Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A famous joke defines tragedy as something small happening to you and comedy as something bad happening to others.
- In plain terms
- Comedy is often about watching others suffer while you are safe.
- What can you take from it?
- Humor often depends on perspective and distance from pain.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is cruelty necessary for comedy?
- What makes a situation funny?
Another view
This definition oversimplifies complex forms of humor.
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