Recorded live at the Los Angeles PodFest, this episode of SYSK delves into the longstanding attempt to break down what humans find funny into a scientifically reproducible formula. Join Josh and Chuck as they examine just why this extremely unfunny quest will (thankfully) never be realized.
AI Summary
Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of what makes us laugh! Josh and Chuck explore whether there's actually a scientific formula for funny, covering everything from ancient philosophers like Aristotle and Plato to modern brain scans that show what happens in our heads when we hear a joke. They'll break down the big theories of humor, reveal surprising differences between how men and women process comedy, and share some pretty questionable "world's funniest joke" research along the way.
America's Funniest Home Videos
1989
★ 6.6
"But the America's Funny Some Video effect, I'll call it, kicked in the nuts. — Josh refers to the show when discussing how people laugh at others' misfortunes."
— Josh
Eastbound & Down
2009
★ 7.4
"clearly they've never watched Portlandia, or Eastbound and Down, alone on the couch at midnight. — Chuck mentions watching these shows alone to challenge the statistic about being more likely to laugh with others."
— Chuck
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1975
1h 31m
★ 7.8
"Not to be confused with the funniest joke in the world, the Monty Python thing. — Josh mentions this when discussing the world's funniest joke research to distinguish it from Monty Python's famous sketch."
— Josh
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
★ 7.7
"Did you know that to the guys from Mystery Science Theater 3000 write for that show. — Josh mentions that MST3K writers work for America's Funniest Home Videos when discussing the show's quality."
— Josh
"clearly they've never watched Portlandia, or Eastbound and Down, alone on the couch at midnight. — Chuck mentions watching these shows alone to challenge the statistic about being more likely to laugh with others."
— Chuck
Ridiculousness
2011
★ 6.8
"I like ridiculousness too. — Josh admits to enjoying this MTV show when discussing his taste in comedy."
— Josh
Saturday Night Live
1975
★ 7.0
"He was an SNL writer, and his name is Jack Handy. — Chuck explains that Jack Handy, creator of Deep Thoughts, was a real SNL writer when discussing comedy writing."
— Chuck
"Or or have them watch like Seinfeld or something. — Josh mentions Seinfeld as an example of what researchers show people in brain imaging studies of humor."
— Josh
The Aristocrats
2005
1h 29m
★ 6.0
"Did you guys see that documentary? — Josh references this documentary about the famous joke when explaining incongruity theory."
— Josh
"This theory would be supported by Dwight Schrute, like watching him or listening to him. — Josh uses Dwight Schrute as an example when explaining the superiority theory of humor."
— Josh
"Or as they said on The Simpsons, brevity is wit. — Chuck references The Simpsons' version of the saying 'brevity is the soul of wit' when discussing short jokes."
— Chuck
Turk 182!
1985
1h 42m
★ 5.9
"To me, he's Turk 182. — Chuck identifies Timothy Hutton by this movie role when they're discussing the actor."
— Chuck
💬 Comments
Log in to leave a comment.