An investigation of the use of clichés in the writing of network radio "gag" comedy
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AN INVESTIGATION OF TEE USE OF CLICHES IN THE WRITING OF NETWORK RADIO "GAG" COMEDY
A T h e s is P r e s e n te d t o t h e F a c u l ty o f th e D e p a rtm e n t o f R ad io U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a
In P a r t i a l F u lfillm e n t o f th e R e q u ire m e n ts f o r th e D eg ree M a ste r o f A r ts
R o b e rt W illia m W icks Ju n e 1950
UMI Number: EP65340
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thesis, written by
............... ROBERT WILLIAM WICKS under the guidance of h..'*i-SL Faculty Committee, and a p p r oved by all its members, has been presented to and accepted by the Council on Graduate Study and Research in partial fulfill ment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS IN RADIO
D ate.....
Faculty Committee
d ja M J U lC ...
TABLE OP CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMSUSED . . . The p r o b l e m .......................
3
S ta te m e n t o f th e p r o b l e m ......................................
3
Im p o rta n c e o f th e s tu d y . . . . . . . . . .
3
D e f i n i t i o n s o f te rm s u se d C lic h e
4
.................................................................................
Gag . . . • • • • •
. . . . . .
5
. . .
5
O r g a n iz a tio n o f r e m a in d e r o f t h e t h e s i s
. . .
6
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND REVIEW LITERATURE
III.
4
........................
F o rm u la • • • • • • • • •
II.
1
OFTHE
............................................................................
8
L i t e r a t u r e on h u m o r .........................................................
8
THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF RADIO HUMOR G e n e ra l hum or c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s V e rb a l fo rm s
. . . . . .
17
• • • • • • • •
17
........................................................
17
S i t u a t i o n humor • • • • « • • • • • • • • •
18
C h a r a c te r hum or • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
19
R ad io hum or c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s ......................................
20
HGagn c o m e d y ...................................................................
21
S i t u a t i o n comedy
.........................................................
21
C h a r a c te r comedy
.................................. • • • • •
21
R ad io hum or t r e a t m e n t .....................................................
22
CHAPTER IV .
PAGE
THE HATURE OP THE RADIO "GAG*1 ........................ . .
24
The com ponents o f t h e " g a g ” ..................................
24
"F eed l i n e s ” o r " s t r a i g h t l i n e s ”
24
“ P unch l i n e s ” ..................................... . . . . . .
25
" T o p p e rs ” ......................................................................
25
"B len d l i n e s "
26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
" P ro te c tio n l i n e s ”
• • •
^6
. . . . . . .
26
” O n e -lin e r” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
The "tw o-w ay g a g ” ..................................... • • • •
29
Gag form s ...........................................
• • • • ............................
31
"GAG” FORMULAS...................................................................
33
The " th r e e - w a y g a g ” V.
• • • •
F ill-in
fo rm u la s
...............................................
C r e a tiv e fo rm u la s H y p e rb o le
.
33
...........................................
36
.....................................
36
D i m i n u a t i o n ...................................................................
37
M e tam o rp h o sis ..........................................• • • • •
38
C o m b in a tio n • • • • . • • •
•
39
P a ir e d w o r d s ..............................................................
39
D o u b le-m e an in g a b b r e v i a t i o n s
40
........................
Changed m ean in g a b b r e v i a t i o n s • • • • • • L ite ra l tr a n s la tio n
...........................................
40 .
40
N a i v e t e ....................• • • • ......................................
41
M a l a p r o p ........................................................................
41
CHAPTER
PAGE P o o r w ord c h o i c e .......................................... • • •
42
S lip s
.........................................................
42
...........................................
42
. . .
M isp ro n o u n ced w ords S u rp ris e
• ......................................
The m is s in g e le m e n t
. . . . . .
.......................................
43
S t r e t c h .......................................................................
45
P u n .......................
45
M i m i c r y ...............................................
45
R h y m e .............................• .................................... E lis io n
.
.......................
R e v e rs e s . . .
V I.
43
46 46
....................................................
46
T w is te d p l a t i t u d e s ..................... .......................
46
T ru n c a te d p l a t i t u d e s
...........................................
47
E x te n d e d p l a t i t u d e s ............................• . . .
47
I n f l u e n c i n g f a c t o r s ................................................
47
“ S w itc h in g 1 1 ......................................
47
“ Gag" f i l e s ....................................................
51
T o p ic a l m a t e r i a l ........................
52
. . . . . .
G e o g r a p h ic a l l o c a t i o n s ......................................
54
THE STOCK DEVICES OF RADIO COM EDY...................
55
11Gag” d e v i c e s ...................................................
55
“T h r e e - b u i l d ” jo k e p a t t e r n s
• • • • • •
55
P a r a lle l s tru c tu re
........................
57
The r u n n in g ng a g lf
. . . . .
.......................
57
CHAPTER
PAGE V ocal change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................
The p r a t f a l l . . . . . . . .
58 60
The "slo w b u r n ”
60
Non s e q u i t u r
60
The v a n is h in g c h a r a c t e r O f f - t h e - s c r i p t jo k e
.
.......................
61
.......................
62
Ad l i b b re a k u p W r itt e n ad l i b
62 , ...............................................
T re a tm e n ts • • • • •
. .
62
................................................ •
63
Sound e f f e c t s The p a u s e
• • • • • •
63
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
66
"Dead t a l k 1 1 ............................
67
P ast ta lk
70
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
U n d e rs ta te m e n t • • • • • • • • J u x ta p o s itio n
........................
.................................
70 71
The " o f f p h a se q u i z ” . . . . . . . . . . .
74
T hought a n t i c i p a t i o n
• • • • • • • • • • •
76
I n t e r r u p t i o n te c h n iq u e • • • • • • • • • •
77
M onolog
. # • ...............................................
"T o p p er" s e r i e s
. . .
77
• • « • • • • • • • • • •
78
. • • . « . • • » # # #
78
• • • • • • • • • • • • • * • •
78
P la y in g t o th e s t u d i o a u d ie n c e • • • • • •
80
in flu e n c in g f a c to r s "M ugging”
CHAPTER V II.
PAGE
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary
. . . . . .....................................................................
C o n c l u s i o n s ....................... BIBLIOGRAPHY
82 82
. .
83
...............................................................................................
86
CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED The l i f e - s p a n o f t h e v a u d e v i l l e a c t o f a q u a r t e r c e n tu r y ag o was u s u a l l y a f u l l s e a s o n o r m o re .
T o d a y 's
p o p u la r c o u n t e r p a r t , t h e r a d i o p ro g ra m , l i v e s n o lo n g e r th a n i t s
s p l i t - s e c o n d J o u rn e y t o t h e A m erican l i v i n g room*
I t w i l l b e rem em bered t h a t y e s t e r d a y 's v a u d e v i l l e r o u t i n e p la y e d t o a r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l , d i f f e r e n t a u d ie n c e a t e a c h p e r f o rm a n c e ; c o n s e q u e n tly , t h e r e was l i t t l e
n e e d f o r change*
The r a d i o p ro g ra m , on t h e o t h e r h a n d , r e a c h e s a v a s t a u d ie n c e t h a t , f o r p r a c t i c a l p u r p o s e s , re m a in s v i r t u a l l y I d e n t i c a l from w eek t o w eek .
