Funny but why?

[slimjim]

Anyone think of good examples of things that, on paper, don't seem very funny but just are once they're on the screen. My example is Trigger saying 'Dave'. Always cracks me up but why?

[Linz]

Thats so strange, before I even read your example I had Only Fools and Horses in my mind!! Del cracks me up when he comes out with his French phrases!! And for me Trigger doesn't have to say anything to make me laugh! I think it's down to the characters and the way they 'act out' the lines rather than what they actually say

[bernardo]

The Headmaster sketch on "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" (c.1989) with Stephen Fry as a strict headmaster, Hugh Laurie as a parent, and Hugh Laurie's six-week-old son as a naughty pupil. The baby was fast asleep (being held by Hugh) and was jolted awake by Stephen Fry shouting fiercely at him for being naughty. The shock of being shouted at by a large man (combined with the glare of bright studio lights) caused great distress for the baby but great amusement for (and sympathy from) the audience.

[kags]

I have just seen a clip of John Cleese giving a eulogy to Graham Chapman at his funeral. It is hilarious, but if I write it down it won't sound funny at all. Cleese says at one point that Graham came to him in a dream the previous night and asked him to be the first person to ever say "f*ck" at a funeral. You see, told you it wouldn't sound funny! On the subject of John Cleese I am sure that hitting a car with a big branch, or repeatedly mentioning the war, or looking for a duck in a trifle would not sound even remotely amusing on paper!

[craigyb85]

Most of Tommy Cooper's material for a start! The other current TV character that is good at the mo is Fred Elliott in Coronation Street. The lines he comes out with are mildly amusing but the way he says them is pure comedy class!

[florawales]

Definitely have to agree that Fred Elliott's lines are often classics, e.g. a week or so back, discussing his loneliness with Shelley - "No man is an island - even if he looks like one."

[pjaston]

Abbott & Costello - Who's on first, hilarious when they do it, sad as I am I looked up the script on the net, it's just not the same!

[BigTed]

I think seeing Rod Hull falling off his roof and crashing through his greenhouse for real would have been lot more funnier than reading about it in the paper.