As Oscar Wilde said, “If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.”
And also, “Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is by far the best ending for one.”
Comedy Will/Per
The skilled comedian can break tension, provide insight on a situation, and “tell it like it is” without arousing an aggressive response. On the other hand, comedy can also be used to mock and enrage others, and point out the ludicrous nature of beliefs. It varies from highbrow satire and black comedy to slapstick and scatological humour.
Sample Obstacles:
Cracking a joke with your mates at the pub, Ob 1
Breaking the ice with a new acquaintance of a similar background, Ob 2
Making the boss laugh at work (so he forgets you broke his best chisel), Ob 3
Making the mugger laugh so he doesn’t brain you, Ob 4
Convincing your wife that her catching you in bed with another woman is actually quite funny, Ob 5
Making the entire court laugh at a shortcoming of the king in his presence (and the king is laughing too), Ob 6
Convincing your mother-in-law that your wife catching you in bed with another woman is actually quite funny, Ob 7
Stopping the opposing army dead in its tracks with laughter via a very silly dance, Ob 8
Making a prophet laugh at his own religious beliefs, Ob 9
A joke so funny all who hear it drop dead from laughing so hard, Ob 10
Or the obstacle could be the Will of the “victim”.
Differences in background and social standing add disadvantage penalties, as does hostility towards the joke teller, irrelevance of the topic to the listeners and so on.
FoRKs: Ugly Truth, Relevant Wises, Falsehood, Seduction, Persuasion
(Academic topics such as History could also be FoRKed: think David Mitchell, and if you don’t know David Mitchell, of Mitchell and Webb, then I suggest you quickly remedy this situation.)
