"I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other thing about comedy is that - you don't even know if you're failing in drama, but you do know when you're failing in comedy. When you go to a comedy and you don't hear anybody laughing, you know that you've failed"
About this Quote
Carl Reiner, a star on the planet of comedy, uses extensive insight into the nature of the genre in this quote. At its core, Reiner talks to the honesty and immediacy that funny needs from both its creators and its audience.
Firstly, when Reiner states, "funny really informs you how it is", he suggests that funny, unlike other types of art, needs a direct connection to truth and truth. Humor typically exposes realities that are uncomfortable, absurd, or ridiculous, cutting through pretense and societal norms to reveal the unvarnished realities of life. Comedy frequently acts as a mirror reflecting society, and it can critique and comment on social issues in a manner that is both appealing and available.
Reiner also contrasts the instant feedback loop present in comedy with the more unclear nature of drama. In drama, the success of an efficiency can be subjective and diverse, typically needing reflective analysis or psychological self-questioning. Nevertheless, in comedy, the step of success depends on its ability to provoke laughter, an immediate and uncontrolled response. When Reiner states, "you don't even understand if you're failing in drama", he's acknowledging that drama can withstand a lack of obvious audience reactions; its impact can be subtle and layered.
Alternatively, Reiner explains that in comedy, failure is palpable: "When you go to a comedy and you do not hear anybody laughing, you know that you've stopped working". Laughter works as a clear and unambiguous indicator of success in funny. This supplies both a thrilling difficulty and the potential for profound connection. The need for instant feedback makes comedy an unforgiving yet satisfying art form. The audience functions as both individual and judge, and their action-- or do not have thereof-- immediately reveals the efficiency of the comedic business.
Hence, in Reiner's view, funny's power depends on its transparency and its distinct capacity to speak openly about human experience, while providing a real-time gauge of its impact through laughter.
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