Gallows Humor
Gallows humor - Grim ironical humor about a serious subject. The term dates from the late 1800s and alludes to joking about being taken to the gallows and hanged. When President Barack Obama was asked why he laughed when talking about the bad state of the world economy, he replied, with a laugh, “There’s gotta be a little gallows humor to get you through the day” (Sixty Minutes, March 22, 2009).
Synonyms:
- Dark humor
- Black humor
- Morbid humor
- Grim wit
- Satire
Antonyms:
- Light humor
- Cheerful humor
- Warm-hearted comedy
Similar Terms and Common Phrases:
- Laughing in the face of adversity: Maintaining a sense of humor in tough situations.
- Whistling past the graveyard: Trying to stay cheerful in scary situations.
- Biting wit: Sharp or bitter humor, often aimed at darker topics.
- Irreverent humor: Disrespectful humor that often tackles serious subjects with levity.
Quotes:
- “Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.” - Peter Ustinov
- “Gallows humor is part of every survival kit.” - Anonymous
- “A joke’s a very serious thing.” - Charles Churchill
Proverbs:
- “He who laughs last, laughs best.” This expression of triumph can have a dark twist in the context of gallows humor.
- “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” Even in humor, there’s a suggestion that better times may come after hardships.
References:
- Literature: “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller - A novel renowned for its dark wit about the absurdities of war.
- Books: “Good Omens” by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett - A comedic, apocalyptic tale with gallows humor.
- Songs: “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” by Eric Idle from Monty Python’s “Life of Brian”.
- Poetry: “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe - Elegantly dark and grim.
- Movies: “Dr. Strangelove” directed by Stanley Kubrick - A dark comedy about nuclear war.
Inspirational Thought:
In life’s darkest moments, sometimes the only way to keep going is to find something—anything—worth laughing about. Gallows humor reminds us that while not everything is a joke, it’s vital to find some light, even if it’s extremely dim, amidst the darkness.
### Which of these embodies gallows humor?
- [x] Making a joke about the doom one faces
- [ ] Talking about a sunny day
- [ ] Discussing last night's comedy show
- [ ] Planning for a beach vacation
> **Explanation:** Gallows humor specifically revolves around making light of serious, often morbid topics, like one's own peril.
### What is an example of gallows humor?
- [ ] Laughing about a funny movie
- [x] Joking about a dire situation
- [ ] Smiling at a compliment
> **Explanation:** The essence of gallows humor is making jokes about dark, serious, or grim situations to cope with their severity.
### True or False: Gallows humor is cheerful and warm-hearted.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** Gallows humor is the opposite of cheerful and warm-hearted; it is grim, ironical humor about serious or dark subjects.
Until next we laugh at the face of morbidity, Dr. Ironicus Grim
