Humour is cruel by definition

[Flint]

Nothing is less funny than something that tries too hard to be funny. Like when you over-explain a joke, it kills the humor.

You could express this as a formula: if effort "E" is greater than punchline "P" then the comedic index "C" is negative.

As I said, it was too contrived to be comedic. The scenario was distracting.

It didn't have a chance to be funny…the elaborate planning involved ruined that.

This has less to do with the nature of the material than it does the nature of proper delivery. But, yes, it is a personal thing.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Flint

This has less to do with the nature of the material than it does the nature of proper delivery.

The driver of this morning's Metro train absolutely killed. He got a train full of surly commuters to laugh a genuine deep belly laugh. Had to be a few hundred people all laughing. All he said over the PA system was "I don't know." But it was the delivery. He killed.