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aCTIVITy 1.3
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my notes
I wonder how many people were tested for the project. Was it hundreds or thousands of people?
the hunter’s end, the operator heard a gunshot. The hunter came back on the phone and said, “OK, now what?”
5 If you laughed, you’re not alone. In the year 2001, that joke was voted the funniest
in the world as part of a project called LaughLab. Psychologist Richard Wiseman’s
goal was to determine what makes people laugh and what is found to be funny among men and women, older and younger people, and people from different countries. His research team tested people in person and asked others to submit opinions online using a “Giggleometer,” which ranked jokes on a scale of 1–5. More than 40,000 jokes were tested.
6 You may be saying to yourself, “Studying jokes? Is that science?” But plenty of smart people say yes. Laughter is a biological function.* It has a certain rhythm; laughter syllables build, then trail off, and they come out in a repetitive, not random, sequence. For example, “ha-ha-ho-ho-he” is typical, but “ha-ho-ha-ho-ha” or “he-ho-he” just doesn’t happen.
7 Babies begin to laugh instinctively when they’re about four months old, perhaps to form a connection with parents. Those born blind and deaf also laugh, so laughter is not dependent on sight and hearing. Other animals, notably chimps, exhibit laugh-like behavior when playing with one another. Even rats, when tickled, make high-pitched squeals that can be interpreted as laughter. (As you might guess, only a dedicated few know this firsthand.)
Comedy Is Serious Stuff
8 Comics know that the same jokes are not funny to everyone everywhere. Ed Hiestand, a writer for comedy great Johnny Carson, told READ, “Everyone who writes comedy needs to know the audience. On the Carson show, everybody would laugh
on a Friday night. Nobody would laugh on a Monday.” Even within one state or town or family, senses of humor are as varied as the people are. Professional comics do not assume a 10 p.m. audience will like a joke because a 7 p.m. audience did.
9 Comedians who test jokes for a living say it’s hit or miss. “It’s a tough gig, and you have to have a large threshold for pain,” said stand-up Jay Nog. Performers whose jokes get a two-second laugh consider that a significant accomplishment.
10 Timing is critical. Starting stand-up Zubair Simonson said he’s learning the hard way that “good timing can cause a weak joke to soar, while poor timing can cause
a strong joke to falter.” Authors and film actors do not often get immediate public feedback. But comics do.
11 What keeps the funny guys going? The laughs and after-effects. “The best humor has some sort of layer to it; it makes a statement of some kind or comment,” said Margy Yuspa, a director at Comedy Central. “An example is [Dave] Chappelle. His comedy is funny on the surface and also often comments on race or social issues.”
Funny You Said That
12 Comedians have their own theories about humor. “What makes us laugh is a surprise change in perspective that connects an unknown with a known idea in a unique manner,” said Ronald P. Culberson, a humorist at FUNsulting.com. “For instance, a three-legged dog walks into an Old West saloon and says, “I’m looking for the man who shot my paw.”
13 Ask an average person why humans laugh, and he or she would probably say, “Because something was funny.” But comics need to know what gives the giggles; their livelihood depends on it.
14 Comedian Anthony DeVito told READ that “people tend to laugh at things that reinforce what they already believe. Comedy tells them they’re right.”
Interpret the Text Using Close Reading
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DIFFErEnTIaTE Interactingin Meaningful Ways: reading and Viewing Closely
7 Keepstudentsintheirpairs. Distribute an Unknown Word Solver Graphic Organizer to each student.
Say: We can often find hints about the meanings of unknown words. Look at your graphic organizer. Choose one of the words students did not know from step 6 and verbally analyze it with the students using a Think Aloud with the graphic organizer. Encourage volunteers to provide whatever information they can. Tell students they will complete the Unknown Word Solver for one word from the reading. Pair students by proficiency level. Have pairs select a word they circled during their annotations of paragraphs 5–7. Have each pair call out their word so that you can monitor and guide word choice. Tell students they can use their dictionaries.
8 As students work, walk around the classroom assisting and answering questions that may arise. When students are finished, call on one or two volunteers to share the information in their Unknown Word Solver with
the class. Use this opportunity to formatively assess students using the rubric that follows.
assess
Use the following rubric and sample student responses to formatively assess students’ ability to understand the Interacting in Meaningful Ways skill: Reading and Viewing Closely.
Emerging/Expanding: With assistance, are students able to use reference materials or context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words?
Student example: The word blind means someone who cannot see.
Bridging: Are students able to use context clues or reference materials
to determine the meaning of an unknown word, including figurative and connotative meanings?
Student example: The text says “laughter is not dependent on sight,” so I think blind has to do with sight and being able to see.
5 Continue reading the rest of paragraph 3 aloud, and have students annotate as you read. Once students have completed their annotations, say: Sometimes readers may understand
the usual meanings of two words, but they may not understand a special meaning of the two words when they are used together. Did anyone circle the word comedy? Did anyone circle gold? Did anyone circle the expression comedy gold? When does someone get a gold medal? Can
you think of an example? (Elicit the idea that gold is awarded for the top prize, for example in the Olympics. Say: So we can understand that comedy gold is the best of comedy, the highest- rated comedy.
6 Collaborate: Pair students of mixed proficiency levels and have them work together to Round Robin Read and annotate paragraphs 5–7. As students work, walk around the room assisting as needed. When everyone is done, have students note the words they don’t know and any questions they might have. Ensure each pair shares out one point.
Unit 4 • The Challenge of Comedy • Part 1: Made You Laugh 223
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.