To m eet t h i s s i t u a t i o n , i t
h a s become n e c e s s a r y t o u s e d i f f e r e n t m a t e r i a l f o r e a c h p re s e n ta tio n * ^ T h is n e e d f o r a c o n s t a n t flo w o f f r e s h m a t e r i a l m eans a t u r n o v e r o f w r i t t e n w ords f a r g r e a t e r t h a n e v e r b efo re*
The t a s k o f p r o v id in g t h a t w ordage h a s become 2 m o n u m en tal. To f u r t h e r c o m p lic a te m a t t e r s , comedy i s t h e m o st s t r e s s e d form o f o u r n e tw o rk e n t e r t a i n m e n t and i s 1 J a c k G aver and D ale S t a n l e y , T h e r e ' s L a u g h te r i n th e A ir (New Y o rk : G re e n b e rg : P u b l i s h e r s , 1 9 4 5 ) , p . 1* 2 L o c. c i t .
among th e m ost d i f f i c u l t o f a l l c r e a t i v e w o rk .
3
T h is m eans
t h a t t h e p ro b le m i s e v e n more a c u te i n t h e re a lm o f r a d i o hu m o r.
The p r e s s u r e o f n e c e s s i t y h a s f o r c e d comedy c r e a t o r s
t o d e v e lo p many new m eth o d s and d e v i c e s t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e i r w o rk .
Many o f t h e s e t e c h n iq u e s h a v e ev o k ed c r i t i c i s m
from
v a r io u s q u a r t e r s , b o t h o u t s i d e and w i t h i n t h e b r o a d c a s t i n g in d u s try .
I t h a s b e e n s a i d t h a t d a n g e ro u s c l i c h / s h a v e
d e v e lo p e d w h ic h may be c h o k in g th e e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f r a d i o 4 com edy. By way o f q u a l i f i c a t i o n , i t m ust b e n o te d t h a t c l i c h e s e x i s t i n o t h e r p h a s e s o f r a d i o b r o a d c a s t i n g th a n com edy.
Drama h a s i t s
s h a r e , a s do news and m u sic p ro g ra m s;
h o w e v e r, comedy m ig h t w e l l s ta n d a t t h e t o p o f a l l o f f e n d e r s . I t s h o u ld a l s o be n o te d t h a t m o tio n p i c t u r e s , s h o r t s t o r i e s , n o v e l s , p l a y s , p o e t r y , a n d , i n f a c t , m ost c r e a t i v e f i e l d s 5 s h a r e t h e g u i l t w ith r a d i o . H ow ever, t h e c o n c e rn o f t h i s t h e s i s i s p r i m a r i l y w ith m a jo r r a d i o n e tw o rk comedy p ro g ra m s •
3 J a c k (*ould, wHow Comic I s R a d io Comedy?11, The New Y o rk Tim es M a g azin e, p . 2 2 , November 2 1 , 1 9 4 8 . ^ E r s k in e J o h n s o n fs colum n I n th e Los A n g e le s D a ily Nev/s, November 3 0 , 1 9 4 9 . I n te r v ie w w ith L a u re n c e M ark s, h ea d comedy w r i t e r f o r Bob H ope, M arch 3 0 , 1 9 5 0 .
3 I.
THE PROBLEM
S ta te m e n t o f t h e p ro b le m #
I t was t h e p u rp o s e o f
t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n (1 ) t o exam ine and l i s t th o s e w r i t i n g te c h n iq u e s b o r n o f th e m ic ro p h o n e ’ s v o r a c io u s a p p e t i t e . , w h ich m ig h t c o n s t i t u t e c l i c h e s , and (2 ) t o b r i n g i n t o th e fo c u s o f a t t e n t i o n many o f th e s o - c a l l e d tft r a d e s e c r e t s ” o f p r o f e s s i o n a l comedy w r i t i n g , t h u s p r o v i d i n g p o t e n t i a l humor w r i t e r s w i t h a sound f o u n d a tio n upon w h ic h t o b u ild # Im p o rta n c e o f t h e s tu d y *
T h e re a r e many r e a s o n s
why t h e r a d i o comedy c l i c h ^ p ro b le m n e e d s e x a m in a tio n # T r i t e and o v erw o rk e d d e v ic e s can c o n c e iv a b ly c o n t r i b u t e to w a rd a h a r m f u l o v e r - a l l s i m i l a r i t y o f comedy e n t e r t a i n m e n t.
S uch an e f f e c t c o u ld be a k e y f a c t o r i n t h e r e c e n t
la g g in g o f l i s t e n e r i n t e r e s t w h ich a u d ie n c e -m e a s u re m e n t s y s te m s seem t o i n d i c a t e a f f e c t s s e v e r a l m a jo r p ro g ram s i n 6 t h e 1 9 4 9 -1 9 5 0 se a so n # C e r t a i n l y t h i s c o n c e rn s th e r a d i o a d v e r t i s e r who s e e k s t o r e a c h a s many p o t e n t i a l c u s to m e rs a s p o s s i b le #
E q u a lly a f f e c t e d a r e a d v e r t i s i n g a g e n c ie s
and th o s e i n t h e I n d u s t r y who s e r v e th e i n t e r e s t s o f many co m m ercia l p r o d u c ts # A r t i s t i c a l l y , c l i c h e s a r e c o n s id e r e d b a d , a n d , a r t i s t i c a l l y , r a d i o i s e x p e c te d t o c o n s t a n t l y im prove#
B ut
when n o t o n ly d e v o te e s o f a r t s t a n d a r d s b u t e n t e r t a i n m e n t 6 -Loc. c i t .
4 s e e k in g l i s t e n e r s a r e o f f e n d e d , th e n t h e r e i s a d o u b le n e e d 7 f o r im provem ent* I t i s n o t e n t i r e l y b ey o n d p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t t h e p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n c o u ld d e v e lo p i n t o th e b e g in n in g o f th e end f o r r a d i o comedy o r e v e n f o r r a d i o i t s e l f *
I t is p a ra
d o x i c a l t h a t v a u d e v i l l e fa d e d t o o b s c u r i t y p r i m a r i l y from a l a c k o f v a r i e t y c a u se d b y a slo w r a t e o f t u r n o v e r , w h ile r a d i o may be f a c i n g an i d e n t i c a l f a t e due t o th e o p p o s ite e x tr e m e , a to o r a p i d tu r n o v e r *
N a t u r a l l y , an y p o s s i b i l i t y
o f s u c h an e v e n t u a l i t y , h o w ev er r e m o te , i s o f p rim e c o n c e rn t o a l l t h o s e who d ep en d f o r t h e i r l i v e l i h o o d d i r e c t l y o r i n d i r e c t l y upon th e r a d i o i n d u s t r y * I t i s a l s o th e p u rp o s e o f t h i s
s tu d y t o g a t h e r a
w e a lth o f m a t e r i a l c o n c e r n in g m eth o d s an d t e c h n iq u e s o f ra d io "gag” w r itin g .
