# Proof of a loving God - Snork! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547 "2008-02-14T03:03:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/21 "2008-02-14T16:03:54Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Actually, Fallon can be hilarious, and Hope without Crosby is a waste of space. Sandler has never been funny. [/QUOTE] I think Sandler is hilarious at times. Maybe you just don’t get the jokes. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/22 "2008-02-14T16:09:35Z")
[QUOTE=Eleanor of Aquitaine] I’m not sure it would be funny to someone who isn’t familiar with the Carol Burnett show. It’s not the elephant story itself that’s funny, it’s watching the rest of the cast react. If you’re not familiar with Conway’s ability to incapacitate the other actors; if they’re all strangers to you, then the scene loses a lot. [/QUOTE] Oh. I guess I get the _idea_ behind why it’s supposed to be funny, then. There have been times on the Daily Show where someone loses their composure entirely and sent me into hysterics as well. Like I said, it happens on SNL sometimes, too, but I usually just find that annoying. I guess it doesn’t have the same effect since I have no idea who these people are. Just watched it again. Didn’t even crack a smile. I will admit, though, that I’m not really good at appreciating humor from past decades, and in general I think humor is something that doesn’t really keep well. I’ve watched old SNLs from the 70’s, for instance, and they mostly just seemed dumb to me. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/23 "2008-02-14T16:26:38Z")
[QUOTE=BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed] Hey, it’s what old people do. But seriously, Britney Spears sucks. [/QUOTE] Both sucks and swallows. Why do you think Timberlake stuck around so long? Yes, I had to look up Timberlake’s name on Wikipedia. I am a geek. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/24 "2008-02-14T16:26:51Z")
[QUOTE=shy guy] It reminds me of when Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz spend half an hour giggling like idiots at each other… except everything looks really 70’s. [/QUOTE] Agreed. Wasn’t that funny in the 70’s, wasn’t that funny in the 90’s. Apparently some people think the height of comedy is watching someone who’s not supposed to laugh trying not to laugh. If that’s the case you guys would just loooove the old game show “Make me Laugh” yuk-yuk ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/25 "2008-02-14T16:33:09Z")
[QUOTE=jali] I think Sandler is hilarious at times. Maybe you just don’t get the jokes. 😛 [/QUOTE] Probably not. ☹ I’m still wondering why they haven’t released all the Carol Burnett Show on DVD. They’d sell like crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/26 "2008-02-14T16:36:52Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] Apparently some people think the height of comedy is watching someone who’s not supposed to laugh trying not to laugh. [/QUOTE] Depends on the context. A couple of people trying to get through a skit with a straight face but can’t, simply because of the script they’re going off of, are just amateurs. Someone desperately trying to maintain control in the face of something completely unexpected, on the other hand, is hilarious. A lot of outtake shows, for instance, just don’t make me laugh, because the actors just randomly crack up. All I think in those instances is “Dammit, people, be professionals! You’re wasting time!” On the other hand, when someone like Jim Carrey (or Tim Conway here) decides to go off the rails at an unexpected moment, or someone whose moustache starts coming off during a scene but plays it off deadpan, and causes those around them to lose their composure – _that’s_ funny. Edit: [This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Y4keqTV6w) is a prime example of the latter. The guy’s reactions are nearly as funny as what’s actually causing him to lose it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/27 "2008-02-14T16:47:17Z")
I think some people have that empathic laughter gene, and some don’t. I actually watch the OP’s clip quite frequently, whenever I want a guaranteed pick-me-up. I showed it to a friend and his response was about like **shy guy** ’s. Although I understand that humor is subjective, it’s a little odd when people seem proud about not laughing. I’d feel like I was missing out on the fun. For instance, I didn’t enjoy _Caddyshack_, and it pisses me off, because I want to bond with all the Caddyshack-lovers out there. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/28 "2008-02-14T17:14:55Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] Depends on the context. A couple of people trying to get through a skit with a straight face but can’t, simply because of the script they’re going off of, are just amateurs. Someone desperately trying to maintain control in the face of something completely unexpected, on the other hand, is hilarious. A lot of outtake shows, for instance, just don’t make me laugh, because the actors just randomly crack up. All I think in those instances is “Dammit, people, be professionals! You’re wasting time!” On the other hand, when someone like Jim Carrey (or Tim Conway here) decides to go off the rails at an unexpected moment, or someone whose moustache starts coming off during a scene but plays it off deadpan, and causes those around them to lose their composure – _that’s_ funny. Edit: [This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Y4keqTV6w) is a prime example of the latter. The guy’s reactions are nearly as funny as what’s actually causing him to lose it. [/QUOTE] My 6th grade teacher had the best sneeze ever, it was what I’d call a stuttering sneeze. Atch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-choo! The entire class went silent then broke out in laughter and applause. We were always hopeful she’d sneeze again, but alas! ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/29 "2008-02-15T00:00:07Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] Apparently some people think the height of comedy is watching someone who’s not supposed to laugh trying not to laugh. [/QUOTE] If any further proof of this is needed, just look at the “blooper reels” on most DVDs. Most of them consist of little more than actors forgetting their lines and everybody cracking up, or actors simply busting up laughing while trying to do a serious scene. That doesn’t meet the definition of “blooper”, as far as I’m concerned. OTOH, if an actor flubs his line and the other actor responds with an impromptu, improvised joke, _that’s_ funny. There was a blooper like that in _Liar Liar_, with Swoosie Kurtz making a joke at Jim Carrey’s expense in the courtroom scene. Another hallmark of the crippled sense of humor is thinking that _profanity_ is the height of comedy. I’ve read the comments on a number of comedies over at the IMDB, where somebody asks, “What do you think was the funniest part?” And despite the fact that the movie may have been loaded with brilliant gags, the majority of responses will be along the lines of “When so-and-so said ‘!~@# ^%& #(\*!’” What really makes that Carol Burnett clip funny is how well Conway maintains a straight face through the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/30 "2008-02-15T00:34:10Z")
[QUOTE=RiverRunner] c) In all the years of the show, Carol Burnett almost never lost it on stage, but even she couldn’t get it together. [/quote] This is what made the clip for me. Conway owning Korman? They called that a workday on that show (though it could still be humorous). But Carol on the verge? I’d never seen that before. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/31 "2008-02-15T00:41:01Z")
I agree. Watch the clip again paying attention to Ms. Burnett. She keeps trying to hand the business card to momma, but every time she just loses it all over again. No matter how hard she tries, she cannot seem to get that train back on the tracks. Every time she gets close, TC pushes it back out into left field. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547/32 "2008-02-15T04:00:58Z")
I seem to recall it was Vicki Lawrence who was near-unbreakable, even during some of Conway’s most outrageous bits. That she gets the impatient annoyed punchline and puts _him_ on the floor is what makes this clip extra-memorable for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-a-loving-god-snork/437547.md?page=1)