Humor and comedy get a good bit of praise and criticism. For some, the pun, the training wheels we all use as we begin to play with language and first experiment with humor, is some of the worst sorts of humor out there. For others, the pun can reach levels of the sublime. Some regard Dad-jokes as the work of washed-up Dad-bods just trying to stay relevant, while others have appreciated Dad-Jokes and their wit. Of course, Dad-Jokes and puns can be so bad that they’re funny, but that’s not the point of today’s post.

I want to focus on giving praise to the low-brow, the slapstick, the bathroom humor, and even the pun. I praise them because they’re a valuable form of humor. Some laugh at the antics of the Three Stooges, while others find their funny-bone tickled by the occasional fart-joke. In the same way we’re exhorted not to make fun of the person who mispronounces a word because they only know it from looking it up, why diminish someone’s enjoyment of certain forms of humor? As long as the humor isn’t harmful in intent, maliciously directed, then long live the laugh.

I am going to put a few links to various sorts of humor below, just to give a sense of what I’m talking about. But before that, let me explain why I like them so much.

It’s almost a platitude for this Substack for me to say how much I enjoy a mirthful laugh. So it’s unsurprising for me to like humor that causes that in me. But humor like this is valuable not just because it gets a laugh, for its effects for all you consequentialists out there. One of the things I like about humor that’s Lo-Fi (low production quality) is that it’s unrefined. It tends to come out of folks goofing off. Lots of social media stitches are like this. People are inspired to riff on a concept, poke a little fun at something they saw, they’ve a cell phone camera and they’re off to the races.

That’s what I find so enjoyable about them. They’re not produced bits of comedy, they’re witty, in the moment, responses. Comedy is great and the art of writing and creating comedy, whether stand-up or sketch, it a skill like any other. But it’s a practice that relies on a different sort of skills and abilities. There’s more production and refinement. Clever, in the moment responses are more unfiltered and their spontaneity is refreshing. They come at you with little warning and when they land, brighten the day.

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That spontaneity, the in the moment reaching out is for me something important. It’s a person inviting you into their world and sharing some of their joy with you. It’s a way to enjoy something together, with one another and make that part of the day and make that relationship better, stronger, and worth more.

With that, I want to encourage you to find ways to introduce more wit and levity into your day. Don’t worry if it’s high-brow or low, don’t get too caught up in thinking about it. Take advantage of the moment and see where your humor brain takes you.

In the below suggestions, I’m not endorsing all the content, but if I’ve posted it, it’s safe to say I like a good bit of what they’re posting. But if there are worries about some forms of humor, then please discuss them in the comments. I’d be interested to take part in that discussion.

Boys Being Boys

Folks waking up from anesthesia is always a humor goldmine

If you want to go deep into bathroom humor, check out the farts of colonoscopy patients. I’ll leave you to explore that.