T h ere seem s t o b e a g r e a t n e e d f o r
s u c h a c o m p ila tio n t o p r o v id e p o t e n t i a l r a d i o hum or w r i t e r s w ith p r a c t i c a l i n f o r m a ti o n t h a t i s o th e r w is e m ost d i f f i c u l t f o r them t o lo c a te *
To e n t e r s u c h a com plex an d d i f f i c u l t
f i e l d , i t i s o f g r e a t v a lu e t o b e w e l l v e r s e d i n m a t t e r s o f te c h n iq u e . II. C lic h e *
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
I n t h i s s tu d y a c l i c h ^ i s a n e le m e n t o f
hum or t h a t i s o v erw o rk ed t o t h e p o i n t o f t r i t e n e s s .
----------- TTocT c i t .
It
5 h a s b e e n r e p e a t e d o f t e n en o u g h t o he e a s i l y r e c o g n iz e d b y th e l i s t e n e r *
Som etim es I t i s r e p e a t e d i n i d e n t i c a l fo rm ,
b u t’ more o f t e n i t i s r e p e a te d i n s i m i l a r p a t t e r n s . a re u s u a lly s te re o ty p e d , o r, a t l e a s t , G ag*
C lic h e s
la c k in g in f r e s h n e s s .
The te rm " g a g 11 w i l l b e u s e d many tim e s th r o u g h
out t h i s s tu d y .
I t i s a p r o f e s s i o n a l w ord t h a t i s s o m e th in g
more th a n a synonym f o r t h e w ord 11j o k e . 11
A "g ag " c a n b e a
jo k e o r am u sin g d e v ic e t r e a t e d v e r b a l l y , v i s u a l l y , o r i n a u d io te rm s s u c h a s th e c o m ic a l u s e o f m u sic i n p la c e o f sound o r sound i n p l a c e o f d i a l o g u e .
I n s h o r t , a " g a g 11 i s Q a n y d e v ic e d e s ig n e d t o p ro d u c e a hum orous r e a c t i o n . The te rm can ev en b e synonym ous w ith g i m m i c k ,” an e x p r e s s i o n b o rro w e d from t h e c o n j u r in g p r o f e s s i o n , m ean in g any t r i c k d e v ic e upon w h ic h a p o r t i o n o r th e w hole o f a b r o a d c a s t i s h in g e d .
An exam ple i s t h e g i v i n g away o f c a s h
p r i z e s f o r c o r r e c t a n s w e rs t o t h e q u e s t i o n s a s k e d on a q u iz p ro g ra m . in te re s t.
The p u rp o s e i s u s u a l l y t o c a t c h a t t e n t i o n and T h is i s a l e s s common u s a g e and w i l l n o t a p p e a r
in t h i s p a p e r. F o rm u la ♦
The te rm " f o r m u la ” i s u s e d i n s e v e r a l w a y s.
I t ca n b e an y s e t p a t t e r n o r w r i t i n g a id u s e d i n c o n s t r u c t in g g a g s .
O r, i t
c a n be an o f t e n - u s e d p l o t o r s i t u a t i o n .
E ven s t e r e o t y p e d c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n s a r e so m etim es d e s c r i b e d 8 toe. c i t .
6 a s f o r m u la .
S t i l l a n o t h e r u s a g e a p p l i e s t o s ta n d a r d i z e d
p ro g ram f o rm a ts o r fra m e w o rk s.
I n o t h e r w o rd s , a fo rm u la
i s a s t a n d a r d i z e d form o f one o f s e v e r a l comedy e l e m e n ts . I t i s m ost o f t e n u s e d i n c o n ju n c tio n w ith g ag w r i t i n g m e th o d s . III.
ORGANIZATION OP REMAINDER OP THE THESIS
I n i n v e s t i g a t i n g th e am ount o f c l i c h 6 m a t e r i a l u se d i n t h e w r i t i n g o f " g a g 11 r a d i o com edy, t h e p r o c e d u r e h a s b e e n t o g a t h e r and o r g a n iz e f o r s tu d y as many o f th e g e n e r a l l y a c c e p te d "gag*1 w r i t i n g f o rm u la s and r e l a t e d d e v i c e s a s i t was p o s s i b l e t o g a t h e r .
I n a d d i t i o n , con
s i d e r a t i o n h a s b e e n g iv e n t o su c h o t h e r i n f l u e n c i n g f a c t o r s a s " s w i t c h i n g , w t o p i c a l m a t e r i a l , w e ll-k n o w n g e o g r a p h i c a l l o c a t i o n s , "g a g " f i l e s , "m u g g in g ," and p la y in g t o th e s tu d io a u d ie n c e .
A lso th e n a t u r e o f t h a t a u d ie n c e
h a s b e e n c o n s id e r e d . O p in io n s o f q u a l i f i e d c r i t i c s and e x p e r t s on t h e m a t e r i a l c o v e re d h a s b e e n i n c l u d e d .
Many comedy r a d i o p r o
gram s w ere s t u d i e d an d e x c e r p t s u se d a s e x a m p le s . C h a p te r I I m akes a c u r s o r y e x a m in a tio n o f t h e view s o f o u t s t a n d i n g a u t h o r i t i e s com bined w i t h a r e v ie w o f th e lite ra tu re .
C h a p te r I I I ex a m in e s t h e c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s and
o r g a n i z a t i o n o f hum or i n g e n e r a l . t h e c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s o f r a d i o h um or.
T h is i s p a r a l l e l e d w ith T h e o re tic a l p o in ts
7 t h a t a r e f a i r l y g e n e r a l l y a c c e p te d and o f im p o rta n c e t o t h e s u b j e c t a r e b r i e f l y d is c u s s e d # C h a p te r IV m akes a d e t a i l e d s tu d y o f "g ag " com ponents and f e a t u r e s .
An a tte m p t h a s b e e n made t o r e v e a l t h e m ore
im p o r ta n t " r u l e s ” f o r jo k e c o n s t r u c t i o n . As c o m p le te a s tu d y a s was p o s s i b l e r e g a r d i n g t h e " g a g ” w r i t i n g f o r m u la s , th e " t r a d e s e c r e t s ” o f th e i n d u s t r y , c o n s t i t u t e s C h a p te r V.
F rin g e t e c h n iq u e s a r e a l s o
in tro d u c e d . C h a p te r VI d e a l s w i t h many d e v ic e s c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o " g a g ” f o r m u la s , b u t w h ic h a r e m eth o d s o f t r e a t m e n t and n o t o f "g a g " c r e a t i o n .
T h ese r e p r e s e n t many o f t h e s to c k
t r i c k s o f comedy w r i t i n g .
C e r t a i n o t h e r f a c t o r s w h ich a p p ly
to t h i s a re a a re d is c u s s e d . The summary an d c o n c lu s io n s a r e c o n ta in e d i n C h a p te r VII.
CHAPTER I I THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE T h e re h a v e b e e n many a t t e m p t s b y p h i l o s o p h e r s , p s y c h o l o g i s t s , h u m o r i s t s , and t h e l i k e t o d e te r m in e th e e x a c t n a t u r e o f h um or.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e r e h a s b e e n no g e n e r a l
a g re e m e n t on a c o n s i s t e n t t h e o r y ; t h u s , s u c h t h i n g s a s hum or, a s e n s e o f h u m o r, a jo k e , an d e v e n l a u g h t e r re m a in u n a s c e r t a i n e d and u n d e te r m in e d • ^ T h ere a r e a few c o n c e p ts o f hum or w o rth y o f c o n s id e r a t i o n , h o w e v e r.
