What a Relief

The type of comedy I find most persuasive is the relief theory.  Relief implies that something sad, heavy, or dark is happening prior to the comedy or perhaps during the unfunny situation, however the reflection back upon the situation is funny.  Anyone can find humor through relief because the sense of security helps a person be more willing to joyous or funny things.  The ease of tension changes a person's perspective and can elate laughter through a funny situation with some otherwise unfunny circumstances.  Like Professor Herron said in class when he was on a lake in the middle of a lightning storm, the life threatening situation with a storm looming over head may not lead to laughter in the moment, however once on safe, dry land with the knowledge of safety he is able to relax, reflect, and laugh at the inherently funny situation.  The same goes for why it is so easy to laugh after a good cry.  The pressure and tension that is built up for whatever reason is released after you cry making it easy for you to laugh because you are now relieved.  I also like relief theory because it isn't attacking anyone, it's lighthearted and jovial in nature and rarely in the relief theory is there a "victim".  Unlike ridicule and superiority, which can serve its intended purpose in the right setting, relief theory doesn't attack anyone.  All that said relief doesn't always result in laughter, sometimes the situation is so serious or threatening that you can only remember it in a bad connotation even if you are completely safe now.  My second favorite type of humor is superiority simply because the late night comedians have mastered it so well.  People like Jimmy Fallon and John Oliver expose others for their shortcomings and together we can laugh at someone or some institution.  I don't like superiority when it attacks someone without a purpose. Like when Hutchenson's "Thoughts on Laughter" talked about how ridicule can be useful and serve to make a point when a wise man who knows what he's doing uses it; however, when a green, unprofessional attempts to use ridicule it oftentimes is only mean and serves no purpose.