Two Points from Last Lecture
(1) Jolson and Iron Eyes Cody both not what they appear in films were well regarded by the people they impersonated because of their involvement with the causes of the people they impersonated.
(2) Sam Warner who spearheaded Warner Brothers move to sound and The Jazz Singer died the day before the premiere of The Jazz Singer. So none of the brothers were able to attend the premiere
Comedy is a complicated topic. What strikes people as funny varies from individual from one time to another, from one person to another and from one culture to another. (American Circuses do not bring their clowns to Japan, the Japanese do not find them funny).
There do seem to be different kinds of ways to define some aspects of comedy. For example, there is physical comedy as opposed to verbal comedy. During the silent film era, physical comedy took precedence with "prat falls", "pie in the face" etc. which often resulted from a loss of dignity and perhaps allows the viewer a sense of superiority
"A pratfall is a type of fall where a person lands on their buttocks. It is often used in comedy to create a humorous effect in plays, movies, and other forms of entertainment. The pratfall effect is a social psychology phenomenon where an individual’s perceived competence changes after they make a mistake. Highly competent individuals tend to become more likeable after committing mistakes, while average-seeming individuals tend to become less likeable even if they commit the same mistake".
The Camridge dictionary defines pratfall as
noun [ C ]
UK
mainly US
a fall in which a person lands on their bottom, especially for a humorous effect in a play, film, etc.
an embarrassing defeat or failure
Often takes what would be bad situations and makes them "funny".
Jokes, double entendres etc. puns
Often seen as a more "sophisticated" kind of humor, although "puns" have a reputation for being good if the hearer "groans" at the supposed joke.
Jokes (which when physical are thought of as "pranks")
These usually take the form of short stories with a "punch line" at the end.
Double entendres (double meanings) and suggestive forms occur as well when a line can be read with 2 different meanings.
Ethnic humor and stereotypic humor which involves taking a perceived characteristic of group and using it for a comic effect.