A b e t t e r u n d e r s ta n d in g o f t h e p r a c t i c a l
p o i n t s o f w r i t i n g r a d i o hum or m ig h t r e s u l t from a c u r s o r y e x a m in a tio n o f some o f t h e s e v ie w s .
T h is w as c o n s id e r e d
i n t h e f o llo w in g r e v ie w o f t h e l i t e r a t u r e on h u m o r. L i t e r a t u r e on h u m o r.
I t w ould seem t h a t th e A n c ie n t
G reek p h ilo s o p h e r s h ad t h e o r i e s som ewhat s i m i l a r t o m ost o f th e m ore m odern a t t i t u d e s .
P la to ta u g h t t h a t " th e p le a s u re
o f th e l u d i c r o u s o r i g i n a t e s i n th e s i g h t o f a n o t h e r ’s m is f o r tu n e s ." ^
A r i s t o t l e w ro te i n t h e P o e t i c s t h e r e i s a
common q u a l i t y o f a l l am u sin g o b j e c t s w h ic h h e d e s c r i b e s a s "some d e f e c t o r u g l i n e s s w h ic h i s n o t p a i n f u l o r d e s t r u c t i v e , " and a d d e d :
" F o r e x a m p le , th e com ic m ask i s u g ly and
1 S te p h e n L e a c o c k , Humor (New Y o rk : Company, 1 9 3 5 ) , p . 2 .
D odd. Mead and
2 Agnes R e p p l i e r , I n P u r s u i t o f L a u g h te r (B o s to n : H oughton M i f f l i n Company, 1 9 3 6 ), p . 1 9 1 .
d i s t o r t e d , b u t d o e s n o t c a u se pain#*
•2
C ic e r o s a i d , "The
m ost e m in e n t k in d o f t h e r i d i c u l o u s i s t h a t i n w h ic h we „4 e x p e c t t o h e a r one t h i n g and a n o t h e r i s s a i d . ” C e rta in ly t h e r e a r e many ex a m p le s o f hum or t o w h ic h th e s e t h r e e d e f i n i t i o n s a p p ly .
H ow ever, th e i n d i v i d u a l c o n c e p ts a s s t a t e d
a re h a rd ly a ll- in c lu s iv e *
Nor i s a n y one o f them c o m p le te *
A m o st i n t e r e s t i n g t h e o r y was f o r m u la te d by t h e S e v e n te e n th C e n tu r y s c h o l a r , Thomas H o b b es, t h a t a t l e a s t h a s an a d v a n ta g e o f c o n s i s t e n c y and c o m p le te n e s s .
I t a t te m p ts
t o t r a c e t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f l a u g h t e r fro m p r e h i s t o r i c m an’ s la u g h o f b r u t a l tr iu m p h o v e r a d e f e a t e d a d v e r s a r y t o l a u g h t e r o v e r th e a p p e a ra n c e o f d i s a s t e r , a s a p e r s o n ’ s f a l l r e s u l t i n g from a c a r e l e s s l y d i s c a r d e d b a n a n a s k i n , t o t h e d i s t o r t i o n o f a n y th in g o u t o f i t s t r u e c o n d i t i o n .
T h u s, i n
hum or t h e r e i s c o n s id e r e d t o b e a n e le m e n t o f s u p e r i o r i t y upon th e p a r t o f t h e o b s e r v e r .
H obbes s t a t e s :
. . • t h e p a s s i o n o f l a u g h t e r i s n o th in g e l s e b u t su d d e n g l o r y a r i s i n g from su d d e n c o n c e p tio n o f some e m in en c e i n o u r s e l v e s , by c o m p a riso n w ith t h e * I n f e r i o r i t y o f o t h e r s o r w ith o u r own f o r m e r l y . The fam ous German p h i l o s o p h e r , Im m anuel K a n t, d e f i n e d t h e p r o v o c a t io n o f l a u g h t e r a s " th e su d d e n t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f a s t r a i n e d e x p e c t a t i o n i n t o n o t h i n g , ” o r , i n o t h e r w o rd s , 3 Max E a stm a n , E n jo y m en t o f L a u g h te r (New Y ork: Simon and S c h u s t e r , 1 9 3 6 ), p . 9 . 4 Max E a stm a n , The S en se o f Humor (New Y o rk : S c r i b n e r ’ s S o n s , 1 9 2 2 ), p . 1 3 l . 5 S te p h e n L e a c o c k , "H um our,” E n c y c lo p a e d ia B r i t a n n i c a , 1 4 th e d i t i o n , X I, 8 8 3 -8 5 .
C h a r le s
10 a t h e o r y v e r y s i m i l a r t o t h a t o f C ic e ro *
g
A n o th e r g r e a t German p h i l o s o p h e r , A r th u r S c h o p e n h a u e r, o f f e r e d th e e x p l a n a t i o n t h a t l a u g h t e r r e s u l t s from a " s u d d e n p e r c e p t i o n o f th e i n c o n g r u i t y b e tw e e n a c o n c e p t a n d th e r e a l o b j e c t s w h ich h av e b e e n th o u g h t th r o u g h i t i n some r e l a t i o n , an d l a u g h t e r i t s e l f i s j u s t th e e x p r e s s i o n o f t h i s in c o n g r u it y *
• *w^
T h is w ould seem
t o b e a n o t h e r and m ore c o m p le te m anner o f v ie w in g t h e p e c u l i a r i t y n o te d b y C ic e r o an d K ant* L ord S h a f te s b u r y ,
8
Jo h n Dewey,
9
an d Sigmund F re u d ,
10
a r e t y p i c a l o f a g ro u p p l a c i n g e m p h a sis upon a t h e o r y t h a t a l l l a u g h t e r i s t h e r e s u l t i n g e x p r e s s i o n o f a su d d e n r e l e a s e from a r e s t r a i n t o r t e n s i o n . A n o t a b l e s tu d y o f t h e s u b j e c t was made b y H e n ri B e rg s o n , s u g g e s t i n g a t h e o r y o f s u s t a i n e d r i g i d i t y , i n p la c e o f e x p e c te d a d a p t a b i l i t y * ^
The w o rk , L a u g h te r :
An
E s s a y on th e M eaning o f th e Comic, i s o f t e n q u o te d ; h o w e v e r, i t w ould seem t o h a v e a w eak p o i n t .
"The c o m ic ,” s a y s
6 Max K astm an , En jo y m en t o f L a u g h te r , p . 9 . 7 E a stm a n , The S en se o f Humor, p . 154* 8 I b i d *, p . 1 8 5 . 9
P* 1 8 6 .
10 S ew ard , £ p . c i t . , p p . 101 e t s q q . 11 H e n ri B e rg s o n , L a u g h te rs An E s s a y on t h e M eaning o f th e Comic (Hew Y orks The M acM ilian 0 ompany, 1 9 1 1 ), p . 27 e t p a s s im .
