FUNNY DEFINITION:comical; causing amusement or laughter CATEGORIES:identity, interactive SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:amusing, comical, entertaining, humorous, jovial POSSIBLE CAUSES: Growing up in a family where one was expected to entertain younger siblings The desire to entertain, make people laugh, or be in the spotlight Having a quirky and humorous outlook on life Being exposed to comedians and entertainers Growing up in an environment that was filled with laughter Needing attention or affirmation ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS: Making witty comebacks and observations Cracking jokes and making people laugh Observing the strangeness of life in a comical way Speaking in funny voices or accents Using comical facial expressions Having an excellent sense of timing Thinking on the fly Reveling in the unexpected Being a strong storyteller Embellishing stories to make them funnier Being able to poke fun at oneself Purposely acting like a klutz Making light of a serious situation to defuse tension Awkwardness that is comical and endearing Engaging in clever wordplay Offering wry commentary:Well, she’ll never win a gold medal for the balance beam. Eccentricity Noticing things that others miss Using an object in a funny or inappropriate way Drawing a crowd at social events Using humor to bring people together and boost morale Employing sarcasm that is funny rather than personal or hurtful Making use of universally funny topics (potty humor, silly stereotypes, etc.) Encouraging others to join in and add to the humor of the moment Applying a truism in an unintended way:Make ourselves at home? Okay…off go the pants! Making mistakes on purpose Enjoying a good prank Mischievousness Confidence Enjoying and pointing out irony Pausing for effect Spontaneity Poking fun at personal calamities or situations Knowing when to stop before something goes too far Being highly social Having good instincts about people (knowing what they might find funny or offensive, etc.) Having one’s own style of humor; not copying someone else’s Noting body language to judge the reaction to a joke ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS: Where’d that guy learn his table manners—from watching Survivor? Buddy, a white suit? I’d love to see a car blast through a puddle right about now. You know what would be funny? A clown with a phobia of clowns. Everyone’s so serious. A good fart would lighten the mood. ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:amusement, curiosity, happiness POSITIVE ASPECTS:Because everyone loves a good joke, characters with a strong sense of humor usually have no shortage of friends. When life gets serious or someone wants to let off steam, it’s easy to kick back and have a good time with someone funny. Humor is generally appreciated, so amusing characters can sometimes joke themselves out of a serious situation and escape unwanted consequences. NEGATIVE ASPECTS:Some characters may not know when to stop being funny; this can create the perception that they’re unable to take anything seriously. Funny characters who go too far can cause anger or embarrassment for others, creating rifts in relationships. In addition, friends and potential lovers may have trouble getting close to these characters as they wonder if the humor is simply a mask that hides the funny character’s true self. EXAMPLE FROM TV:Jerry Seinfeld began his career as a stand-up comedian, making the late night TV circuit and impressing the likes of Johnny Carson and David Letterman with his unique brand of funny. He then channeled his humor into the creation and writing ofSeinfeld, a sitcom that went on to become a commercial success and pop culture sensation. Popular Seinfeldisms such asthe master of your domain,yadda-yadda-yadda,regifting,Festivus, andspongeworthyare still quoted to this day.Other Examples from Pop Culture:Richard Pryor, Ellen DeGeneres, Lucille Ball, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:defensive, focused, haughty, humorless, insecure, predictable, proper, pushy, studious CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE FUNNY CHARACTER: PLOTLINE: Working beneath a serious person (a boss who evaluates employees for promotion, etc.) PLOTLINE: Facing a personal tragedy or seeing others experience one PLOTLINE: Being paired with another funny character who gets bigger laughs PLOTLINE: Living in a culture where one’s humor is considered inappropriate, offensive, or not funny PLOTLINE: Belonging to a family where one’s actions are scrutinized (a political or royal family, etc.)