Unfunny comedy tropes

[The Funslinger]

Pain comedy. Like in the campaign the guy being shot with the crossbow. I just don't find somebody in pain to be funny. It makes me more uncomfortable than anything else. It bugs me in a way to know that so many people find it funny as well. I've just never found enjoyed it.

You brought up pain comedy from The Campaign, but didn't refer to the baby punching scene?

OT: I hate the "lol, this guy sleeps with a lot of women, somehow that's funny, lol" type of character that shows always try to pass off as funny. The only character in that vein that I've actually liked is Barney Stinson, and that was mainly because they developed him more as a character as the series went on.

I love Barney Stinson. They could have done him so wrong. I think it's that in his earlier point, he did sleep around quite successfully, but it was implied he isn't always successful. And there's just the sheer ridiculousness of his attempts, like faking being a surgeon, everything in the playbook, and the bit in the first episode where the security footage shows him coming out of a suitcase.

Plus his childishness, like the laser tag, and such. And the gags about him working for an evil organization.

And, as you said, they fleshed him out and gave him issues that he actually fixed, unlike some characters where it's just the same issue played for laughs. *cough*Charlie Harper*cough*

 

[a7xman]

Several, but for the sake of time, I can't stand Scrubs. I've never found any of it funny.

 

[Kinguendo]

The 'Oh look it's not human but it drinks Alcohol. SO FUNNY! HUR HUR HUR HUR' trope.

It got old in Futurama very fast.

It got old in Family Guy very fast.

It was old in American Dad from day one.

I get the joke, it's funny because they are a robot, dog, alien. Ok, that's great, but you've beaten that joke into infinity now, and the blackhole you've made could very well swallow all existence.

I dont think the fact that they drink is the joke...

 

[MetalDooley]

Husband/boyfriend is giant man-child,long suffering wife/girlfriend is mature one in relationship who's constantly cleaning up his messes

 

[keiskay]

The 'Oh look it's not human but it drinks Alcohol. SO FUNNY! HUR HUR HUR HUR' trope.

It got old in Futurama very fast.

It got old in Family Guy very fast.

It was old in American Dad from day one.

I get the joke, it's funny because they are a robot, dog, alien. Ok, that's great, but you've beaten that joke into infinity now, and the blackhole you've made could very well swallow all existence.

I dont think the fact that they drink is the joke...

eh they do use the characters alcholism for jokes sometimes but yeah its just their characters, although i must admit that futurama was the only one to do something different with the alcoholic character by making bender function properly only when he consumes liquor and make him stupid when he is sober. or making him consume liquor to save the planet.

 

[McMarbles]

"Humor" that consists entirely of a refence to something.

"This thing exists and you're familiar with it! Isn't that HILARIOUS?"

Family Guy's probably the worst offender.

 

[Dr. Cakey]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BreakingTheFourthWall

Breaking the Fourth Wall, when done properly I can maybe get a smirk out of it (depending on the show) but I recently watched an anime (something synphogear) where one of the female characters, literally, every fucking time she showed up, every single fucking time said "This is not an anime! You can't do that" that kind of crap, I mean I know it's not EXACTLY breaking the fourth wall but I don't know exactly which trope it is.

It got to a point where I literally got pissed off every time I saw that character, even in the last episode with epic scale battles going on and crap she squeezed in the line at least 3 times, it just made me rage so hard and the anime wasn't that good anyway.

But yeah... I feel like I just vented instead of giving my opinion but oh well haha.

I watched that recently, too, actually. My expectations coming in were so low I actually rather enjoyed it. But that may indeed have been the worst part of the entire show.

There's like this...thing...in a lot of anime where side-characters who have no purpose whatsoever are occasionally cut to, and they say one line that embodies their one, single character trait.

Cardfight Vanguard, after every move in the game, Crappy Side Character #1 says something about how amazing Grade 3 Units (that is, the strongest kind of creature in the game) are or how the main character is so strong because of his training, Super-Mega-Awesome Side Character either points out that Crappy Side Character #1 is stupid and dumb and stupid or explains the last move in case you nodded off during it, Crappy Side Character #2 makes some comment about the current situation, and Crappy Side Character #3 takes the first letter of every important word in #2's sentence and says those. Yes, really.

"Meta" or overly self-aware humor often seems really forced and instantly gets to me. Like whatever that new Star Wars thing is or Scott Pilgrim-type crap, makes my skin crawl. Also, any attempt at humor in any anime ever.

