Parody Done Right

As you all know, parody is one of the most misused forms of comedy out there. Mainly because of how the writers lack knowledge of the source material or make their humor too mean-spirited. So how can parody be done right?

edited 29th Jan '16 7:13:05 PM by superboy313

Mean-spirited humor is entirely the wrong approach to take when doing a parody. At its core, a parody should be done out of fondness for the target, not condemnation. As Groucho Marx once said to his wife, "insulting you is just my way of saying I love you."

For example: a celebrity roast. In addition to jokes and insult comedy, such events may also involve genuine praise and tributes. The implication is that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult, and it is seen by some as a great honor to be roasted.

edited 29th Jan '16 5:54:01 PM by pwiegle

Wait... Affectionate Parody, or satire? I assume you want the latter, because sometimes people say 'parody' to mean 'satire'.

edited 29th Jan '16 8:56:12 PM by hellomoto

Yes, parody can go sour very quickly if not done right. I agree with the other posters here, its best you parody something you love, rather than something you hate. Its far funnier to make a joke about a show you know a ton about, than it is to parody a show you have seen little of. If that makes any sense.

For example, I do not watch MLP, nor do I know anything about it, so I wouldn't dare try to parody it, but I know Star Wars well, and could easily make a light-hearted parody of it.