Head Grenade Productions

I’m supposed to be working on a paper for Jewish American Lit right now, or one of my other papers due next week, but I’m really not up for it at the moment. However, the topic, examining three stand-up comedian’s views on Hanukkah and how their comedic styles do, or do not, draw from their Jewish Heritage, will be a lot of fun. Once I start. But not yet. Later.

It got me thinking, though, about the old idea that comedy doesn’t translate well. It doesn’t make sense, when I actually sit down and think about it. I don’t have the book on hand, but the explanation I got about how comedy works is that it can be broken down, eventually, into two types: superiority jokes and incongruous jokes. All humor either makes us feel superior to someone or something, or makes a logical/illogical jump from one point to another. That doesn’t seem to be something dependent on language, so, translating comedy should work.
Okay, yeah, I’ll admit, I don’t think it would necessarily be easy to translate complex word humor and jokes based on specific cultural things, which means yes, in some ways comedy doesn’t translate. But in terms of cultural jokes, that’s a flaw on the part of the reader, not the translator. Okay, not really “fault” but that sort of thing, I guess.

Here’s the thing, though; to use Japanese Anime as a reference, how many various comedy animes and mangas are out, and have done well? How many involve humor in one part or another, that Americans still get? Suzumiya Haruhi, Excel Saga, Azumanga Daioh, Yotsuba, Crayon Shin Chan (sorta), Lucky Start (mostly), Ranma 1/2, Nerima Daikon Brothers, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, or the jokes that come up in dramas and action shows like Evangelion, Full-Metal Alchemist, One Piece, Inu-Yasha, etc. etc.?