What’s a joke?
Good question. Most people would define a joke as something someone says or does that makes others laugh. That statement, though true, doesn’t really tell us what a joke is. It just describes the desired effect. What about jokes which get a huge laugh in one situation and a roar of silence in another? If a joke doesn’t get a laugh, does it suddenly stop being a joke?
Interestingly enough, people usually recognize a joke whether it makes them laugh or not. Why? Because there’s some consistent, intrinsic structure that everyone identifies as humor. Until now, no one has presented this structure in an understandable manner. That’s about to change. Explaining Comic Structure to you is exactly what this section is all about.