Awkward humor is nothing new, although I think that of late, it has become more popular. "The Office", "Mr. D.", "Arrested Development"...these shows make good use of the awkward moment.
Kids at school say "That awkward moment when (fill in the blank)."
I think it quotes some internet thing. Those kids, they're always on the internet.
(the following is an actual exchange from actual people at actual school)
"That awkward moment when you see your teacher at Comic Expo."
"You're the one who is awkward!!! I was totally awesome!!!"
"Right. Nice Ash costume."
...it WAS nice. If you want evidence, simply review the older posts until you find the one featuring the greatest Ash costume of all time.
A lot of my friends are very awkward, some in more hilarious ways than others. I have some friends who are of the uncomfortable awkward sort- it's not particularly funny the way that they are awkward, more it is horrifying and makes everyone squirm. Perhaps our comedic evolution just isn't ready for their particular brand of awkward.
Mostly, though, my friends are the sort of awkward that makes others laugh, usually because they are being awkward on purpose to make others laugh.
I appreciate this very much because:
1. I love it when people try to make other people laugh, as long as it follows my rules of comedic follow-through (with the exception of the expense rule- if they are wealthy, go ahead and spend your dolla dolla bills on my entertainment).
2. It masks those of us with regular, dysfunctional awkward and makes it seem like we, too, are being funny. I have to get a bit better at not doing shifty eyes and saying "Yesss....I was being...funnyyyy..." after an awkward moment that people think was actually an attempt at humor.
A friend told me a story today about making awkward jokes (and I concur- they were AWKWARD) to a colleague, who responded in a MUCH more awkward manner than anticipated.
We pondered- was this person being rude, snobby...or simply taking the awkward funny to a new level??
To out-awkward the awkward, one must master the following steps.
Heather's Guide to Upping the Awkward Ante
1. First, ensure that you are not going to completely embarrass some poor, uncomfortable person who is not intending to be funny. You must have a precise target- the awkward jokester.
2. You MUST practice your poker face. Delivering awkward lines demands a straight face. This is what keeps 'em guessing. "Is she joking? Or is she really that weird???"
3. You must have excellent comedic timing. Or not, now that I think about it. A well-delivered, quick quip might at first seem like the most hilarious response to initial awkwardness. But perhaps this is too clever. Perhaps it is actually WAY more funny to deliver your response at increasingly inopportune moments. Don't wait too long that you have to explain...but allowing for a moment for people's attention to wander, then BAM! Awkward punch to the face!!!
Note. Do not punch people in the face. That was a metaphor, or something.
4. Apply physical humor as much as possible. Part of people being really damn funny has to do with their physical presence. It could be that the person gestures a lot. It could be that they gesture very little. It really depends on the situation...but I think a good rule of thumb is that you should really follow your heart on this one. Does your heart say "Stand perfectly still. Don't...move...a...muscle.", or does it say "Point aggressively with your finger! HARDER!! POINT POINT POINT!!!".
I like that one does not have to be "cool" to be funny. In fact, it almost seems the opposite.
Moral of this story: I am accepting all dolla dolla bills for my entertainment fund.