; Palestine
Muslims in Dialog, 139, 141
Myers, Mike, 27
“N+V Theory,” 8–9
Nagashima, Heiyo, 94, 102, 103
The Naked Gun study, 63
Namba Grand Kagetsu (Osaka, Japan), 107
Nasser, Latif, 90
National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 52, 53–54, 167, 205
New Star Creation (comedy school) (Tokyo), 104–6, 107, 110
New York City
alcohol-humor study in, 62–66, 208–9
McGraw and Warner’s lessons learned from, 199, 205, 206
McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 41–66, 211
See also Gotham Comedy Club; the New Yorker cartoons; specific person
the New Yorker cartoons
cartoonist open-call day for, 54–58
contest for, 41–42, 45, 54–58
database of, 57
gender responses to, 108
HuRL study of, 45
and Kanin’s bowling-ball cartoon, 47, 55–58, 64–65
laughter at, 71
and selling of mass-market humor, 51
uniqueness of, 44–45
The New Yorker Festival, 42
nicknames: McGraw’s act about, 14
Nilsen, Don, 12–13
Nimis (Vilks sculpture), 146–47
“911 Café” (Ramallah), 158
No Laughing Matter (Legman), 122
North Korea: USS Pueblo incident and, 153–54, 170, 190
Norway: HUNT-2 study in, 180
nose, clown, 182–83, 187, 196, 198, 211
Nshamba, Tanzania: McGraw and Warner’s visit to, 83–85
Nulman, Andy, 203–4, 206
Nutty Professor experiment, 97
Obama, Barack, 111, 160
O’Brien, Conan, 27
“Ogata Impossible” (Power Purin variety show), 116–17
Ogata, Takahiro, 116–17
Ojibwe Native Americans, 95
Old Testament: humor in, 123
Olympic gymnast joke, 103
omuneepo
See laughter epidemics
Onion (film), 61–62
The Onion News Network (web broadcast), 61
The Onion (newspaper), 59–60, 61–62, 205
Only Joking: What’s So Funny About Making People Laugh? (Carr and Greeves), 36
orgasm: comedy writing as having an, 48
Oring, Elliot, 7, 164
O’Rourke, P.J., 111
Orwell, George, 165
Osaka, Japan
benign violation theory and, 208
as comedy capital of Japan, 100, 107, 208
McGraw and Warner’s trip to, 99–104, 203, 208
post–World War II, 100–101
rakugo performance in, 94–95
silence in, 101
smallest bar in the world in, 103, 104
Osaki, Hiroshi, 112–13, 116
Otpor! (Serbian youth movement), 168–69
pain, 154, 173, 210
See also dark humor
Pakkun Makkun (manzai act), 11
Palestine
benign violation theory and, 205