Type and comedians

[The_Liquid_Laser]

I've always wondered how typology relates to humor. I've noticed some patterns in observing how people create their own humor particularly comedians. (Although I still don't know how type relates to what we find humorous. Maybe someone else has some insight into that). This is how I've observed the various functions creating humor.

Se - The comedy is based either on situations that we are familiar with or something unusual that the comedian observed. Also Se is more likely to use physical comedy than other functions.

Ne - The humor comes from insight that the person has into the world around us. These are often things that we haven't consciously thought of but usually seem to make sense after we hear them.

Si - The comedian creates humor based on things they find irritating.

Ni - The humor comes from the comedian's unique perspective.

Ti - The humor comes from pointing out things that don't make sense. Although sometimes the humor comes from explaining why something does make sense.

Te - The humor is based on foolishness and stupidity. The comedian may make themselves look foolish or may make fun of other's foolishness. (There is an old comedic principal that humor comes from loss of status and Te picks up on this more than other functions.)

Fi - The comedian creates humor by relating things to their own personal experience. The events may have never really happened to the comedian, but they are told as if they did.

Fe - The humor comes from situations with close relationships like a significant other or parent.


Here are some examples of how the functions interact together:

xSTP - This type of comedian starts with situations that we are familiar with and then points out why the situation does or doesn't make sense.
Jerry Seinfeld: YouTube - how can a finger be an insult - seinfeld HILAROUIS

xNTP - This type of comedian comes up with their own "insights" into the world and then they elaborate why things do (or don't) make sense based on these insights.
George Carlin: YouTube - George Carlin Talks About "Stuff"

xSTJ - The humor comes from making fun of foolish or stupid things that are irritating.
Lewis Black: YouTube - Lewis Black on Broadway talking about how America ISN'T #1

xNTJ - This comedian gives their own unique perspective on something usually to make themself look foolish in doing so.
Steve Martin: YouTube - Steve Martin - 5 Christmas Wishes

xSFP - This comedian relates things based on if they experienced it themselves. It could be based on something we are familiar with or (in this case) something unusual that the comedian observed.
Chris Farley: Saturday Night Live - Japanese Game Show - Video - NBC.com

xNFP - This comedian begins by relating things from their personal experiences and then offers "insights" as the story progresses.
Kathy Griffin: YouTube - Kathy Griffin - Straight To Hell (1/5)

xSFJ - The humor from this comedian comes from irritations that arise out of close relationships.
Kevin Meany: YouTube - Golden Age Stand-up 32
YouTube - Kevin Meaney - Big Pants People

xNFJ - The comedian starts from their unique perspective and then shows how it gets them into trouble in their relationships.
Larry David: YouTube - Larry David's Marriage is Over - Curb Your Enthusiasm



So this is my take on type and comedians. What do the rest of you think? Do you see any other ways that type relates to comedy and humor?

 

[run]

Definitely agree on Seinfeld, Carlin, Kathy Griffin, Chris Farley Steve Martin, kevin meany.

i don't think it gets that specific, when it comes to funny people. 90% of the funny people I know are NJ's.

 

[wolfy]

I agree on Chris Farley and I love that video.

 

[Orangey]

Interesting thread.

The one time I had to write a comedy script (for a TV production class I took as a fun elective), I wrote a ten minute sketch-format piece about a naive idealist who, in the process of explaining his philosophy to a bum, gets robbed blind and made to look foolish in the end. It wasn't really funny, but it fits in perfectly with your description of Te humor. Too bad I'm not dom or aux Te, and I prefer to listen to the NTP type stuff (by your description, anyway).

 

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Definitely agree on Seinfeld, Carlin, Kathy Griffin, Chris Farley Steve Martin, kevin meany.

i don't think it gets that specific, when it comes to funny people. 90% of the funny people I know are NJ's.

I agree on Chris Farley and I love that video.

Thank you for reading my post and for making comments.

Interesting thread.

The one time I had to write a comedy script (for a TV production class I took as a fun elective), I wrote a ten minute sketch-format piece about a naive idealist who, in the process of explaining his philosophy to a bum, gets robbed blind and made to look foolish in the end. It wasn't really funny, but it fits in perfectly with your description of Te humor. Too bad I'm not dom or aux Te, and I prefer to listen to the NTP type stuff (by your description, anyway).

I think you have made a good point here so let me clarify what I mean in my original post. Most comedians use foolishness of some sort even if they aren't TJ, just like most comedians talk about their relationships at some point even if they aren't FJ. So I'm focusing more on what the majority of their material looks like. Additionally since Ti is also a type of thinking it also focuses on pointing out foolishness and stupidity like Te does. The difference is that Ti humor will usually take time to explain why something is foolish, while Te humor relies on the audience already realizing that something is foolish.

For example in the Seinfeld clip I gave he explains why giving the finger is foolish and doesn't make any sense. On the other hand when Jeff Foxworthy says "If you've ever been too drunk to fish then you might be a redneck", he doesn't stop to explain why being so drunk that you can't even fish is foolish. Furthermore he doesn't even explain why it's foolish to be a redneck. The audience is assumed to already understand that it's foolish, so he is creating humor with Te. Seinfeld on the other hand is known for picking things apart and explaining why they don't make sense, so his humor relies more on Ti.

 

[compulsiverambler]

I agree with the OP's suggestions except those for Fi, Ne and Si.

I don't think Fi humour necessarily refers to personal experience, not in a direct way. It's about emotional responses to things and inconsistencies or invalidities in emotional response patterns and in priority setting.

