Comedy is a medium of providing one of the most important emotions of life; happiness. Every time we watch a comedy series or a standup comedy, we burst into laughter.
One cannot deny that watching comedies and sitcoms on Netflix is one of our favorite pass time. Studies have proven that laughter is one of the best medicines. It helps the mind stay positive.
Comedy is a skill that has become quite popular in the contemporary world. Not a very long time back, comedy was not even considered as a career option by many people.
But now it has started gaining recognition. Especially in the times of Covid when people have to sit at their houses, they have started appreciating comedy more.
If you have ever thought of becoming a stand-up comedian you would have already looked for a lot of online comedy classes. But if you truly want to learn comedy, you need the right mentor. Actors like Vir das or comedians like Russell peters are some of the best comics you can learn from.
But before learning comedy you need to know about the different types of comedies that exist. Through this blog, we aim at teaching you about the different forms of comedy.
● Slapstick:
Slapstick is a form of comedy that involves the maximum physical actions. In such comedy, the actor tries to make the audience laugh through his or her actions.
But these actions are not ordinary. They involve mild but intentional violence such as smacking the head, poking the eyes, etc. The comedy actors might choose to use props such as ladders etc. to enhance their performance.
Example: One of the best examples of Slapstick comics is Charlie Chaplin. A character that the world will never forget. Another great example of slapstick comedy includes the character of Mr. Bean. A show and a character that was loved by every age group due to its comedy scenes.
● Parody:
If you are someone who watches a lot of comedy videos on YouTube, you would have seen a lot of parodies already. Parody is a form of comedy in which the comedy actors try to imitate some other person.
However, the imitation is so exaggerated that it makes the audience laugh. The imitation might not be related to a person only. Sometimes, the actors might even try to recreate an event in an exaggerated manner.
Example: One of the classiest examples of a parody is the Airplane (1980). The movie is a parody of Zero Hour, another great film.
● Spoof:
A lot of people tend to confuse spoof with parody. We won’t blame them because these two are quite similar. Experts often say that spoof is a light form of parody.
However, there is a crucial element that distinguishes a spoof from parody. Yes, we are talking about ridiculing. A parody is all about ridiculing. On the other hand, ridiculing is almost missing in a spoof.
Example: YouTube channels like AIB, TVF make some brilliant spoofs on Bollywood movies. Watching them will surely give you a better idea.
● Satire:
Satire is a form of comedy with a hidden message. Most forms of comedy aim at making people laugh. However, satire not only makes people laugh but it portrays reprehension too.
A comic while performing a satire act tries to point out a particular issue related to society or a person. There are various types of satire including Horatian, Juvenalian, and Menippean.
Example: One of the best examples of satire is a book called Animal Farm. The book was written by George Orwell in 1945. Yet, it proves to be a great example of Juvenalian Satire in the contemporary world.
● Irony:
Just like satire, Irony has a secondary motive too that is leaving a message. An irony is a form of comedy in which the comic does not mean what he says. What the comic says is the opposite of what he means.
However, the comic might now always portray irony using words. In some cases, he might do some actions but intends to do the exact opposite.
Example: Irony can be found in a lot of stand-up comedies where the comic says something but means the opposite. If you’re new to standup comedy you can check out videos of Biswa Kalyan Rath, Kenny Sebastian, etc.
● Musical Comedy:
If you are good at both music and comedy, then musical comedy is the perfect genre for you. In this form of comedy, the comic tries to sing a song but in a manner that makes people laugh.
Though, there are other ways of presenting a musical comedy too. A comic may perform an act that involves a lot of music but the theme and storyline are funny.
Example: One of the best examples of a musical comic is Vir das. An actor who has featured in different movies. He performs standup comedies that include a bit of singing combined with humor.
Online Comedy Course by Johnny Lever
If you have reached this part, we believe you wish to become a comic in the future. However, looking for comedy classes online would have exhausted you. Well, we are here with a course that can help you out.
We are talking about our online comedy classes taught by the legendary Johnny Lever. An actor who never fails to make us laugh would be teaching you how he does that. With the help of this course, you can learn comedy in no time. Make sure you check our website and take a look at it.
Learn comedy online – Subscribe Johnny Lever’s unluclass now!
