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From: tonti@ptsfc.UUCP (Guy Tonti)
Newsgroups: net.games.trivia
Subject: Re: Meta-humor in Charles Schulz's Peanu
Message-ID: <488@ptsfc.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 7-Dec-85 19:10:23 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfc.488
Posted: Sat Dec  7 19:10:23 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 9-Dec-85 04:01:09 EST
References: <800@h-sc1.UUCP> <12800003@ada-uts.UUCP>
Organization: Pacific Bell, San Francisco
Lines: 23
Summary: meta-humor in Funky Winkerbean

> >                                                         Some of my
> > favorite meta-humor is that which appears in comic strips, when the
> > artists get up the courage to take a risk with some unconventional
> > humor.
> 
> P.S.  For those who just went "Huh?", Berke Breathed is the creator
>       of Bloom County.  In this case, only those who pay attention
>       to the strip (True fans) thinks it's outrageously funny.  It
>       fails to be funny when it has to be explained.  This is
>       therefore a poor attempt at meta-humor.

An example of this "inside humor" was a few years back when Funky
Winkerbean became a counselor at a summer camp.

His first sentence to the group of kids was: 
     "Hi, my names Funky Winkerbean!"

     which was met by uproarious laughter from the kids.

EXACTLY one year later, Funky was again a camp counselor, said the
same line, and got no response.  The last panel had one kid turn to
the other and say:
     "Same jokes, year in and year out."