Definitions of Comedy on the Web

Comedy - noun: light and humorous drama with a happy ending.

Comedy has a popular meaning: any discourse generally intended to amuse

Comedy contains the many elements of surprise, incongruity, conflict, repetitiveness, and the effect of opposite expectations.

The adjective "comic" in modern usage is used to mean "laughter-provoking"

There are many recognized genres of comedy.

The theatrical comedy genre can be described as a performance which pits two antagonists against each other in an amusing conflict.

Satire and political satire use ironic comedy to portray persons or social institutions as ridiculous or corrupt.

Parody uses certain ironic changes to critique the subject of ridicule from within.

Screwball comedy derives its humor largely from bizarre, surprising and impossible situations or characters.

Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated physical activities or events.

Physical comedy is a comedic performance relying mostly on the use of the body to convey humor.

Black or dark comedy makes light of so called bad or evil elements in human nature.

Scatological, sexual and race humour create comedy by violating social conventions or taboos in comedic ways.

Romantic comedy usually depicts romance and the foibles of those who are falling in love in humorous terms.

Observational comedy is a style of humor based on making remarks about various facets of everyday life.

Comedy Formats

The three forms of comedy communication are oral, visual and written.

Written comedy can be one-liners, puns, jokes and stories.

Visual and Oral comedy can be stand-up, plays, situation radio shows, situation TV shows and films.

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