Are there any humorists or humor writers who others laugh at but who you don't find funny at all?

[red dog 1]

Last edited Sun Dec 3, 2017, 08:05 PM - Edit history (1)

Author and humor-writer David Sedaris seems to be very popular these days.
I hear him a lot on NPR, speaking before live audiences who laugh uproariously at everything he says.
Amazon.com describes him as "One of America's pre-eminent humor writers."
He's written books.
He writes for magazines such as The New Yorker and The Atlantic.
I don't "dislike" him - I just don't think he's funny.
On the plus side, like me and just about everybody here on DU, he does NOT like Donald Trump!
I learned this when I read his essay in the "Paris Review" titled
"A Number of Reasons I've been Depressed Lately"
(t's a nice essay, and you can find it easily by doing a Google search)

Is there anyone you know of who makes people laugh uproariously that you don't think is funny?

[Xipe Totec]

1. Seinfeld. I don't find humor in the humiliation of others

I cringe rather than laugh at George Constanza.

[SCantiGOP]

12. You beat me to it

I would also say Seinfeld.

[dawg day]

28. Me too--

I never once laughed at his show. I just didn't get it.

[red dog 1]

19. Are you referring to "Seinfeld" the TV sit-com?

Or Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up act?

I loved "Seinfeld" the TV show; but I don't find his stand-up act to be funny at all.

As far as George Costanza, the "Seinfeld" character played by Jason Alexander,
(From Wikipedia)
He has variously been described as a
"short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" and "Lord of the Idiots" (by Costanza himself)

[Xipe Totec]

23. The sitcom. In general I don't like sitcom humor

Fraiser Crane, same think. Too painful to watch.

[Locut0s]

33. I don't think of Seinfeld as laughing at humiliation, it's as laughing at petty idiocy...

Every character in Seinfeld is funny because they screw themselves over for being the most insanely petty, small minded, idiots you can imagine. These are people who could have wonderful lives except for the fact they can't stand being in a relationship with someone because they are totally perfect until they discover they use some kind of fungal cream. And as for George I think he's one of the funniest characters ever created for a sitcom.

I will say the show has not aged well though!

[Xipe Totec]

36. I see nothing funny in people screwing themselves. Schadenfreude is not humor nt

[drray23]

2. in my case its not an humorist per se, but the show southpark

I dont find it funny at all. Some people argue that it is deep and loaded with social commentaries on today's society. This may be so, I just find it dumb.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. I find Sedaris to be very funny.

Seinfeld was not funny. Benny Hill and Married With Children were especially not funny.

[Control-Z]

6. Can not stand Married with Children.

I never found Seinfeld to be funny either. Benny Hill didn't inspired me enough to even give it a chance.

A current sitcom I don't get is 2 Broke Girls.

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. Thankfully the vile 2 Broke Girls got cancelled

I can't believe it lasted 6 seasons.

I liked Seinfeld for the most part, but it was more humorous than laugh out loud funny.

I binged all 6 seasons of The Mindy Project on Hulu recently and I like it a lot.

[Dulcinea]

40. I don't think Sedaris is funny.

Nor Jerry Seinfeld's standup. I liked the show though.

I have no idea how Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell got to be so popular. They both leave me cold.

Almost all my favorite comics are dead: Robin Williams, George Carlin, & Eddie Murphy.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

41. I thought Seinfeld's show was tiresome.

The characters were unlikeable and the humor, such as it was, was often mean-spirited. I agree that Adam Sandler is awful, but Will Ferrell could be funny. He did a great GW Bush impression.

[MaryMagdaline]

4. Amy Schumer - good politics - not funny

[spooky3]

27. I think her skits are funnier than her standup.

“Abusive couple” on Youtube is hysterical.

My nominee for unfunny humorist is Woody Allen.

[MaryMagdaline]

37. True! She is a good comedic actor

[They_Live]

5. Seth MacFarlane

I detest his work. I've tried, but I just can't get into it.

[Control-Z]

8. I agree with one exception.

A Million Ways To Die In The West was a good movie. But that's it for him and his work.

[rurallib]

10. agree - feel like he has to slap you in the face

and say "here comes the joke with some dirty connotation."

Used to laugh at stuff like that in high school.