Ne humour goes off on flights of fantasy or asks 'if this, why not that (absurd notion)?' Insight is probably involved but probably only when combined with a Judging function, and other kinds of humour can involve some kind of insight too. It's too vague a term to define it by.

I think Si humour is based on things not conforming to familiar standards, and things in unexpected contexts, and it makes use of the element of surprise. Irritation is often involved, but not always. Again, other kinds of humour can feature irritation too.

xNFP examples: (Russell Howard)

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSYVhCFVNSM"]Hate on the Internet[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vrugbuLcKc"]Imagine being a slug[/YOUTUBE]

xSTJ example: (James Corden and Sean Lock)

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I3SbdHSteE"]8 Out of 10 Cats, James Corden's Thriller[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Spamtar]

I used to hate English stand up (basically hated any stand up non North American) the above [Russle Howard] and a few newer UK comedians are giving me hope. I wonder why that is...is it the world is getting smaller and the "American Experience" as evolved/devolved into some "new world order" of comedy?

 

[Saslou]

^^^ Hahaha .. I used to say that about Canadian humour .. I'd roll my eyes waiting/hoping to laugh at something/anything ..

YouTube - Dane Cook-Public Restrooms
This bloke makes me chuckle .. Not a clue though as to what he is.

 

[VagrantFarce]

I refuse to think Dane Cook is anything but an ESTP

 

[compulsiverambler]

I used to hate English stand up (basically hated any stand up non North American) the above [Russle Howard] and a few newer UK comedians are giving me hope.

For once I manage to serve my country in a meaningful way.

How do you like David Mitchell? (To almost keep on topic, I think these clips represent xNTJ).
Flag burning
Medical science issue

I wonder why that is...is it the world is getting smaller and the "American Experience" as evolved/devolved into some "new world order" of comedy?

Having heard what I've heard about the process and common experiences of transferring non-American comedy to America, I think it more likely that the ones that get there have usually been those which board room folk believe the American market will take to, and those willing to make significant modifications. I'm not just talking about the many completely remade programmes, I mean individuals who've gone there as well, minding their language and taste more, adapting to a different set of taboos and sacred cows, softening their persona, and perhaps unavoidably, changing their content and references. On the other hand, there may well be new trends in our comedy that you've picked up on and I haven't, as I'm not familiar with many comics from before my time and you could have a broader experience with English comics than most Americans.

Edit - By the way, I think the same is true the other way round too. The majority of American-made comedy and American comedians aren't known by most Brits. We probably have a slanted view of American comedy as a result, too. I think they're picked fairly wisely though because most don't seem to get taken off air again too quickly.

 

[Spamtar]

^ very good post Compulsive (and also interesting comment how it can work both ways, at least with Canadian humour saslou)

Really need to expose myself more to newer uk/EU/Aussie stand up comedians before I give an update of my latest comedic prejudices.

The odd thing is when it comes to UK sit coms that air in US (historically public television) I generally found them superior. Only their standup comedians (at least until very recently based on some new talent) did I find dreadful, yes even painful to watch while hearing the audience laughing in the background. Hope my theory of how the melding of cultures effect standup comedy has some truth.

 

[wrldisquiethere]

What are Jim Gaffigan and Mitch Hedberg?

 

[Snuggletron]

Jimmy Gaff seems like an enFP maybe? He's got some signature Ne going on though for sure, but nothing too crazy.

Mitch was IsfP....I think. Maybe more N though.

 

[CJ99]

I used to hate English stand up (basically hated any stand up non North American) the above [Russle Howard] and a few newer UK comedians are giving me hope. I wonder why that is...is it the world is getting smaller and the "American Experience" as evolved/devolved into some "new world order" of comedy?

Thing is I rarely find american humour funny!

Watch mock the week if you want brittish humour!
Russel Howard is on it and so is the legendary Franky Boyle!

 

[CJ99]

How do you like David Mitchell?

He is a genious!

 

[PoprocksAndCoke]

Yay! Comedian youtube links!

 

[Usehername]

What about this guy? Thoughts to type?



[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM&feature=player_embedded"]Pachabel Rant[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Haphazard]

Thing is I rarely find american humour funny!

I remember comparing British and American versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and even when they had the exact same people on both versions, I still didn't find the British version funny.

 

[NewEra]

Ne - The humor comes from insight that the person has into the world around us. These are often things that we haven't consciously thought of but usually seem to make sense after we hear them.

Yeah, a perfect example of this is Jim Carrey's standup.

 

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Here's a thread I haven't visited in a while.

I don't think Fi humour necessarily refers to personal experience, not in a direct way. It's about emotional responses to things and inconsistencies or invalidities in emotional response patterns and in priority setting.

I think "emotional responses to things" is basically the same as "personal experience". I.e. you tell how you felt in that circumstance. I think you are probably on to something with your other points though.

Ne humour goes off on flights of fantasy or asks 'if this, why not that (absurd notion)?' Insight is probably involved but probably only when combined with a Judging function, and other kinds of humour can involve some kind of insight too. It's too vague a term to define it by.

Yeah I wish I had a less vague way of saying it. I wouldn't just use "insight", because it's a specific kind of insight. More of a "I never thought about it that way, but now that you mention it that does make sense" kind of insight.

I think Si humour is based on things not conforming to familiar standards, and things in unexpected contexts, and it makes use of the element of surprise. Irritation is often involved, but not always. Again, other kinds of humour can feature irritation too.

I think familiar standards has more to do with Te or Fe depending on the standard, and surprise is a fairly universal element of comedy. However I think you have a good point about Si looking at something in an unexpected context.



EDIT: @Ushername, I think that guy is xSFP. I might be wrong about S/N though.