I feel like I should disagree with you on principle, but it's...very difficult. All I can really think of is Lucky Star and Haruhi Suzumiya, both of which are very tired examples.

...on the other hand, virtually every scene in Lucky Star is worthy of being turned into a gif.

 

[Lusty]

People rapping who you would not expect to rap. See 'Three Men and a Little Lady' for the earliest example I can remember. And about a million rapping grannies.

 

[-Drifter-]

Self referential humour. You know a tv series is dying when it starts resorting to this.

 

[Vault101]

Oh God. Sometimes when I'm bored, I watch 2 and a half men on CC whenever.

Focusing on Alan for extended periods of time pretty much induces depression in me. It's mildly sadistic is what it is.

People in the show call him a freeloader, and a leech, and cheap, and stuff, but from what I've seen, if he didn't do that, he'd be financially worse off than people on the dole, despite having a perfectly decent career.

I remember when I bothered to watch an episode of the new season, and he thinks he's Charlie, and starts acting like him, and being good at it, and stuff. I think in the unlikely event that happened in reality, I'd just let him stay like that.

OT: Seth McFarlane's phoned in musical numbers.

We get it, you want to make it as a singer. Now fuck off.

I think Alans move from "guy down on his luck" to "freeloader" was part of the "evolution" that ocures in alot of long running shows

like when jake stoped being a cute chubby kid they made him a dumbass, and charlie became more of a jerk ect

is the show even still running anyway? usually they don;t last long after a big "shake up"

 

[Vault101]

To chiggerwood: Can you present a good example of meta humor to compare with Phelous?

To chiggerwood and Vault101: Oh? you dont like meta jokes that are lame (like using the words character or plot over and over?) or over used star wars and start trek references? Well....search no further than the atrocious new anniversary video "To Bodly Flee".

You ALL have been warned.......

TBH I don;t actually mind some of the "continuity" stuff that goes on in TGWTG it comes across as weird at first..but then you get over the fact "its a site filled with people making videos amatur style" (well by now its pretty much "pro")

but stuff like some crossovers and extra stuff...like the make over fairy from Nostalga chicks videos (or anything with Nostalga Chick..I think she's great)

NC's musical reveiw of moulon rouge was probably one of the most awsome videos ever...

it works great to spice up a reveiw..BUT on its own (like I'm assuming the aniversary thing is) would probably be a bit too much, I know there are peopel who like that stuff but I prefer reveiws

and by star wars..star wars references are fine..I mean in some show where the joke seems to be PEOPLE LIKE STAR WARS AND THATS FUCKING HILARIOUS.....liek the movie bench warmers

 

[DioWallachia]

and by star wars..star wars references are fine..I mean in some show where the joke seems to be PEOPLE LIKE STAR WARS AND THATS FUCKING HILARIOUS.....liek the movie bench warmers

Now I AM the one who doesnt get the joke. So the joke is like:

"Liking star wars? that is sooooooo from, like, the 80's and shite"
or
"A NERD liking Star Wars? Who could possibly see that one coming?"
or
"He likes SW? Well, better check out your bills AND your basement maam, because that kid just ordered a slave girl from Russia and she is being captive right now in the creepy basement so he can do HORRIBLE things to her...........like bitching about the prequels and making a video on the Internet about it!! THE BASTARD!!!!"

 

[DioWallachia]

Shows that constantly throw a wink to other shows/books/movies/video games. I love it when it's subtle and you might not notice it at all unless you know the source, but some shows decide to put their little wink on a pedestal and shine lights on it so we all know that THIS IS THE TIME TO LAUGH!

How about "spiritual references" to a work? like how someone in MY story talks about a concept that is similar to another one that inspired this one but is actually relevant to the plot and not just to reference it like saying "i am taking my time to talk about this like in a fucking commercial, because you, little insignificant mortal that still lives with his mom, SHOULD read this other story. Because it good for your pathetic life to have something to brag about and here is one of them"

Sounds good to me. Pretty much all written forms of art are based on inspirations from other shows. Though, I got a bit confused, do you mean directly referencing it but keeping it plot related, or using the ideas of the other work(s) in your story?

More like: saying something that, if you replace some words on it or cut and paste it in the original work, would work just as well in this plot like in the other. Because both have similar themes.

