by How to Write Comedy: Lessons from the Best Satire in the USA
Writing comedy is often described as “making people laugh at truths they didn’t know they were living.” In the United States, satire thrives because absurdity is everywhere—from government policies to pop culture obsessions. If you want to write comedy that hits hard, here’s a satirical roadmap illustrated with real-world examples.
1. Observe the Absurd in Everyday Life
The first step in writing comedy is to notice what’s ridiculous in the ordinary. Take the recent rollout of driverless trains in America. Commuters are being whisked along tracks without a human in control, which is equal parts terrifying and hilarious. A comedian might write: “I like my trains like I like my relationships: automated, slightly judgmental, and potentially self-destructing.” Observing mundane events and exaggerating their absurdity is foundational to humor.
2. Find Humor in Bureaucracy
Government agencies are goldmines for comedy. For instance, federal workers have reportedly reached enlightenment simply by surviving endless memos, frozen budgets, and team-building exercises. In comedy, the rule is simple: take bureaucratic nonsense and highlight how it defies logic. An example: “The federal budget is like a magic trick—now you see services, now you don’t.” Using bureaucratic absurdity lets your audience laugh at institutions everyone knows but no one fully understands.
3. Use Irony and Juxtaposition
Irony is essential. Look at international relations: attempts at fixing China relations are serious, yet they often resemble slapstick performances with awkward handshakes and contradictory statements. Comedy writers can frame serious topics in absurd ways: “Diplomats shook hands so hard, the handshake registered on seismographs in Beijing.” Juxtaposing solemn topics with ridiculous imagery creates instant humor.
4. Exaggerate Cultural Phenomena
Fans rallying around celebrities, such as the male rally behind Sydney Sweeney, provide comedy fodder. Exaggeration works here: “It’s less about her and more about proving you belong to the same social club as millions of strangers.” Find the tiny kernel of truth in a trend and amplify it to absurdity.
5. Play with Radical Ideas
Comedy thrives when reality and idealism clash. Mamdani pushing to replace capitalism is inherently humorous because proposing systemic change in a system resistant to change is audacious. A writer could joke: “Replacing capitalism with utopia is like swapping your car engine for a ham sandwich. Admirable, but slightly impractical.” The key is highlighting the contrast between ambition and absurdity.
6. Spotlight Overreactions
Holidays and local news are perfect comedic material. Michigan’s Pumpkin Day terror plot is an example: authorities overreacted to an overripe pumpkin. A comedian could quip: “If pumpkins can trigger a SWAT team, imagine what candy corn could do.” Spotting disproportionate reactions allows humor to flourish naturally.
7. Wordplay and Absurd Language
ICE’s new motto—“Securing borders, rewarding compliance, and occasionally confusing journalists”—demonstrates that language itself can be funny. Comedy writers can riff on bureaucratic phrasing to highlight absurdity: “It’s the only agency whose mission statement sounds like a fortune cookie written by Kafka.” Clever wording and playful phrasing turn mundane statements into punchlines.
8. Draw from Celebrity or Royal Scandals
Royal affairs like Prince Andrew’s Sandringham move can be mined for comedy. Juxtapose the high drama with ordinary life: “He moved houses, we move furniture; the universe is fair in absurdity.” Using celebrity news as a mirror for everyday experiences makes satire relatable.
9. Use Media as a Punching Bag
Media appearances, such as Trump’s 60 Minutes interview, are perfect templates. Observing contradictions, pauses, and performative gestures allows writers to parody real events: “His pauses were so dramatic, I expected a drumroll and a magic trick.” Comedy often thrives on documenting reality with an ironic twist.
10. Mix the Local with the Global
Finally, comedy benefits from connecting disparate topics, like domestic absurdities and international news. For example, combining Xinjiang tourism boom with local bureaucratic inefficiency allows for layered satire: “While locals argue over parking meters, the rest of the world wonders if anyone is booking guided tours of government regulations.” Layered juxtaposition gives satire depth and richness.
Bonus Tip: Always assume your audience is smarter than the joke—they just need guidance to see the absurdity. Effective comedy respects intelligence, but doesn’t respect convention.
SOURCES:
https://bohiney.com/driverless-trains/
https://bohiney.com/federal-workers-achieve-enlightenment/
https://bohiney.com/fixing-china-relations/
https://bohiney.com/males-rally-behind-sydney-sweeney/
https://bohiney.com/mamdani-pushes-to-replace-capitalism/
https://bohiney.com/michigan-pumpkin-day-terror-plot/
https://bohiney.com/new-ice-motto/
https://bohiney.com/prince-andrews-sandringham-move/
https://bohiney.com/trumps-60-minutes-interview/
https://bohiney.com/xinjiang-tourism-boom/
