Slapstick - why is it universally funny to watch people falling over

[likelysuspect]

Watching a documentary about early film, things like Charlie Chaplin and the Keystone Cops, that sort of thing

Lots of slapstick obviously involves people just falling over, tripping over, falling into each other. Timeless.

Why is it so funny?

I even make myself laugh when I trip up on something?

As long as role aren’t hurt I find it funny, very funny sometimes. Even funnier the more unexpected or out of character.

Neil Kinnock arguably lost an election because of a stumble on a beach.

Thats not slapstick. Slapstick is Laurel and Hardy, Keystone Cops, Tom and Jerry

I used to think the same about Chaplin, never got it until I started understanding the characterisation and who he's meant to be

He's not as good as L+H

For those saying they dont enjoy slapstick, I take it you've never seen The Plank

Absoulute genius.

I dont know why people keep mentioning 'you've been framed', thats not slapstick.

Are people misunderstanding the genre?

It's not universally funny. It's a peculiarly British thing IMHO. I have travelled and in most populations, if someone falls over, people rush to help them and no-one finds it funny.

That’s not slapstick! Mr Bean I s hugely popular in Thailand / even more so than here. It watched one of the episodes they and the audience was in absolute stitches.

This probably isn't the genre you mean either OP, but - though I never like seeing people hurt and I honestly have quite sophisticated tastes mostly - I can absoultely cry laughing at people falling off the big red balls in Total Wipeout.

Like I can't breathe tyoe of laughing. It comes up from deep inside me and I can't explain it.

That’s a bit unfair. YBF is really just a reality version of movie slapstick.

A dad showing off at a pool and attempting a graceful dive but doing an horrendous belly flop could be in an Adam Sandler film or be on YBF.

But for slapstick to be funny you need to know about the characters and situation. So to that extent I agree.

It isn’t to me. I think maybe it’s a release of nervous tension which is mistaken for amusement abuse the result (laughter) is similar. My reaction is not to laugh but to feel concerned (if a real situation) or cringe with embarrassment at the predictable and unoriginal content.

It isn’t universally funny. I wince when those YouTube fail videos show someone having a bad fall. I don’t find it funny at all.

It seems to be there from a young age, like an instinctive humour. Little kids find it hilarious when people fall, not toddlers but school age children. It's part of the 'silly' level of comedy that kids enjoy. And many of us can't help but find it funny still as adults. I think its when your brain expects something and something different follows. I remember DS as a baby loved rolling balls, then a friend brought a bouncy ball. When it came back up from the floor he laughed so much he became hysterical and needed calming. I think its still a bit of that in adults.

I agree context is important. Friends uses a bit of slapstick, and a lot of exaggerated physical comedy. People love the scenes particularly with Ross (the leather trousers one comes to mind) because he is mostly a straight kind of character and David Schwimmers pained expression is brilliant. Mr Bean also has context but the physical comedy is more anticipated, so people are building up for a laugh before the incident even occurs. And again theres the exaggerated pained expression of Rowan Atkinson.

I take it you've never watched any european comedy?

Its full of slapstick.

British humour is more satirical in general

Someone falling over in front of you isnt slapstick, its an event that happens.

Oh I forgot as well that Norman Wisdom for some reason is a hero in Albania, they worship him, they find him hilarious.

Some of his slapstick was too long and drawn out for me.

I never used the term slapstick. It was in your OP wasn't it?

Rowan Atkinson as Johnny English in a suit of armour skidding down stairs, across the floor and out through a door, in front of a meeting of world leaders, is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.

Humour is a very personal thing. I don’t find slapstick funny at all. I couldn’t bear to watch You’ve been framed. But I do love storyteller’s like Billy Connolly and Peter Kay. I’m sure there are people who don’t like them. And that’s fine. Each to their own. It’d be boring if we were all the same.

I think it depends on the fall, some are very comical & some look painful and aren’t funny.

my sister rolled down a small hill & farted whilst she was on her back with her legs in the air, we all nearly wet ourselves laughing!

I've never enjoyed slapstick comedy tbh.

I dont understand this post at all.