I am currently involved in doing a huge project which involves me knowing the difference between an observational, topical, character, prop, gimmick, physical, and impressionist comics.
Any information you could lend me would be most appreciated!
Thank you
Kathleen Atkinson
Liam's Answer
If there's one thing I've learnt, it's that knowing about the academic structure of comedy doesn't make something funny.
Technically, this is a joke (a three time gag, for the boffins):
An Englishman, an American and an Irishman walk into a pub.
The Englishman says something.
The American says something similar.
The Irishman says something unexpectedly different that confirms the stereotype that Irishmen are stupid.
Yet, I don't hear laughter.
That's my observation as a comedian.
Chris' Answer
Observational comedy is the sort of stuff that astronomers do while waiting for something interesting in the stars.
Topical comedy is something that David Letterman does after astronomers have noticed a huge asteroid is heading straight for Earth.
Character comedy is the sort of joke that you'd hear when Saturday Night Live did a sketch with someone pretending to be George W Bush wondering if this would help him win the war on terror or not.
Prop comedy would be a demonstration of what would happen when the asteroid hits the earth, involving cream pies.
Gimmick comedy would involve putting glazed cherries on the pies.
Physical comedy is the sort of funny running styles people will use as they attempt hopelessly to flee from the asteroid as it crashes through Earth's atmosphere.
Impressionist comedy is the lone survivor standing on the edge of the crater, and saying "It's my hole, I drilled it, and I'm staying with it till the end," like Bruce Willis did in Armageddon.
