Lead Blog Response 10/28

I'm like 95% sure I showed you this video and I am so glad you decided to blog about because that gives me an excuse to watch it again! I don't know how SNL so consistently makes hilarious skits that everyone is able to laugh at yet low key relate to. Maybe they have secret magic skit genies?? This skit in particular is funny because of the time of year. I know it's a Halloween skit so obviously it has to come out in October, but I think that it was released at the PERFECT time. It was released right in the midst of Halloween hype (before the Christmas trees were set up in Home Depot but after the Halloween section of Walmart was built up).

I agree with you, Olivia, that this skit is a great example of the incongruity theory. The flashbacks to and from the pre- and post-Halloween shenanigans build up the hilarity of the skit. Much like "Mr. Show", the transitions allows for a stark comedic comparison to take place between the scenes whilst still maintaining a flow to the skit. This video also has a mix of irony mixed with reality. It's ironic to me that these poor ladies are trying to plan a cute night out in their cute costumes and it turns into mass chaos. However, everyone has experienced one of the personalities of these three women: getting the "drun-chies", becoming overly sensitive and just crying, or accidentally breaking something. JUST KIDDING. These are all characteristics that, although sometimes apply to male, stereotypically apply to the drunk female. This skit is so *relatable* because of how both men and women view it. Women relate directly to the reactions of the three main characters. Men relate indirectly to the three characters because they have been in a situation where they have had to deal with the drunk female in one of the three stages depicted in the skit.

Lead Blog Response 10/26

Talladega Nights is another fantastic example of Will Ferrel being the best actor on the planet. He and his deadpan comedy style sit front and center in the role of Ricky Bobby. I have only seen Talladega Knights like twice but my dad and my brother are obsessed with the movie. There have been multiple family gatherings where my dad throws a Ricky Bobby quote into the dinner prayer (which of course leaves my brother rolling on the floor laughing). This scene in particular is a familial favorite. Ricky Bobby (aka Will Ferrell) has gathered his family and is prepared to say grace before Thanksgiving meal. This clip is funny because of how it paints a picture of an American family who represents the stereotypical America. For starters, Ricky Bobby is a NASCAR driver. That's probably the most stereotypical American profession. Will Ferrel is poking fun at the religion of America: how we only acknowledge our religion when we want something. He also blesses his stereotypical American meal: Taco Bell, KFC, and Dominoes. The video also shows signs of the superiority theory, as Matthew stated in his post. Everything that Ricky Bobby and his family does is theoretically right, yet somehow fundamentally wrong. Nothing seemed sincere and it made me feel superior to the family because I can say a prayer right and I know what is supposed to be served at a Thanksgiving meal. Talladega Nights is a hysterical movie because of Will Ferrel and the movies play on stereotypical America.
I also laugh at this scene because it's more of an underrated scene of the movie.
Ricky Bobby's First Race

Lead Blog Response 10/19

I was hooked to Youtube comedians solidly throughout my middle school career. From Kingsley to Tyler Oakley, the time I spent watching these social media comedians is comparable to the time I now spend watching Netflix. Social media has since evolved since the glory days of middle school and now there's multiple platforms for online comedians to perform on. I'v never heard of Lizza and honestly, the first half of the video I was annoyed. All she seemed to do was make loud noises and grotesque faces while driving by herself in the car (all in an apparently unsafe manner). I didn't really begin to enjoy the video until her friends started to get introduced. Lizza takes on the characteristics of a genuinely naive person. She doesn't think she's a bad driver, yet all of her friends have hit the pavement running trying to get away from her car. Lizza also is really good at laughing at herself. I think if Lizza had chosen to try dead pan comedy as opposed to her giggling/funny face response to her own jokes, the video would've been awkward if not painful for the audience. The reason I thought it was so funny was because while her friends were panicking in the passenger seat, Lizza was seemingly oblivious to the danger that she had put them in. Her comments were relevant yet irrelevant to the situation (i.e. "Are you going to clean that up" when she slammed the breaks on and spilled hot tea all over Gabby and "My ears are ringing." when her friend let out a loud slew of vulgarities after Lizza almost hit a squirrel). I definitely didn't think this was the funniest video I've ever seen because for 50% of it I was annoyed. However, I do see how Lizza is able to make people laugh. She uses a wide variety of technique that, to some, might border on the obnoxious and excessive but also might make others pee their pants from laughter.

Lead Blog Response 10/12

THE OFFICE IS MY FAVORITE SHOW OF ALL TIME! This is such a funny scene too! I really enjoyed how you were able to dissect the episode using the theories we already know. I agree with your statements about the presence of the superiority theory but I most certainly thing the the incongruity theory is the theory most used. From the impromptu singing of the BeGees to Dwight showing off his concealed hunting knife, the incongruity theory is everywhere. The Office uses a unique mix of the incongruity theory as well as the superiority theory. It allows viewers to, once they get into the style of humor, dive into the comedy found in the shocking awkwardness of the show. The relief theory is an underlying presence in The Office because in all of the situations The Office presents, we can relate to the uncomfortable feelings and are able to laugh at the tension. My favorite part of this scene is when Dwight rips off the dummy's face with his knife because (1) why did he feel the need to harvest the organs of the dummy and (2) I don't think that when organs are harvested, the surgeons cut off the persons face. It's just an all around shocking scene that appeals to the awkward tensions found in the workplace.

Lead Blog Response 9/30

I will admit that I have never seen Step Brothers in it's entirety. However, the bits I have seen are super funny. I really enjoy this scene because job interviews are universally terrifying to every single person and yet this scene seems to ridicule the whole job interviewing process. I agree with your statements about the scene demonstrating all three of the theories: superiority, incongruity, and relief. I think that the superiority is the most present in this scene because every point of view feels superior to the other. For example, the brothers have a sense of superiority to all of the interviewers. They don't take the interview seriously because they feel confident that they are going to get whatever job they apply for. The interviewers also feel a sense of superiority because these poor brothers are dressed in tuxedos for  janitorial jobs. The interviewers can't help but feel like they are superior in intellect as well as maturity. We as viewers also feel a sense of superiority towards the brothers because we are internally making fun of their attempts to be mature adults. The incongruity and relief theories are also present in the ways that Isaac mentioned in his original post. Perhaps our theory of superiority is due to our need to laugh at something that we have a fear of. We all have fears of going to a job interview and having a stranger judge every ounce of our being so it's easy for us to laugh at a scene ridiculing our fears.