> Norm McDonald once made fun of the winter olympic event known as the
> "biathalon," which is a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle
> marksmanship. Ski, shoot, ski, shoot. The humor Norm found in that was all
> the other types of sports we might similarly make up. We could, say, sprint
> 100 meters, and... fish.
>
> No pain or puns. Just absurdity and comic timing.
But what makes that funny?
If there was no person involved, how absurd would it be? The notion of
skiing isn't very absurd. The notion of shooting isn't very absurd. But
put a person in the situation of skiing and then shooting, skiing and
then shooting, it becomes a bit absurd. Take it then to another level
where a person is running, and then fishing, that becomes really absurd
-- according to certain criteria. I would say that without the person,
it isn't absurd at all.
I think EvMick was suggesting that a situation recounted at someone's
expense -- whether explicitly or otherwise -- is the essence of what a
joke is.
I think I agree.