Gag Types
In addition to understanding the underlying elements at work in a joke, it is also helpful to study how these elements come together to form humor. Most gags can be classified into a category of humor based on recognizable patterns. Once you're able to recognize how these patterns work, you will be able to reproduce them in your writing.
A Word on Wordplay
Words themselves are an excellent resource for humor. As you're preparing to write a joke on a topic, it's very useful to write down all the words related to that topic. Often, the words themselves will point the way to the humor.
Consider the following properties of the English language:
Synonyms: Words with the same or similar meanings. She has an hourglass figure, but her face could stop a clock.
Antonyms: Words with opposite meanings. Living it up can really get you down.
Homonyms: Words with different meanings that sound the same. My girlfriend has been hinting at a traditional wedding. For breakfast every morning she serves me cantaloupe.
Rhymes: Words that sound alike. A man's home is his hassle.
Double entendres: Multiple meanings of a word. A: We took a trolley downtown. B: I know. They want it back.
Non sequiturs: Pairs of phrases where the second phrase doesn't logically follow the first one. A: Doctor, I have a pain in my neck. B: It was your bright idea to get married.
As you can see, idioms (phrases that get used repeatedly) and clichés (overused idioms) are very useful in creating humor. Both carry expectations that can be twisted, resulting in a surprise for the reader. For example, a twist on the familiar Star Wars catchphrase might become an air carrier's slogan: Star Wars Airlines. May the fares be with you.
Interpreting a familiar idiom (“pack your bags”) in a new way
Words are of vital importance to humor writers, and many make use of a small library of helpful books. Besides the fundamentals such as a dictionary and a thesaurus, be sure to include a book of synonyms and antonyms, a rhyming dictionary, a book of idioms, and a book of clichés.
It's a Pun
The most common form of syntax humor is the pun. A pun is a play on words involving homonyms — two different words that sound alike. Take, for example, the following: “Accused of embezzlement last week, the chairman of the American Dairy Association resigned in udder disgrace.” “Udder” (the part of a cow's body that produces milk) sounds like “utter.” The correct phrase is “utter disgrace,” but since the subject is dairy, “udder” is substituted with punishing results.
Puns are most effective when the sentence resonates using either meaning of the word. Take the following gag: “He was a funny baker — even his bread was wry.” It works whether you interpret the meaning as wry or rye. It doesn't have to make logical sense, but it should fit into the overall theme of the sentence. Writing “that wry bread makes a good sandwich” is not funny because one of the meanings — wry — does not fit the sentence.
Puns are the most popular form of word-based humor.
Misdirection
To exploit the “surprise” factor in humor, a humor writer takes a cue from magicians. Magicians perform illusions by getting the audience to look in the wrong direction while important actions occur elsewhere. It's called misdirection, and it's an effective tool in magic — and in gag writing.
Misdirection takes advantage of a reader's eagerness to find patterns and logical sequences. If the reader is made to follow a sequence, he can assume the outcome. When the outcome is different from that expected, the surprise is humorous.
The misdirection often comes from using a familiar phrase that tends to emphasize one word or subject. The reader will follow the subsequent panels with the assumed emphasis or subject in mind. The humor in the punch line results from emphasizing an overlooked word or subject.
Notice how the reader is misdirected in the opening two panels. The punch line emphasizes an unforeseen element of the sentence “The teacher called and said all four of my kids are in trouble.”
Role-Shifting
The shifting of traditionally assumed roles is also a good source for humor. Whether it's ducks hunting hunters or men talking like women, the illogic of the role shift is funny. This was an underlying structure for much of Charles Schulz's work — children acting like adults.
Another way to shift roles is to show how the behavior of one type of character would be exhibited in another type of character. For example, if cows were vampires, you'd fend them off with a steak (which is also a pun). If dogs were paleontologists, they'd find dinosaur bones and rebury them.
Hyperbole and Understatement
Hyperbole or exaggeration can be used to create a funny situation. More frequently, it is used in conjunction with other types of gags to increase the overall humor level. If you're looking for a way to make a funny gag funnier, chances are, you can find the solution with an exaggeration. Equally important is the polar opposite of hyperbole — understatement. Understatement is exaggeration in reverse. Take a wild situation and write about it calmly. The illogic of the understatement will provide most of the humor. This is sometimes referred to as dry wit. British comedians — including troupes such as Monty Python — are renowned for their mastery of understatement.
Juxtaposition
Juxtaposing two unrelated concepts can bring about fantastic comedy. It's a very simple, yet effective concept. Take two unrelated topics, put them together, and imagine the outcome. Often, you can brainstorm these topics by asking yourself “what if” questions:
What if cowboys flew the space shuttle?
What if Godzilla tried to stomp New York?
What if soda bottles placed personal ads?
What if the main characters from The Wizard of Oz had to get through airport security?
Juxtaposition is pairing two unrelated subjects and imagining “what if.” This cartoon answers the question “What if the Wizard of Oz characters had to make it through airport security?”
Attitude Adjustment
Changing a character's attitude to contradict the situation can create humor. One way of doing this is to write a gag in which your character does something odd in a perfectly natural way. Often called deadpan humor, the illogic of the situation is exaggerated by the fact that at least one of the characters is going about the behavior as if it were an everyday occurrence.
Some of the best examples of attitude adjustment humor come from Charles Addams. Many of his cartoons for The New Yorker are wonderful examples of mismatched attitudes. This style of humor can also be seen in the TV series his cartoons inspired, The Addams Family.
Conversely, doing something normal in a strange way is equally humorous. Moreover, a twist on a common occurrence has a way of resonating with your audience — especially if they regularly experience that everyday event. This is an especially useful tool for single-panel cartoonists putting together material for a theme magazine such as Cooking Light or Golf. Looking at the magazine's topic in a funhouse mirror will certainly appeal to the readers.