11 B e rg s o n , " a p p e a ls t o t h e i n t e l l i g e n c e p u re an d s im p le ; l a u g h t e r i s in c o m p a tib le w ith e m o tio n * "
Max E a stm a n , a
w e ll-k n o w n w r i t e r on hum o r, o f f e r s t h i s r e a c t i o n t o B e r g s o n 's w o rd s : • • • S in c e th e com ic ij3 a n e m o tio n , s i n c e a comedy w h ic h d id n o t a p p e a l t o t h e e m o tio n s w ould p la y t o em p ty s e a t s a f t e r t h e f i r s t f i v e m in u te s , an d s in c e t h e r e i s n o su c h t h i n g a s an " i n t e l l i g e n c e p u re and s i m p l e ," i t i s s u r p r i s i n g how many s e n s i b l e p e o p le , go a ro u n d r e p e a t i n g t h i s u n c o n s id e r e d d ic tu m • • • Max E a s tm a n 's tw o b o o k s on hum or, The S e n se o f Humor and En j oyment o f L a u g h te r , seem somewhat vague i n t h e i r t h e o r e t i c a l s ta n d .
E astm an s u b m its t h a t r e a l hum or 13 h a s an u n d e r l y i n g b a s i s o f p a i n . T h is i s a p o s s i b i l i t y , o f c o u rse .
A m ost i n t e r e s t i n g p e r c e p t i o n i s made c o n c e rn
in g t h e n e c e s s i t y o f t h e a u d ie n c e b e in g i n a r e c e p t i v e l y " p l a y f u l ” mood f o r t h e b e s t r e a c t i o n . 14
He h a s f o r m u la te d ' 1*5 t e n r u l e s f o r jo k e m ak ers t h a t a r e o f i n t e r e s t . A ls o , 16 h e a t t e m p t s t o d ia g ra m jo k e s a lo n g p s y c h o l o g i c a l l i n e s . I t w ould seem t h a t a g r e a t d e a l o f f u r t h e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n i s n e e d e d i n t h i s r e a lm . Among t h e b e t t e r w o rk s
i s S te p h e n L e a c o c k 's Humor.
L eaco ck a t te m p ts t o a n a ly z e and c l a s s i f y
e le m e n ts o f
12 E a stm a n , The S en se o f Humor, p . 2 9 1 . ^
14
* P*
P & ssini.
I b id ., p . 3.
15 I b i d . , p p . 2 9 0 -3 2 6 . 16 I b i d . , p p . 2 7 9 -2 8 9 .
hum or.
12 H is b o o k a p p e a r s t o b e c l e a r and s p e c i f i c .
1*7
How t o W r i t e ,
a n o th e r b o o k b y L eaco ck com plem ents t o some e x t e n t h i s Humor. A n o th e r a t te m p t a t a n a n a l y s i s o f hum or i s M ilto n W r ig h t1s W h a t1s Funny and Why.
An im p o r ta n t o b s e r v a t i o n
i s made i n h i s s t u d y r e g a r d i n g t h e p r e s e n c e o f a s u r p r i s e 19 f a c to r in a l l jo k e s . T h e re a r e a num ber o f o t h e r b o o k s o f g e n e r a l i n t e r e s t on t h e s u b j e c t o f hum or, b u t , p e r h a p s o f s l i g h t l y l e s s e r im p o r ta n c e .
Jam es S u l l y ’ s An E s s a y on L a u g h te r
s u g g e s ts t h a t t h e p r e d o m in a tin g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f humor a r e i n c o n g r u i t y o r c o n t r a s t s i n t h e o b j e c t and s h o c k o r e m o tio n a l s e i z u r e on t h e p a r t o f t h e s u b j e c t .
S u lly a ls o
c o n te n d s t h a t s u p e r i o r i t y i s an im p o r ta n t e s s e n t i a l , s u p p o r t i n g t h e v iew s o f H o b b es.
20
Sam uel S . Sew ard d i s c u s s e s pi t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f m a t u r i t y and im m a tu r ity t o l a u g h t e r . A n o th e r b o o k p r e s e n t i n g a n o t a b l e c o v e ra g e o f th e s u b j e c t i s i S P u r s u i t o f L a u g h te r b y Agnes R e p p l i e r .
22
17 te a c o c k , b £ . c i t . , e t p a s s im . S te p h e n L e a c o c k , How t o W r ite (New Y o rk : Mead and Company, 1 9 4 3 ), e t passT m .
Dodd,
19 M ilto n W r ig h t, What ’ s Funny and Why (New Y o rk: W h i t t l e s e y H o u se, 1 9 3 9 ) , p . 3 0 - 3 1 . 20
Jam es S u l l y , An E s s a y on L a u g h te r (New Y o rk : Longm ans, G reen an d Company^ 1 9 0 ^ 7 , e t p a s s im . 21
Sam uel S . S ew ard , J r . , The P a ra d o x o f t h e L u d ic ro u s ( P a lo A lto : S ta n f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 3 0 ), e t p a s s im . 22 R e p p l i e r , £ p . c i t . , e t p a s s im .
A l a r g e am ount o f p e r i o d i c a l l i t e r a t u r e e x i s t s , b u t , f o r th e m ost p a r t , i t r e f l e c t s t h e v ie w s s e t f o r t h I n t h e books d is c u s s e d .
One p a r t i c u l a r l y n o t a b l e a r t i c l e , G eorge
R. K e r n o d le ’s ‘‘E x c r u c i a t i n g l y F unny, o r , The 47 Keys o f Com edy," p r i n t e d I n T h e a tr e A r t s , o f f e r s a s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t p e r s p e c t i v e on h um or.
T h is new c o n c e p t seem s t o
a m p lif y t h e c o n t e n t i o n o f S c h o p e n h a u e r.
I t I s s u g g e s te d
t h a t e v e r y com ic e f f e c t in v o lv e s a s im u lta n e o u s p e r c e p t i o n b y th o s e am used o f tw o a s p e c t s , one c o n t r a c t e d from t h e o th e r.
A pun a lm o s t i n s t a n t a n e o u s l y s u g g e s ts tw o m ean in g s
f o r one s p e e c h so u n d ;
e x a g g e r a t i o n and i n c o n g r u i t y im p ly
a norm u n d e r ly in g t h e d iv e r g e n c e fro m t h a t norm ; s a t i r e and b u r le s q u e do much t h e 3ame, c o n t r a s t i n g a n im p e r f e c t i o n w ith a p e r f e c t io n .
T h is d u a l i t y seem s t o b e p r e s e n t
i n v a r y in g d e g r e e s o f c o n s c io u s n e s s i n t h e m inds o f th e o b s e r v e r s a t th e moment o f t h e i r am usem en t.
Even t h e
s i g h t o f a p e r s o n f a l l i n g t o th e g ro u n d u n c e re m o n io u s ly o r an u n e x p e c te d ly lo u d p i s t o l s h o t a t a h ig h s c h o o l p la y p r o v id e t h i s m e n ta l c o m p a riso n w ith t h e e v e n t a s i t i s and a s i t s h o u ld b e .
No e le m e n t o f humor seem s t o e s c a p e th e
a p p lic a tio n o f th is t h e o r y .^ L i t e r a t u r e on r a d i o h u m o r.
U n fo rtu n a te ly , l i t t l e
o f n o te h a s b e e n w r i t t e n on th e te c h n iq u e s o f r a d i o com edy. G eorge R. K e rn o d le , " E x c r u c i a t i n g l y F unny, o r The 47 Keys o f Com edy," T h e a tr e A r t s , 3 0 :7 1 9 - 7 2 2 , D ecem ber, 1946.
