Portal:Comedy
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Comedy (from the Greek: κωμῳδία, kōmōdía) is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term originated in ancient Greece: in Athenian democracy, the public opinion of voters was influenced by political satire performed by comic poets in theaters. The theatrical genre of Greek comedy can be described as a dramatic performance pitting two groups, ages, genders, or societies against each other in an amusing agon or conflict. Northrop Frye depicted these two opposing sides as a "Society of Youth" and a "Society of the Old". A revised view characterizes the essential agon of comedy as a struggle between a relatively powerless youth and the societal conventions posing obstacles to his hopes. In this struggle, the youth then becomes constrained by his lack of social authority, and is left with little choice but to resort to ruses which engender dramatic irony, which provokes laughter.
Satire and political satire use comedy to portray persons or social institutions as ridiculous or corrupt, thus alienating their audience from the object of their humor. Parody subverts popular genres and forms, critiquing those forms without necessarily condemning them.
Other forms of comedy include screwball comedy, which derives its humor largely from bizarre, surprising (and improbable) situations or characters, and black comedy, which is characterized by a form of humor that includes darker aspects of human behavior or human nature. Similarly scatological humor, sexual humor, and race humor create comedy by violating social conventions or taboos in comic ways, which can often be taken as offensive by the subjects of said joke. A comedy of manners typically takes as its subject a particular part of society (usually upper-class society) and uses humor to parody or satirize the behavior and mannerisms of its members. Romantic comedy is a popular genre that depicts burgeoning romance in humorous terms and focuses on the foibles of those who are falling in love. (Full article...)
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A practical joke device is a manufactured prop or toy intended to confuse, frighten, or amuse individuals as a prank. Often, these objects are harmless facsimiles of disgusting or terrifying objects, such as vomit or spilled nail polish. In other instances, they are created as seemingly harmless items designed to humorously malfunction in such a way as to confuse or harm the target of a prank. The devices are frequently sold in magic or specialty shops, purchased over the Internet, or crafted for oneself. Perhaps the most notable such device is the Whoopee cushion.
More did you know...
- ...that Blackadder II, the first series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder, contains many tongue-in-cheek references to the plays of William Shakespeare?
- ... that Kay Cannon, a writer for 30 Rock, appeared in an episode of the series "Episode 209", as a Human Table?
- ... that eight years before being cast in I Dream of Jeannie, Barbara Eden portrayed the former Marilyn Monroe role of Loco Jones in the syndicated TV series How to Marry a Millionaire?
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- ... that All the Freckles in the World, a Mexican coming-of-age romantic comedy film, was released on Netflix after finding success in theaters in Mexico?
- ... that Frances Theresa Peet Russell may have written the first book to examine satire in Victorian literature?
- ... that Héctor Suárez was the first comedian from Latin America to be "roasted" by fellow celebrities?
- ... that Folker Bohnet, who acted in Bernhard Wicki's 1959 film Die Brücke while still studying, toured for 13 years with a comedy play that he co-authored?
- ... that many of the teen actors in the Jane Withers comedy film High School had been guests at her thirteenth birthday party?
- ... that Czech television reporter and author Vladimír Škutina was arrested and imprisoned twice for his use of political satire?
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Terms: Black comedy • Comedian • Comedy club • Comedy of manners • Convention (norm) • Irony • Komos • Parody • Political satire • Race humor • Restoration comedy • Satire • Screwball comedy • Surreal humour • Taboo • Toilet humor
Comedy genres: Bouffon • Comedy film • Anarchic comedy film • Gross-out film • Parody film • Romantic comedy film • Screwball comedy film • Slapstick film • Comic novel • Dramedy • Improvisational comedy • Musical comedy • Stand-up comedy • Alternative comedy • Impressionist (entertainment) • One-liner joke • Comedy genres • Sketch comedy • Television comedy • Radio comedy • Situation comedy • Tragicomedy
History of theatre: Ancient Greek comedy • Ancient Roman comedy • Burlesque • Citizen comedy • Clown • Comedy of humours • Comedy of manners • Comedy of menace • Comédie larmoyante • Commedia dell'arte • Face • Jester • Restoration comedy • Shakespearean comedy • Dadaist/Surrealist • Theatre of the absurd
Comedy events and awards: British Comedy Awards • Canadian Comedy Awards • Cat Laughs Comedy Festival • Edinburgh Festival Fringe • Just for laughs • Halloween Howls Comedy Festival • Melbourne International Comedy Festival • New York Underground Comedy Festival
Lists: List of comedians • List of British comedians • List of Canadian comedians • List of Finnish comedians • List of German language comedians • List of Italian comedians • List of Mexican comedians • List of Puerto Rican comedians • List of Indian comedians • List of British TV shows remade for the American market • List of comedies • List of New York Improv comedians
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- Copyedit: But I'm a Cheerleader, Victoria Wood As Seen On TV, Green Wing, Green Wing Special, The Simpsons Movie, I Not Stupid Too, Mr. Stain, Red Dwarf, List of Peep Show episodes, Treehouse of Horror V, Episode 210, Tenacious D, David Brenner
- Expand: Goon Show Preservation Society, Grow Your Own (film), Guy Jenkin, Humorist, The Firesign Theatre, Fintan Ryan
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