One Question + Two Possible Reasons = Three Stooges

When watching the various episodes of The Three Stooges (both for homework and in class), I found that I rarely laughed at any moment, and nothing truly struck me as humorous. Of course, I wondered what the cause of this was. How could I not be laughing at what many consider one of the classic examples of comedy?

First, I thought it was because most of the antics where so repetitious and expected, that it was difficult to find anything novel or surprising. It leads to a predictability which wears on a viewer, causing feelings of boredom and dislike. Still, after ruminating on this thought for some time, I realized there was a glaring problem with my theory. If predictability wears on a viewer, then why do series (whether they are books, television shows, or radio programs) become so popular? (Just think, there are people who literally plan their schedules around a favorite weekly show, or who wait in line at midnight for the release of a book.) These things thrive on predictability, following set formulas and utilizing staple characters. In all reality, their structure is exactly like any Stooges’ episode, but for some peculiar reason, they have a much stronger sway on today’s audience. The only answer I can offer lies in looking at content. Modern productions of comedy are extremely elaborate with subplots, guest stars, multiple conflicts, contemporary issues…, and as a result, they can draw on many sources to invoke humor. Conversely, The Three Stooges is rather simplistic, relying solely on the slapstick of Larry, Curly, and Moe in order to create and maintain the comedic effect. If that type of humor is not funny to the audience, then there is nothing else to turn to. However, I do need to be careful in this assessment, and want to take the time to recognize that slapstick is its own brand of comedy, and trying to compare it to other forms is not entirely fair. The larger point here is that as far as predictability goes, it is not always the reason why something is unsuccessful.

My second round of thoughts turned to the impractical violence which permeates every Stooge piece. I say impractical, because out of the necessity of maintaining the humor, no one must be seriously hurt, but, there comes a point when the obvious lack of pain causes the whole piece to creep into the realm of the unrealistic, and likewise, unbelievable. Consider for example, the many times the three strike each other, often going as far as using something as dangerous as a hatchet to hit with. Never is one of them critically wounded (because, undoubtedly, that would not be humorous). However, everyone knows that hitting someone with a hatchet will obviously cause a great deal of bodily harm. For that reason, when watching the antics on the screen, there is a problematic disconnect in the mind of the audience. Of course, this statement opens the door on a whole set of problems, raising questions about a gratuitous society too desensitized to appreciate anything less than in-your-face gore. Maybe, because I am so attuned to this century’s emphasis on realistic violence, I am unable to appreciate the humor of lighthearted slapstick, and therein lies the cause of my non-laughter (and in a rather round-a-bout way, I have finally come to answer my own question).