One possibility is that each episode has an expectation as well as uncertainty. Many of the clips, if not all, follow a simple formula. They plan a scheme, fail, Moe gets hit on the head, retaliates and they end up weaseling their way out somehow. It isn't a complicated writing task and every viewer, especially the fans, expect that formula each time. However, with various plot lines, those expectations are met in unique ways every time. Maybe the lovers of the show find it exciting to see in which new way the stooges are going to fail or which object is going to hit Moe on the head this time. Imagine an episode where the boys are asked to paint a house (there probably is an episode which that storyline anyway). You know they are going to screw it up somehow and ruin the project. There is paint involved which is obviously going to get dumped on somebody. It's a recipe for disaster. Therefore maybe the excitement comes from the anticipation of the catastrophe. I can imagine a diehard Stooges fan just sitting back and thinking "Oh, this is going to be good..."
Maybe another possible explanation is that the humor isn't highbrow by any means. There isn't alot of witty wordplay or complicated character study. It is just three morons hitting each other with hammers, to sum it up loosely. And maybe such a characteristic is right up someone's alley. Say you get back from a long day of work and have a hectic evening. You take off your shoes and flip on the television for some midnight relaxation just to find The Three Stooges up to their usual antics. Take off your thinking cap, sit back and watch some idiots get into trouble. It is just a simple pleasure.
Regardless of the reason for success, I think the show has extrinsic merit due to its place in comedy and influence. The role of the hopeless stooge is evident in every modern comedy (Homer Simpson, Larry David, Peter Griffin). I don't know if I will necessarily buy a Three Stooges box-set, but if I ever see it on late-night tv I will definitely watch a couple episodes for some good old-fashioned laughs.
I also wondered why there are die hard fans. I guess for me, I equate it to America's Funniest Home videos. There is always a section dedicated to people getting hurt or being hurt. Those are funny every time. I think that it has to do with the fact that the Stooges do have a formula that they follow religiously so there is no surprises and becomes monotonous after a few vies. Where as with the home videos you cannot predict exactly how they will get hurt, only that you anticipate that they will eventually. Frankly, I wish i could be so easily entertained as laughing hysterically at the Three Stooges. It would make life a lot more interesting...maybe?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Hobbes, we laugh at this as a form of superiority...most of us think we are much cleverer than the Stooges and would never get into their scrapes. Also, they are not exactly surprising--instead they rely on the formula. If you sit down to watch the Stooges, you know what you are going to get, and they never disappoint your expectations.
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