Why do you like surreal humour?

"....one particular personality type found the surreal cartoons more rewarding. These people, dubbed "experience seekers", are defined by a desire to pursue novel sensations, stimulation and experiences, whether it's through art, travel, music or an unconventional living style.

When processing any type of funny cartoon, experience seekers showed greater activity in the TPJ, hippocampus and prefrontal areas of the brain than their fellow subjects, which might reflect their adventurous mindset, says Samson."

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527451.400-the-comedy-circuit-when-your-brain-gets-the-joke.html

Fish

Quote: sootyj @ March 11 2010, 1:27 PM GMT

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Definitely - whatever it means.

To answer the question - because it makes me laugh!

I love Surreal stuff from Peter Cook, Monty Python or Spike Milligan.
But I wouldn't say It's my favourite type of comedy.
Especially when it misses the mark which it very often does.

I love Vic and Bob. I never knew why at the start though.

I Like the Smell of and Shooting Stars.
But Big Night Out was very ropey although enjoyable.

What I love about surreal humour is that you'll never know who's going to get it.

As an example: my dad is tee-total, never touched a drug in his life and seriously political, but he loves Vic and Bob, and has all the Cheech and Chong movies.

Yes, I started liking Vic and Bob when I was about 10/11, so I certainly didn't analyse why at the time.

Quote: Nogget @ March 11 2010, 9:14 AM GMT

"....one particular personality type found the surreal cartoons more rewarding. These people, dubbed "experience seekers", are defined by a desire to pursue novel sensations, stimulation and experiences, whether it's through art, travel, music or an unconventional living style.

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Hmmm. Well to a certain extent. Although I don't know if that means people who like jumping out of planes, cos that's definitely not me.

Quote: zooo @ March 11 2010, 11:24 PM GMT

Hmmm. Well to a certain extent. Although I don't know if that means people who like jumping out of planes, cos that's definitely not me.

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I think you're describing 'thrill seekers', which is perhaps more of a body experience, compared to the intellectual experience of art and music which the article seems to be alluding to.

I love Monty Python and The Young Ones, because you never know what direction they're going to take, and although always completely absurd - they are always highly intelligent. I think it's the surreal comedies like this, which have inspired this new "movement" of comedians like The Mighty Boosh, and even to some extent Flight of the Conchords. What does everyone think?

Quote: ApplePirate @ March 12 2010, 8:33 AM GMT

I love Monty Python and The Young Ones, because you never know what direction they're going to take, and although always completely absurd - they are always highly intelligent. I think it's the surreal comedies like this, which have inspired this new "movement" of comedians like The Mighty Boosh, and even to some extent Flight of the Conchords. What does everyone think?

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I pretty much agree with that. Without surrealism we'd never have had the Milky Joe episode of Boosh.

Quote: Nogget @ March 12 2010, 7:56 AM GMT

I think you're describing 'thrill seekers', which is perhaps more of a body experience, compared to the intellectual experience of art and music which the article seems to be alluding to.

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Ah yes, good point.
I do like an intellectual thrill, I must admit.

I like surreal humour so the tiny hole on top of my long pointy head admits mauve coloured steam whenever there is anything funny. If it's not very I will scream in the manner of a crying walrus.

Because done well it's funny, like any other type of humour.