# What defined your sense of humor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591 "2009-06-22T15:31:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/1 "2009-06-22T15:31:53Z")
People, in general, tend to have very specific senses of humor. No two people are ever going to agree on _everything_, humor-wise; there will always be something that strikes the two differently, and leaves one completely cold. So what causes it? I know a large amount will be pure personal nature; we’re all wired differently, so we’ll obviously react to stimuli differently. I’m sure it depends just as much on the people we grow up with, and the environments we grow up in. Everyone gets molded differently. But I know that, personally, I can track my own sense of humor to a few specific works that shaped it pretty majorly. The things I find funny, the humor I seek out, even the way that I tell jokes, are all defined largely by the stuff I was into roundabout middle school or so. Namely: [ul] [li]_Bill Cosby’s comedy albums_, which I listened to most every day growing up, and which taught me how great a well-told overblown story can be.[/li][li]_The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_, which taught me how much spontaneous, random and observational non-sequitors could aid in the telling of a story.[/li][li]_Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail_, for its sheer love of absurdity.[/li][li]_The Simpsons_ (can’t stress this enough), for just about everything from the cadence of a good gag to referencing pop-culture in a way that’s still funny if your audience hasn’t seen the thing being referenced.[/li][li]_Dana Carvey’s stand-up special that got played at least once a day for a couple years on Comedy Central_, for the fantastic energy and range of impressions and impersonations.[/li][li]_Robert Aspirin’s “Myth” series_, which opened up the whole fantasy-humor realm.[/li][li]_Deadpool_, as written by Joe Kelly, showing that serious ideas can still be espoused in stories about hilarious deranged lunatics.[/li][/ul]Other stuff came later, like MST3K, more stand-up, and more movies than I can count. And I’m sure there’s lots of stuff I’m forgetting. But if I had to trace my sense of humor to its roots, all those things would immediately jump to the foreground. So, how about you? What defined what you find funny? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/2 "2009-06-22T16:00:50Z")
The earliest comedy I can remember listening to were my parents’ Bill Cosby LPs. I listened to them over and over. From there, I graduated to Dr. Demento, and then I discovered the British comedies on PBS, and my life has never been the same. I was also exposed to Monty Python and the Holy Grail at an early age, and I’d also include Young Frankenstein. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/3 "2009-06-22T16:05:54Z")
Being of an impressionable age during the early / mid 70s, I’d say the big influences were: - Bill Cosby - Monty Python (my parents were pretty progressive, and I was watching Python by age 9 or so) - George Carlin - Early seasons of _M_A_S_H\* - _Match Game_ (even if the more ribald stuff went over my head) - _Mad_ and _Cracked_ magazines ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/4 "2009-06-22T16:10:38Z")
MST3K, hands down. It’s why I frequently put random snark in size=0 at the bottom of my posts or throw in quick drive-bys in threads I haven’t yet posted to. It happens in regular conversation, too; I’ll even riff on something I’ve said if I find something funny about it. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/5 "2009-06-22T16:20:45Z")
Hmm…for me, I think it was more the people I grew up with. My father and his friends are very funny (in a corny way) when they get together. They have all been friends since childhood so they know each other very well and rib each other a lot. My dad does silly things like, when there is a dinner at someone’s house, he gets the spare toilet rolls and hides them in silly places around the house so that when the friends are tidying up later on, they come across them. We spent many summers staying in caravans on a friends farm when I was a child. Obviously we all had fairly limited wardrobes and resources. Every now and then, the ladies would declare a buffet evening and a buffet table would be ‘formally’ laid out instead of the usual free for all. Sometimes the buffet evening would be declared a ‘touch of class’ theme and we would all try to wear something a bit nice, say a fancy scarf tied around the neck. One night my ‘uncle’ stepped out of his caravan wearing a full tuxedo and top hat. In the middle of a paddock. They’re the kind of things that you really ‘had to be there,’ but certainly that sense of fun and the unexpected was very much the mood of my childhood and I think that’s where my sense of humour comes from. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/6 "2009-06-22T16:26:11Z")
I grew up watching _Roseanne_ and reading _MAD Magazine_ with the full blessing of my parents. My mom buying me a couple of books by some smartass named Cecil Adams didn’t help any, either. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/7 "2009-06-22T16:28:01Z")
Here are some early favorites/influences I can remember from my elementary- and middle-school years (the seventies, and slightly into the eighties): - Smothers Brothers comedy albums. I still think this is some of the greatest comedy ever committed to vinyl. - Peanuts (the comic strip), in books that I owned or borrowed from the library. - Mad Magazine, which defined humor for a couple of generations of kids. - possibly Lewis Carroll’s Alice books, as my introduction to British humor, nonsense, logic humor, and parody. - Looney Tunes cartoons, as shown on TV in the mornings. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/8 "2009-06-22T16:42:11Z")
