There’s no room for humor in the middle of the road
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In the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Comedy Writing, James Mendrinos says, “If your work is centrist, too many people will agree with your view, and it won’t be comedy, it will be opinion, very unfunny opinion, most likely.”
Humor needs a target…especially if you want to write edgy material. What’s edgy? Depends on you, your audience, and your target. But you can bet the edgier it is the more people it will P.O.
Dan French, columnist for Shecky Magazine describes edgy his way:
“Edgy means you take on some specific vision of the world and try to shred it with a counter-vision. You attack certain groups you despise. You offer opposing ideas and visions to the morality that normally dominates public talk. You celebrate the deviant and you exalt the amoral in a power-packed performance razz. Great edgy comedy makes an audience uncomfortable and makes them think a little and makes them laugh even if they’re uncomfortable and thinking. “
For the rest of his comments, read Dan’s column How Edgy.
One great place to check out edgy material is at www.funnyordie.com. It’s a site where you can enjoy or gag– depending on your sensibilities– edgy material such as “Pee Pants—A Lady Gaga Parody.” Not everyone will find the wet crotch shots and lyrics funny, but I think it’s a fine example of edgy that’s too clever to be dismissed as tasteless potty humor.
Some writers mistake shock language for edgy. Dirty talk can work when it’s handled well, but it has to support genuine laughter, not nervous laughter. When the “F” word works, don’t be afraid to throw it in; just don’t over use it. Yeah, and that goes for freaken, freaking, freaked, and freak-able, too.
Edgy material dares to offend. If it doesn’t offend anyone, maybe it’s not nasty enough. But get too nasty, and it’s no longer funny to anyone. Just stay out of the middle of the road.
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Filed under: Insights & Opinions