14 T h e r e ’ s L a u g h te r i n t h e A ir b y J a c k G aver and Dave S t a n l e y i s an e f f e c t i v e h i s t o r i c a l s tu d y o f many o f t h e b e t t e r known r a d i o c o m e d ia n s.
I t a l s o seem s aw are o f t h e p r e s e n t
s i t u a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e r a t e o f m a t e r i a l c o n su m p tio n b y t h e 24 ra d io in d u s try . Max W y lie* s r e v i s e d e d i t i o n o f R ad io and T e l e v i s i o n W r itin g c o n t a i n s tw o e x c e l l e n t c h a p t e r s by V ick K n ig h t, a w e ll-k n o w n r a d i o comedy w r i t e r , p r o d u c e r , an d d i r e c t o r . H ow ever, t h e y seem f a r from c o m p le te an d p e rh a p s a l i t t l e u n o r g a n iz e d . 25 T h e re a r e a few r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e f i e l d o f r a d i o comedy su c h a s th e c h a p t e r "The W iz a rd s o f F a rc e " i n Sound 26 and F u ry b y F r a n c i s C h a se , J r . A sid e from t h e s e , i t w ould a p p e a r t h a t b o o k s on r a d i o and r a d i o w r i t i n g h a v e b a d l y n e g l e c t e d t h i s m o st im p o r ta n t s p h e r e . Two b o o k l e t s e x i s t I n p r o f e s s i o n a l comedy w r i t i n g c i r c l e s t h a t a r e n o te w o r th y .
W a lte r Brumm*s How t o W rite 27 Y our Own J o k e s to u c h e s upon "g a g " w r i t i n g m e th o d s. A rt 24 J a c k G aver and Dave S t a n l e y , T h e r e ’ s L a u g h te r i n t h e A ir (New Y orks G re e n b e rg : P u b l i s h e r s , 1945) , e t p a s s im . OK
Max W y lie , R ad io and T e l e v i s i o n W r itin g (New Y ork: R in e h a r t and Company, 1 9 5 0 ), e t p a s s im . F r a n c i s C h a se , J r . , Sound and F u ry (New Y ork: H a rp e r and B r o t h e r s , 1 9 4 2 ), p p . 2 1 5 -2 3 1 . 27 W a lte r Brumm, How t o W rite Y our Own J o k e s (New Y ork: N a ti o n a l Laugh F o u n d a tio n , 1 9 4 9 ), e t p a s s im .
15 H e n le y h a s a tte m p te d t o make a n e x h a u s tiv e s tu d y o f r a d i o hum or i n h i s R a d io Comedy:
How t o W rite I t *
The b o o k
seem s u n n e c e s s a r i l y com plex and c o n f u s e d , b u t t h e r e i s 28 m a t e r i a l o f v a lu e w i t h i n i t # Many a r t i c l e s a p p e a r i n p e r i o d i c a l s c o n c e r n in g r a d i o com edy; h o w e v e r, m ost o f t h e s e p a r a l l e l w hat h a s a l re a d y been w r i t t e n .
One p a r t i c u l a r l y good a r t i c l e b y J a c k
G ould a p p e a re d i n The Hew Y ork Tim es M a g a z in e #
I t was
e n t i t l e d ”How Comic I s R ad io Comedy?” an d r e p r e s e n t s one o f s e v e r a l a t t a c k s upon th e s i m i l a r i t y p ro b le m o f comedy p r o g ra m s. 29 An u n u s u a l o b s e r v a t i o n i s ad d ed t h a t com edyv a r i e t y p ro g ra m s s u c h a s th o s e o f Bob Hope and Red S k e lto n are i r r i t a t i n g l y
”h o p p ed u p ” w h ile th e s i t u a t i o n p ro g ram s
lik e
” O zzie and H a r r i e t ” and ” Our M iss B ro o k s” a f f o r d th e 30 l i s t e n e r w i t h t h i r t y m in u te s o f r e l a x i n g e n t e r t a i n m e n t . The s u g g e s t i o n , a p p a r e n t l y , i s t h a t s i t u a t i o n comedy i s s u p e r i o r i n t h i s r e s p e c t# Jo e L a u r i e , J r . , s u p p l i e d an a r t i c l e on t h e te c h n iq u e . ■2"I o f ”s w itc h in g .” The a r t i c l e , ”T h a t ’s No Gag, T h a t ’ s A 70
S w i tc h ,” a l s o a p p e a r e d i n The Hew Y ork Tim es M agazine# 28 A rt R e n le y , Radio Comedy: (Hew York: Humor B u s i n e s s , 1 9 4 8 ) ,
How t o W rite I t , 4 Vols# paasTm.
PQ
J a c k G o u ld , ”How Comic I s R a d io Comedy?” , The Hew Y ork Tim es M a g azin e, p p . 22 e t s e q , Hovember 2 1 , .1948# 3 0 £ £ • P£2i.*
P* 2 1 *
31 £ £ * p o s t # p . 4 7 . 70
J o e L a u r i e , J r . , ”T h a t ’ s Ho Gag, T h a t ’s A S w i t c h ,” The New Y ork Tim es M a g azin e, p p . 2 1 , 5 9 , May 1 2 , 1 9 4 6 .
16 I n a d d i t i o n t o m ag azin e a r t i c l e s , t h e r e h av e b e e n a few a l l u s i o n s t o t h e p ro b le m i n n e w sp a p e rs*
M ost o f t h e s e
a r e b u t s im p le s u g g e s t i o n s t h a t c l i c h e s e x i s t .
H ow ever,
th e n e w sp a p e r c o lu m n is t, E r s k in e J o h n s o n , p r e s e n t e d th e v iew s o f P ark e L evy, h e a d w r i t e r o f th e p ro g ra m , ”My F r ie n d I r m a , ” c o n c e r n in g a few s p e c i f i c o v erw o rk e d d e v i c e s .
33
As h a s b ee n s u g g e s te d i n t h i s c h a p t e r , th e w r i t i n g s re v ie w e d r e p r e s e n t h ig h p o i n t s r a t h e r th a n a l l t h a t h a s b e e n w r i t t e n c o n c e r n in g humor and r a d i o com edy.
The im p r e s
s i o n h a s a l s o b e e n g iv e n t h a t much more n e e d s t o be a s c e r t a i n e d and w r i t t e n r e g a r d i n g t h e o r y and t e c h n iq u e s o f hum or th a n h a s b e e n done t o d a t e . 33 lir s k in e J o h n s o n 1s colum n i n t h e Los A n g e le s . D a ily News, November 3 0 , 1 9 4 9 .
CHAPTER I I I
THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF RADIO HUMOR The p r e c e d i n g c h a p t e r p r e s e n t e d many p o i n t s o f t h e o r e t i c a l i n t e r e s t c o n c e r n i n g th e n a t u r e o f humor and la u g h te r#
I t m ust be r e i t e r a t e d t h a t t h e r e i s no g e n e r
a l l y a c c e p t e d , a l l - i n c l u s i v e t h e o r y i n t h i s a re a # I.
