A lot of my comedy deals with me getting old. I am a 55 year old newbie in a world of comics age 19 to 35. Many of these young comics have very serious thoughts on what makes for good material. A few would rather get no laughs than to ever tell a “hack” joke. Granted, you don’t want to take the stage to tell a series of street jokes that we’ve all heard before; but our purpose as comics is to make people laugh. If that means developing your jokes based on proven themes, go for it.
Nothing is more proven time and again than a good poop or fart joke. They don’t get old (at least not for me). Bodily functions were the first things our parents put limits on in polite conversation. Poop was our first verbal taboo. Part of humor is discussing taboos. Things that make us uncomfortable often make us laugh as well. I think that laughter is a way of dealing with discomfort. Think about being tickled. It makes us uncomfortable and we laugh. Comedy is the same way. Something is uncomfortable to discuss, we discuss it, laugh, and we feel better.
The laughter/discomfort connection is also played out in jokes that are a play on words or point out flaws in a way of thinking. Those things make our brains uncomfortable. We laugh as a reaction. Then we feel better. Or we think about it and over analyze it. Either way humor served its purpose; to make us laugh and make us think, but mostly make us laugh.
So don’t feel bad if you occasionally let your inner chimp loose and fling some poop jokes. A good poop or fart joke is funny. Tell one some time and see who laughs. Appreciate the people who do, and don’t give a shit about the people who don’t.
Laugh at me! 