Misused: Actually Pretty Funny

Actually Pretty Funny

I had it up there, but the wiki ate it.

This trope is about someone insulting someone else and that person thinking the insult was quite funny, or something along those lines, but let's look at the wicks, shall we? Seriously, it needs a rename badly.

Misuse

• Cutaway Gag: Somebody thinks that a joke in a movie was funny, out of universe.
• Covers Always Lie: Natter and misuse.
• Genre Deconstruction: As part of a ridiculously long example, it is used for someone admitting another person was right.
• Mood Whiplash/Film: The writer of the article thinks something was funny.
• Forced Meme: The editor thought something was funny.
• Music/Friday: The editor thought Friday was a good song, and used this trope. What?
• Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humour: The editor talks about things being funny.
• "Funny Aneurysm" Moment: Talking about dark humour making unfunny things funny.
• Hipster Hitler: The editor thought a webcomic was funny.
• Star Trek: Generations: The editor thought something was funny, yet again.
• This Is a Drill: Natter.
• Too Funny to Be Evil: Apparently funny insults have to do with villains pretending to be unevil by being funny.
• The Order of the Stick: An editor thought something was funny again.
• Too Soon: As always, someone thought something was funny.
• "Knock Knock" Joke: Someone thought something was funny: ONLY THIS TIME IN-UNIVERSE!
• Credits Pushback: Someone says something funny in-universe again.
• Not Bad: Apparently someone thinking that another person's insult was funny is grudging respect finally being given.
• Oh God: God cracks a joke possibly.
• Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo: The editor thought something was funny.
• Animated Film: An editor thought a character was funny
• Self-Insert Fic: Some editor thought some thing was funny.

Used Correctly

• Cheaper By The Dozen: Correct
• How It Should Have Ended: Correct
• It Amused Me: Correct
• My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic S2 E1 "The Return of Harmony Part 1": Correct, I think.

Sorry that I've only done 25 wicks instead of 50 (I could finish up later), but this shows 84% misuse and I think makes a good case for a rename. How about I Find That Insult Amusing?

edited 21st Feb '12 9:22:22 AM by Lightflame

Article tagged.

edited 21st Feb '12 9:23:08 AM by ArcadesSabboth

Thanks!

edited 21st Feb '12 9:23:43 AM by Lightflame

Okay, so we're getting it used out of universe. That's a specific type of clean up. I also have issues with the specificness of the trope you laid out having that title.

I agree with Deboss about the trope being too specific. Is it actually necessary for the one giving the insult to be evil? Judging by the examples on the page, it seems like that is not how the trope is actually being used, but I may be wrong about that. In any event, I feel like the trope could be pretty easily expanded to include examples of people finding things that antagonists, rivals, or enemies say funny or witty.

I think the misuse and Stock Phrase nature of the current name suggests a rename would be a good idea though. Would it make more sense to have a single proposition crowner with a "rename and broaden" option or to just have a page action crowner?

edited 22nd Feb '12 8:52:25 PM by LouieW

I don't think the important thing is that the guy cracking the joke is evil, or that they're an enemy or a rival or anything. I think it's more important that the character who thinks it's funny really doesn't want to think it's funny. Like, "Oh geez, he just made a joke about denying the Holocaust, but it's Actually Pretty Funny." Enemies are well and good, but it really feels like that should count too.

I agree with that. There should be something that would make the character naturally inclined to think it's a bad joke. Could be an enemy or rival, but I'd also include tasteless jokes to a character who would normally take offence. So, making a lawyer joke to a lawyer would count, but only if the target is one who normally hates those jokes. A blonde joke to a Straw Feminist would also count. Racism is another topic that works.

But the problem with the trope is that the horrible name makes tropers use it to indicate that they think something is funny. A rename would be a big help.

I've got another suggestion: I Shouldnt Be Laughing At This.

This sounds like a line of dialog, just like e.g. I Am Not Making This Up and other (memetic) phrases used all the time in writing up tropes. That's not good.

Should Not Be Laughing At This?

"Sick, Wrong, And Actually Quite Funny Too"?

Or Sick Wrong But Still Funny?

Gallows Humor Banter

We already have Gallows Humor, and that's a different trope anyway.

edited 7th Mar '12 9:55:17 AM by DragonQuestZ

The example from The Killing Joke is both. But you're right, there are plenty of examples that don't overlap. Joking With Evil?

"Sick, Wrong, But Actually Pretty Funny" ?

"Sick, Wrong, But Pretty Funny" ?

"Sick, Wrong, And Pretty Funny" ?

edited 20th Mar '12 10:41:24 AM by ArcadesSabboth

Tick-tock, there's a clock.

I don't think this really should be limited to just "Sick and wrong"

Sometimes lame jokes fit the bill or someone who does a ton of lame jokes but then occasionally hits one that is actually pretty funny. (like getting the Tsukkomi to laugh in a Boke and Tsukkomi Routine.)

The Ichigo Mashimaro example is that and that lead me here.

edited 20th Apr '12 6:10:51 AM by Raso

Locking due to lack of meaningful activity.