Anti-Humor Technique

An Anti-Humor Technique is a subversive comedy technique that deliberately avoids traditional joke structures to create anti-humor unexpected comedic effects.

• AKA: Anti-Comedy Method, Non-Joke Humor Technique, Subversive Comedy Approach.
• Context:
  • It can (typically) reject Anti-Humor Setup-Punchline Formats through anti-humor structural subversion.
  • It can (typically) employ Anti-Humor Deliberate Unfunniness as anti-humor comedic device.
  • It can (typically) create Anti-Humor Uncomfortable Silences for anti-humor tension-based humor.
  • It can (often) utilize Anti-Humor Literal Interpretations against anti-humor expected wordplay.
  • It can (often) exploit Anti-Humor Failed Joke Attempts as anti-humor intentional comedy.
  • It can (often) incorporate Anti-Humor Meta-Commentary on anti-humor comedy conventions.
  • It can range from being a Subtle Anti-Humor to being an Aggressive Anti-Comedy, depending on its subversion intensity.
  • It can range from being a Deadpan Anti-Humor to being a Surreal Anti-Comedy, depending on its delivery style.
  • It can range from being a Brief Anti-Joke to being an Extended Anti-Narrative, depending on its temporal scope.
  • It can range from being a Gentle Subversion to being a Complete Deconstruction, depending on its convention rejection.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Traditional Anti-Jokes (1960s+), such as:
    • "Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side." - anti-humor literal answer replacing anti-humor expected punchline.
  • Anti-Humor Stand-Up Performances, such as:
    • Norm Macdonald Comedy Performances (1990s-2010s), using anti-humor earnest delivery of anti-humor non-jokes.
    • Andy Kaufman Wrestling Performances (1980s), blurring anti-humor reality and anti-humor performance.
    • Tim Heidecker Stand-Up (2010s), intentionally anti-humor failing at anti-humor comedy conventions.
  • Anti-Comedy Television Formats, such as:
    • Neil Hamburger Character (2000s+), performing anti-humor deliberately bad comedy.
    • Eric Andre Show (2012+), destroying anti-humor talk show conventions.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Traditional Comedy Technique, which follows established humor patterns.
  • Slapstick Comedy, which relies on physical humor conventions.
  • Wordplay Comedy, which uses linguistic expectations conventionally.
• See: Comedy Technique, Subversive Comedy Genre, Shaggy Dog Storytelling Technique, Deadpan Delivery Technique, Meta-Humor Technique, Absurdist Comedy Philosophy, Narrative Subversion Technique, Comedic Deconstruction Method, Audience Discomfort Comedy, Non-Sequitur Humor, Performance Technique, Character Comedy Technique.

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