why is it funny when someone falls down?

[vash]

in europe, looking as some ruins, some poor lady totally eats it. i guess the romans invented plumbing, but they didnt see the need to make the steps uniform in height. instantly all the students nearby erupt into laughter. my sister helped her pull her skirt back down, and i picked up her bags.

earlier today, a heavyset co-worker of mine was walking down a hillside, slipped and had a "yardsale". his plans sheets went everywhere, and the carpenters had a good laugh. i admit, this one was funny looking, but i only chuckled. i dont remember falling being that funny when i was a kid. and that is when we busted our arses all the time.

[stomachmonkey]

My personal favorite is a combo starfish into yardsale.

Don't know why it's funny.

[azasadny]

Schadenfreude... (sp?)

[tabs]

I always got a big laugh outa pushing Libera..ls..I mean retards down the stairs...its when their heads bounce on the stairs that cracks me up...their heads sound so wooden.

[mschuep]

I was lucky enough to witness a fall-on-treadmill scene in realtime. I don't know why, but it was hilarious. Regular falls don't usually do it for me, but when you throw a treadmill into the mix, whoa, that's gold baby, gold!

[scottmandue]

Three stooges?
Orivel and Hardy?
Jacka$$?

Never found slapstick all that funny but obviously some people do.

[Rick V]

It's funny because we all take our turns being the "fall guy" My favorite is when someone takes a dive, tries to catch themselves on something unstable and crap flys everywhere. BTDT
Ever been walking down the stairs, you think there is 1 more.........and there isn't?

[Aerkuld]

Analysis of comedy is tricky. A simple fall by itself is not really that funny. I think there needs to be an additional element to make it funny. The first instance doesn't strike me as especially funny, but;

Originally posted by vash
...instantly all the students nearby erupt into laughter. my sister helped her pull her skirt back down...

If the skirt was raised high enough a show of underwear is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Also, if that particular step is a notorious trouble spot and say that the lady was the third person in the last five minutes to fall down there the comedy of repetition could be coming into play.

Originally posted by vash
earlier today, a heavyset co-worker of mine was walking down a hillside, slipped and had a "yardsale". his plans sheets went everywhere, and the carpenters had a good laugh. i admit, this one was funny looking, but i only chuckled.

This one is slightly more obvious and your description even brings on a good mental picture. The scattering of anything over a wide area combined with a dramatic fall is going to be funny. Papers would be great as they would still be on the descent while the guy is laying on the ground. Combine this with the fact that it appears to be a slightly fat guy and you have a perfect slapstick situation.

The problem is that all humor is based on someone else's misfortune. I guess as long as no one gets hurt there is a potential for comedy in many situations.

[Aerkuld]

Of course manure is even better!

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by Aerkuld

The problem is that all humor is based on someone else's misfortune. I guess as long as no one gets hurt there is a potential for comedy in many situations.

I find lots of comedy funny that doesn't require someone else's misfortune.

George Carlin?
Jerry Seinfeld stand-up routine?

[TerryH]

If I stub my toe or rake my shin bone, my wife laughs hysterically. The more pain I endure, the more she enjoys herself.

[Zeke]

I think some falls are funny as long as it didn't hurt anything but the person's pride. I don't make a habit of laughing at anyone's misfortune, but sometimes because of the sequence, there is a humorous side. I've fallen down and everyone including me laughed. Playing catch with a football while wearing Western boots was a good example of a funny fall. I mean how dumb is that?

I rode a ladder sliding sideways on the side of a house once. I just stepped off onto a patio cover as I was going down. But there I was up on the cover with no way down. I had to call someone to put a ladder back up for me. Now that was funny. Could have been a bad one, though.

[kang]

I don't think it's funny when someone falls down. They could have gotten hurt. I don't think it's funny when I fall down, why would it be funny when someone else does?

I know I'm different than most in this regard. Look at "Americas Funniest Videos" or whatever that TV show was called. It's mostly people falling down, that kind of thing. The show would have never worked if most people didn't think that was funny. I hated that show. It seems cruel to laugh at people when they fall down.

[craigster59]

I still think farts are funny.

[}{arlequin]

it's funny b/c *THIS TIME* it wasn't you

[Moses]

[Moneyguy1]

"Humor is the juxtaposition of the incongruous"

[RANDY P]

I get a kick out of watching people eat it, whether they fall, or crash something -

as long as no gets hurt too badly..

rjp

[rcecale]

Originally posted by tabs
I always got a big laugh outa pushing Libera..ls..I mean retards down the stairs...its when their heads bounce on the stairs that cracks me up...their heads sound so wooden.

I imagine the rattling of the marbles inside their hollow cavities was pretty comical too....musta sounded like hubcaps on a car after someone filled them with gravel...

Randy

[Tim Hancock]

A good friend who I grew up with jumping and racing bicycles, dirtbikes, snowmobiles, three wheelers etc, always laughed whenever I crashed or got hurt, still does.

I have broken collar bones in horrendous crashes in whoop sections and while laying there trying to breath and identify my condition, he would ride up laughing his fool head off. Neither of us could ever figure out why, but none the less, laughter always accompanied any injury.

I miss those days!