GENERAL HUMOR CLASSIFICATIONS
F o r tu n a te ly th e r e h as been a r e l a t i v e l y g e n e ra l a g r e e m e n t t h a t humor f a l l s i n t o t h r e e c a t e g o r i e s w h ic h can be a r r a n g e d so t h a t t h e i r many s u b d i v i s i o n s a r e o r g a n i z e d alo n g a s c a le o f r i s i n g v a lu e . tio n s are:
The t h r e e m a jo r c l a s s i f i c a
(1 ) V e r b a l Humor; (2 ) S i t u a t i o n Humor; and
( 3 ) C h a r a c t e r Humor, i n o r d e r from t h e lo w e s t t o t h e h i g h e s t in im p o rta n c e .^ V erbal fo rm s.
V e r b a l humor c o n s i s t s o f many fo rm s
t h a t p l a y up on t h e E n g l i s h la n g u a g e i n some m a n n e r.
At
t h e b o tto m o f t h e l i s t i s th e p u n , f o llo w e d i n o r d e r by b a d -sp e llin g ,
o v e r-sta te m e n t, u n d e r-sta te m e n t, ta k in g
re m a rk s and e x p r e s s i o n s f o r g r a n t e d , e x p r e s s i o n s w h ic h seem t o be t r u e a t f i r s t in s p e c t i o n b u t s t i l l a r e im p o s s ib le , w o rd s whose c o n n o t a t i v e v a l u e i s u t i l i z e d t o f o r c e them 1 S te p h e n L e a c o c k , Humor (New Y ork : Company, 1 9 3 5 ) , e t p a s s im .
Dodd, Mead and
18 i n t o m ean in g s n e v e r g iv e n them b u t w h ic h t h e y r e a l l y o u g h t t o b e a r , m a l a p p r o p r i a t e w o rd s n a i v e l y u s e d i n p l a c e o f t h e p r o p e r o n e s , m is p ro n o u n c e d w o rd s , n a i v e r e m a r k s , s l i p s o f t h e t o n g u e , v e r b a l s t u m b l e s , " b o n e r s ” among d e f i n i t i o n s , p a r o d i e s , and p r o b a b l y many o t h e r s t h a t h a v e n o t y e t b e e n a s c e r t a i n e d and l i s t e d #
Some o f t h e above form s h a v e n o t
b e e n g iv e n s t a n d a r d i z e d names w h ic h m ig h t i n d i c a t e how little
s t u d y h a s b e e n done i n t h i s realm * S i t u a t i o n h u m o r*
2
When t h e r e a r e i n c o n g r u i t i e s and
d i s c o m f i t u r e s o f p e r s o n a l m i s a d v e n t u r e s as a b a s i s f o r 3 hum or, t h e n s i t u a t i o n humor i s s a i d t o p r e v a i l * A fu rth e r q u a l i f i c a t i o n i s t h a t t h e humor m ust b e i n h e r e n t i n t h e 4 a c t i o n o r s i t u a t i o n a s a p a r t from word p la y * W hile a n y o f t h e s t a n d a r d d r a m a t i c s i t u a t i o n s can b e t r e a t e d i n a hum orous v e i n , t h e r e a r e a num ber o f s p e c i f i c o n es w h ic h c a n become am u sin g by t h e i r v e r y n a t u r e .
T h ese a r e :
p h y s ic a l d i s t r e s s , m e n ta l d i s t r e s s , p h y s ic a l i n f e r i o r i t y , m e n t a l i n f e r i o r i t y , m en ace, a s s a u l t , s t r u g g l e , r e v o l t , e j e c t i o n , c o l l a p s e , l o s s o f c o n t r o l , d ile m m a , p a r a d o x , r id ic u le , r e tr ib u tio n , d e s e c ra tio n , e rro r, m is in te rp re ta tio n , m i s t a k e n i d e n t i t y , c h e c k m a te , i n s u l t i n g a f f r o n t , e x p o s e , 2 i b i d *7 e t p a s s im * 3 I b i d . , pp. 124-25. 4 A rt H e n le y , R ad io Comedy: How t o W r ite I t , (New Y o rk : Humor B u s i n e s s , 1 5 4 8 ) , IT , 4*
19
v i c t i m i z a t i o n , in c u b u s o r added b u r d e n , i m i t a t i o n , r e v e r s a l , and h u m i l i t y ,
T h is l i s t i s n o t in o rd e r o f in c r e a s in g
v a l u e , n o r i s i t n e c e s s a r i l y co m p lete#
O fte n t h e s e s i t u a
t i o n s a r e t r e a t e d v e r b a l l y a s j o k e s and a r e e v e n u s e d a s d ev ices t o d is p la y c h a ra c te r t r a i t s ;
c o n se q u e n tly , th e y
c a n n o t b e i s o l a t e d i n s i t u a t i o n humor a l t h o u g h t h a t i s 5 w here t h e y a r e u s e d p r i m a r i l y # C h a r a c t e r hum or#
When t h e f a i l i n g s o f human n a t u r e
o r t h e t r a i t s o f i n d i v i d u a l s a r e u s e d t o p ro v o k e l a u g h t e r o r s m ile s th e n th e h ig h e s t p la n e h a s been reached#
H ere ft i s o f t e n fo u n d a c u r i o u s m i x t u r e o f p a t h o s and comedy# H ere i s w h ere t h e f u t i l i t y o f man s t r u g g l i n g a g a i n s t t h e F r a n k e n s t e i n M o n ste r o f c i v i l i z a t i o n t h a t he h a s b u i l t f o r h i m s e l f p r o v i d e s comedy m a t e r i a l .
7
To b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d c h a r a c t e r hum or, i t m ig h t be p o i n t e d o u t t h a t o u r a n x i e t i e s , p r o b le m s , s t r u g g l e s , e m b a r r a s s m e n ts , t e r r i f y i n g e x p e r i e n c e s ,
f e a r s , s i n s , w icked
n e s s e s , i n r e t r o s p e c t , seem t o f a d e i n im p o r ta n c e and o f t e n t a k e on a n a u r a o f humor#
W ith o m n i s c i e n t w isdom , we s e e
i n o u r own p a s t a l l t h e f o i b l e s and f o l l i e s o f m ankind and i t becom es p a t h e t i c a l l y funny#
We seem t o c a r r y o v e r t h e
5 I n t e r v i e w w i t h L a u re n c e M ark s, h e a d comedy w r i t e r f o r Bob Hope, March 3 0 , 1950# 6 L e a c o c k , o p . c i t #, pp* 1 2 4 - 2 5 . 7 I b i d . . p . 125.
20 same a t t i t u d e when we se e i n t h e a c t i o n s o f a com ic c h a ra c te r a l i t t l e h u m a n ity *
6
h i t o f o u r s e l v e s and a l i t t l e
h it of
P e r h a p s , t o o , we f e e l a s o r t o f s u p e r i o r i t y i n
our r e a l i z a t i o n o f th e f u t i l i t y o f i t a l l - - a r e a l i z a t i o n n o t s h a r e d by t h e c h a r a c t e r u n t i l he h a s a c u s h i o n o f tim e a l s o and can lo o k h a c k a s we a r e d o i n g . C h a r a c t e r h um or, a t i t s h i g h e s t , becom es a p a r t o f th e in te r p r e t a ti o n o f l i f e .