[quote=“Jester, post:1, topic:500591”] [li]_Dana Carvey’s stand-up special that got played at least once a day for a couple years on Comedy Central_, for the fantastic energy and range of impressions and impersonations.[/li][/QUOTE] _PING!_ ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/9 "2009-06-22T16:58:45Z")
Richard Pryor & Eddie Murphy concerts, Monty Python movies, Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett books. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/10 "2009-06-22T17:04:43Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > - Looney Tunes cartoons, as shown on TV in the mornings. Oooh, forgot that one. Looney Tunes, for sure, esp. Bugs Bunny. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/11 "2009-06-22T17:10:23Z")
Mad Magazine Laugh In Bill Cosby Tom Lehrer Dr. Demento Allen Sherman/Weird Al Monty Python ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/12 "2009-06-22T18:03:58Z")
_Rocky & Bullwinkle_, _Roadrunner_ would be my two inspirational cartoons. Many different comedians on the _Tonight Show_ with Johnny Carson, and Johnny himself _Get Smart Laugh In F-Troop_ ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/13 "2009-06-22T18:11:22Z")
Now that I think about it, I don’t really have an answer because my definition of humor has changed so much over time. When I was in high school I thought that **Seinfeld** was the most hilarious thing that the human race had ever produced. Earlier this year I watched a couple episodes and they were completely dead on arrival. Kramer slides through the door, George gets angry easily, Jerry mentions masturbation on TV … where’s the humor? ---
**Author:** ![Brandus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Brandus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brandus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/14 "2009-06-22T18:23:59Z")
80% Simpsons 10% movies (mike meyers being one of my faves, plus chris farley) 10% tv shows and standup comedians (south park, old SNL, project runway, kathy griffin, jim gaffigan) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/15 "2009-06-22T18:41:13Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Here are some early favorites/influences I can remember from my elementary- and middle-school years (the seventies, and slightly into the eighties): > > - Mad Magazine, which defined humor for a couple of generations of kids. > - possibly Lewis Carroll’s Alice books, as my introduction to British humor, nonsense, logic humor, and parody. > - Looney Tunes cartoons, as shown on TV in the mornings. This is almost identical to what I came in to say! With the exception of the Smothers Brothers; though I like them very much, I never had any of their records, and I always read _Peanuts_ and enjoyed its dry humor. “Deadpan” is pretty much my watchword. Later on I discovered the wonders of Wodehouse and Bullwinkle. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/16 "2009-06-22T19:10:13Z")
Mad Magazine Bill Cosby Albums Alan Sherman Tom Lehrer Dr. Demento Laugh-In Monty Python Get Smart (early) Wizard of Id comic books (early) Peanuts ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/17 "2009-06-22T19:10:14Z")
When I was a child, cartoons were certainly predominant, chief among them Warner Brothers (Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies), and Rocky and Bullwinkle. A little later, I listened to some of my parents’ comedy albums; the ones I remember are Phyllis Diller, the Smothers Brothers and Allan Sherman. However, I have to say that the single biggest influence on my rather twisted sense of humor was my introduction in high school to _ **The Goon Show** _, a British radio program from the 50’s. If you’re not familiar, think Monty Python without sight gags. Actually I like it much better than I ever liked Monty Python. It’s full of non-sequiturs, horrible puns, and creative images beamed directly into your brain. So I am sadly liable to go off into non-sequiturs and bad puns at the most inopportune moments, and then have to shake my head and say “never mind” when I get the blank looks. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/18 "2009-06-22T19:26:14Z")
[ul] [li]The Simpsons[/li][li]Futurama[/li][li]George Carlin[/li][li]Seinfeld[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/19 "2009-06-22T19:36:15Z")
My family is funny. All of 'em. Every last one of my relatives has a great sense of humor, and particularly quick wit. If you didn’t want to be left in the dust at a family dinner you learned quickly to pipe up. We all learned. My cousin went to Thanksgiving at the home of her first boyfriend, her first at someone else’s home, and came back bewildered. She said “I just assumed everyone’s family was as funny as ours. They aren’t.” Outside humor influences range from Marx Brothers to Eddie Izzard. Things that I grew up with include Allan Sherman albums, Bob Newhart albums, my grandfather’s subscriptions to the New Yorker and Punch. We watched any screwball comedy that showed up on TV, and listened to tapes of classic radio comedies (Fibber McGee, Jack Benny, Burns and Allen). Bookshelves held the complete works of James Thurber, Ogden Nash, P.G. Wodehouse, Mark Twain, and more. Thanks for posting this. Considering the OP has brought up some great memories. We used to do hoaky things like write and perform puppet shows, and play parlor games. In those days we all lived within a 30 minute drive of eachother. Now we’re more scattered and only get together every few years, but when we do we laugh, a lot!. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591/20 "2009-06-22T19:44:07Z")
Johnny Carson Airplane! Monty Python Holy Grail Mad Magazine, particularly Sergio Aragonez and Don Martin strips. I would characterize “deadpan absurdism” as my comedy niche, if I had to label myself. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-defined-your-sense-of-humor/500591.md?page=2)