[Turbineguy]

7. I'm finding a lot of people

who I used to think were funny, no longer amuse me.

[Control-Z]

9. Has your lawn become more important

to you than it used to be?

[IcyPeas]

13. David Sedaris SantaLand Diaries?

I don't like any sitcoms on TV, but I do have a sense of humor. I watch Orange is the New Black and Big Little Lies. Both of these shows are described as Comedy/Drama. I don't see comedy in either of them, so I sometimes wonder if I misunderstand the definition.

But I have to admit the first time I heard David Sedaris's Santaland Diaries on the radio, it cracked me up.

https://www.npr.org/2016/12/23/506475364/a-holiday-tradition-david-sedaris-reads-santaland-diaries

[csziggy]

43. I think Sedaris peaked with SantaLand Diaries

The first time I heard it on NPR I had to pull off the road I was laughing so hard. Over the years I have listened to other bits of his but have never found any to be as funny as that one.

[Skittles]

14. I never could stand Bill Cosby

did not find him funny, thought he was creepy

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. I saw him do a stand-up routine, live, many years ago (late '60s).

It was hilarious, at least it seemed so to me at the time (I was about 19). But his TV sitcom never made me even crack a smile; I thought it was dumb.

[rusty quoin]

32. You have really good instincts then.

He was adored for decades. I thought he was okay, but never thought of him as creepy.

It reminds me of a visit to my in laws when John Edwards was running. They were strong Democrats, but when I spoke highly of him to them, they said they liked Elizabeth, but didn’t trust him. They were so right.

[Skittles]

35. I never could stand Johnny Carson either

I thought he was arrogant

[JDC]

15. Sedaris is genius and written way more than 3 books

I'd guess a dozen or more. Read Me Talk Pretty One Day <Or> Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls. Hilarious.

Read the books, skip the audio. Maybe his voice and delivery skew your view.

[hibbing]

17. Have you read Theft by Finding: Diaries (1977-2002)?

I do find him funny as all heck, just like music and many other things, we all have our tastes. I like the way he sees things. This diary edition is just like him, the book his hefty, but the entries are short. I can't even imagine how much time he spent going through all his diaries and choosing what to put in this publication. He's had such an interesting life and these diaries reflect that along with his unique observation into every day life.

Peace

[red dog 1]

21. Thanks for the correction

(My Google search only showed 3 books)

[JDC]

24. To be fair, all if his books are collections of essays

Which you kinda suggest anyhow. Peace

[red dog 1]

25. After reading that "Paris Review" essay, I actually became more interested in his writing

and I'll try to read some more.
(but I still don't think the "stand-up" material that I heard on NPR is even close to being funny)

[Ron Obvious]

18. Love David Sedaris!

I have all his books.

Can't stand Jim Carrey or Colin Farrel. I prefer wit to broad, physical, "attitude" comics.

[handmade34]

20. Amy Schumer

don't find her funny at all

[jalan48]

22. John Oliver. He laughs at his own jokes more than the audience.

[Chasstev365]

26. Wil Farrell is NOT FUNNY!

I don't get why he is so popular!

[jberryhill]

29. That one mystifies me too

[jberryhill]

30. Sarah Silverman

I get that she’s kind of ‘assuming a character’ which is funny by sometimes being atrocious. She is clever, but not my cup of tea.

[DeeDeeNY]

31. I dont find The Big Bang Theory funny

I know it’s a popular show, but to me it’s painful to watch with that fake laugh track.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

34. If I could only watch that show without the stupid laugh track I'd probably like it.

I despise all laugh tracks. If we need to be told what's supposed to be funny by the laughs of people who never even watched the show (and most of whom are long dead, I understand) then it's probably not funny.

What I do like, the very little bit of it I've ever watched, is that they get Asperger's right. Especially the times when Sheldon charges ahead and insists on saying something that EVERYONE is trying to get him not to say. I have a son with Asperger's, and boy, is that familiar.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

42. The laugh track is irritating but there's some really clever writing.

It was funnier in its first few years; lately they seem to be running out of material.

[FSogol]

38. You are confusing humorist and comedian. They aren't the same. n/t

[Wolf Frankula]

39. Peej

Early P.J. O'Rourke was funny. Later Peej is not funny.

Wolf