E x c e l l e n t ex a m p le s o f i t s t a y
w i t h u s and a r e e a s i l y r e c a l l e d lo n g a f t e r t h e b e s t jo k e s o r e v e n t h e f u n n i e s t s i t u a t i o n s h av e s l i p p e d i n t o t h e f a r r e a c h e s o f o u r m e m o rie s.
F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e j o k e s and s i t u a
t i o n s t h a t seem t o h e e x c e p t i o n s t o t h i s r u l e a r e u s u a l l y r e v e l a tio n s o f c h a r a c te r th e m se lv es. II.
9
RADIO HUMOR CLASSIFICATIONS
R a d io comedy somewhat p a r a l l e l s g e n e r a l humor c a t e g o rie s.
Most comedy p ro g ra m s a r e g e n e r a l l y f i t t e d i n t o
one o f t h e t h r e e p r i n c i p a l t y p e s .
H ow ever, i t m u st h e
n o t e d t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e s e shows u s e e l e m e n t s o f a l l t h r e e c l g s s e s — "g a g " o r v e r b a l comedy, s i t u a t i o n comedy, and c h a r a c t e r c o m e d y . ^ 8 Lee, c i t . 9 Ib id . , p. 4. 10 H e n le y , o p . c i t . ,
I , 4.
21 " Gag" comedy*
Many o f t h e c o m e d y - v a r i e t y p ro g ra m s
t h a t we h e a r a r e o f t h e "g ag " ty p e *
They a r e d e p e n d e n t
upon a s t e a d y s t r e a m o f 11g a g s 1* f o r t h e i r p r i n c i p a l a p p e a l . M il to n B e r l e , G roucho Marx, and Bob Hope a r e com ed ian s who u s u a l l y h a v e f a i r l y c l e a r ex a m p le s o f " g a g ” p r o g ra m s . A n o th e r p e r f o r m e r who o f t e n f a l l s i n t o t h i s c l a s s i f i c a t i o n i s Red S k e l t o n . ^ S i t u a t i o n Comedy.
S i t u a t i o n comedy p ro g ra m s some
w hat r e s e m b le p l a y s i n t h a t t h e y f o l l o w a p l o t o f s o r t s t h a t i s a c te d o u t.
The hum or, o f c o u r s e , ste m s from t h e
e v e n t s and s i t u a t i o n s t h a t d e v e l o p one from t h e o t h e r and t h e a t t e n d a n t s u s p e n s e and s u r p r i s e s .
Good e x a m p le s a r e
t h e p r o g r a m s , "Our M iss B ro o k s" an d " F a t h e r Knows B e s t . " * ^ C h a r a c t e r com edy.
The l i n e b e tw e e n s i t u a t i o n comedy
and c h a r a c t e r comedy i s o f t e n v e r y t h i n i n r a d i o hu m o r, f o r b o th are u s u a lly s i t u a t i o n p l a y l e t s .
The o n ly j u s t i f i a b l e
d i s t i n c t i o n i s one o f d e g r e e ; e h a r a e t e r i z a t i o n a l f e a t u r e s and i d i o s y n c r a s i e s o f i n d i v i d u a l s a r e more f u l l y d e v e l o p e d on t h e c h a r a c t e r comedy p r o g r a m s .
To somewhat o v e r - s i m p l i f y
th e m a tte r , b o th ty p e s d is p l a y c h a r a c te r as i t i s re v e a le d by s i t u a t i o n s .
"Gags" a r e a l s o l i b e r a l l y u s e d i n b o t h
ITTBII7,- e t passim. ^ J a c k G ou ld, "Bow Comic I s R a d io Comedy?", The New Y ork Tim es M a g a z in e , p . 6 5 , November 2 1 , 1 9 4 8 .
ty p e s.
I n c h a r a c t e r comedy, h o w e v e r, t h e y u s u a l l y stem
from c h a r a c t e r - - n o t t h a t s u c h “g a g s ” a r e n * t u s e d on a 13 s m a l l e r s c a l e i n "g a g " an d s i t u a t i o n r a d i o hu m o r. Some e x c e l l e n t ex a m p le s a r e 11Amos , n* Andy11 and "Lum , n t A b n e r .”
14
O th e r shows u s i n g a g r e a t d e a l o f t h i s s o r t o f comedy a r e "The J a c k Benny Show ,” "The D en n is Day S h ow ,11 ”The P h i l H a r r i s S how ,” " C h a r l i e M c C a r th y ,” " F i b b e r McGee and M o l l y , ” and s e v e r a l o t h e r s .
But a l l o f t h e s e t e n d to w a rd a c l o s e r
b a l a n c e b e tw e e n one o r b o t h o f t h e o t h e r tw o c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s and c h a r a c t e r comedy. 15 I t w ould a p p e a r from t h i s t h a t some p ro g ra m s c a n n o t b e a d e q u a t e l y I s o l a t e d i n an y one o f th e th re e ra n g e s .
Only when one humor e le m e n t d o m in a te s
t h e o t h e r s d o e s t h e r e seem t o b e j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r any a t t e m p t a t p ro g ra m c l a s s i f i c a t i o n * III.
RADIO HUMOR TREATMENT
Any hum orous o r com ic w r i t i n g i s u s u a l l y d i s t i n g u i s h e d by i t s
o v e r a l l tre a tm e n t*
T h e re a r e many g e n e r a l t e c h n i q u e s
i n e x i s t e n c e , m ost o f w h ic h a r e u s e d i n r a d i o .
T r e a tm e n ts
c an b e c o n s i s t e n t t h r o u g h e i t h e r an e n t i r e p ro g ra m o r a p o r t i o n o f a p r o g ra m .
I t i s t h i s s u s ta in e d elem e n t t h a t
d i f f e r e n t i a t e s hum orous t r e a t m e n t from s u c h i n d i v i d u a l 13 M ark s, l o c . c i t . 14 Loc. c i t .
23 ite m s o f humor a s “ g a g s , " s i t u a t i o n s , and o t h e r s t o c k d e v i c e s .
c h a ra c te r t r a i t s ,
Thus i t i s t h a t o v e r - s t a t e m e n t ,
u n d e r - s t a t e m e n t , an d t r i c k s o f t r e a t i n g c e r t a i n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f g r o u p s and i n d i v i d u a l s can b e u s e d t o f l a v o r an e n t i r e p ro g ra m , p r o v i d i n g t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a d i s t i n c t i v e comedy " s t y l e , 11
H ow ever, few p ro g ra m s a c c o m p l is h t h i s ,
H en ry Morgan m anages some d e g r e e o f " s t y l e " i n h i s p r o g r a m s , a l t h o u g h p e r h a p s more from h i s m a s t e r f u l e x p l o i t a t i o n o f 16 t h e d i s t i n c t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e r a d i o medium th a n from a n y o t h e r s o u r c e , 17 16 d f , p o s t p* 6 3 , 17 M arks, l o c , c i t ,
CHAPTER I V
THE NATURE OF THE RADIO 11GAO” B efore p ro c e e d in g w ith a s tu d y o f th e te c h n iq u e s o f ” g a g ” w r i t i n g , i t seems n e c e s s a r y t o exam ine t h e n a t u r e o f t h e ” g a g ” i t s e l f t o p r o v i d e a b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f some o f i t s b a s ic e s s e n tia ls * I.
THE COMPONENTS OF THE "GAG11
11Feed l i n e s 11 o r