One of the crappy stories i am writing have this:

And addresses this other thing in a similar light to "The Wheel Of Fate":

I also plan to have someone with a similar voice JUST to get my point across

 

[Vault101]

Now I AM the one who doesnt get the joke. So the joke is like:

"Liking star wars? that is sooooooo from, like, the 80's and shite"
or
"A NERD liking Star Wars? Who could possibly see that one coming?"
or
"He likes SW? Well, better check out your bills AND your basement maam, because that kid just ordered a slave girl from Russia and she is being captive right now in the creepy basement so he can do HORRIBLE things to her...........like bitching about the prequels and making a video on the Internet about it!! THE BASTARD!!!!"

I guess you could just say its the "typical" nerd joke...like THERES A NERD!! NERDS ARE FUNNY FOR SOME REASON

and I dont find it funny at all....I guess because it all seems so normal to me (like having tons of merch and action figures)

 

[Vault101]

I love Barney Stinson. They could have done him so wrong. I think it's that in his earlier point, he did sleep around quite successfully, but it was implied he isn't always successful. And there's just the sheer ridiculousness of his attempts, like faking being a surgeon, everything in the playbook, and the bit in the first episode where the security footage shows him coming out of a suitcase.

Plus his childishness, like the laser tag, and such. And the gags about him working for an evil organization.

And, as you said, they fleshed him out and gave him issues that he actually fixed, unlike some characters where it's just the same issue played for laughs. *cough*Charlie Harper*cough*

I usually HATE "sleep around" charachters....but yeah, Barney is cool

HIMYM is actually pretty good for an American sitcom,

 

[sextus the crazy]

This is mostly an anime/ manga problem, but I hate romance/ harem comedies where the humor comes from the main character's romantic obliviousness. Very few people would be this oblivious to flirting and such, especially when most of these characters are teenagers and would be going through puberty.

 

[The Funslinger]

Oh God. Sometimes when I'm bored, I watch 2 and a half men on CC whenever.

Focusing on Alan for extended periods of time pretty much induces depression in me. It's mildly sadistic is what it is.

People in the show call him a freeloader, and a leech, and cheap, and stuff, but from what I've seen, if he didn't do that, he'd be financially worse off than people on the dole, despite having a perfectly decent career.

I remember when I bothered to watch an episode of the new season, and he thinks he's Charlie, and starts acting like him, and being good at it, and stuff. I think in the unlikely event that happened in reality, I'd just let him stay like that.

OT: Seth McFarlane's phoned in musical numbers.

We get it, you want to make it as a singer. Now fuck off.

I think Alans move from "guy down on his luck" to "freeloader" was part of the "evolution" that ocures in alot of long running shows

like when jake stoped being a cute chubby kid they made him a dumbass, and charlie became more of a jerk ect

is the show even still running anyway? usually they don;t last long after a big "shake up"

Well, it's my understanding that they've also abandoned all pretenses and started implying he's perpetually broke, with no prospects.

 

[The Funslinger]

I love Barney Stinson. They could have done him so wrong. I think it's that in his earlier point, he did sleep around quite successfully, but it was implied he isn't always successful. And there's just the sheer ridiculousness of his attempts, like faking being a surgeon, everything in the playbook, and the bit in the first episode where the security footage shows him coming out of a suitcase.

Plus his childishness, like the laser tag, and such. And the gags about him working for an evil organization.

And, as you said, they fleshed him out and gave him issues that he actually fixed, unlike some characters where it's just the same issue played for laughs. *cough*Charlie Harper*cough*

I usually HATE "sleep around" charachters....but yeah, Barney is cool

HIMYM is actually pretty good for an American sitcom,

The moment I saw this scene, I knew I was sold on the show:


And the rest of it, the suitcase full of condoms (and a power bar) etc, but that's all I could find on short notice.

 

[tmande2nd]

Well:

When a woman is an abusive, rude, and arrogant snot and her actions are supposed to be funny.
Debra from Everybody Loves Raymond.

My god...who finds it funny to watch a woman abuse her husband?
Even though yes Raymond is a dumb ass.

But I never found that funny.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Well:

When a woman is an abusive, rude, and arrogant snot and her actions are supposed to be funny.
Debra from Everybody Loves Raymond.

My god...who finds it funny to watch a woman abuse her husband?
Even though yes Raymond is a dumb ass.

But I never found that funny.

I'd go a step further and say any double standard. If it would offend a large group of people if the genders were reversed, it isn't funny the way it is. Female on male rape, e.g. "40 Days and 40 Nights", is not funny. Female on male abuse is not funny. If you are willing to go both ways for comedy, then I will at least admire your belief in the concept of dark humor, even if I do not find it funny. But most of the time, that doesn't happen.