"What is the deal with airline food?"
It's the hackiest line in comedy now, but when Observational Comedy exploded in the 80s (thanks to Jerry Seinfeld and George Carlin), it was a revelation.
The Theory
Observational comedy takes the mundane details of everyday life—laundry, traffic, waiting in line—and puts them under a microscope. The goal is the "Flash of Recognition." You want the audience to say, "Oh my god, I do that too! I thought I was the only one!"
The Connector
By highlighting these shared, tiny experiences, the comedian creates a sense of community. We realize that we are all living the same weird, petty, confusing life.
How to Write It
- Notice: Carry a notebook. Write down things that annoy you or confuse you.
- Question: Ask "Why?" Why do we shake hands? Why do we say 'bless you' when someone sneezes?
- Extrapolate: Take that tiny logic and blow it up. If we say bless you for a sneeze, why not for a cough? Why not for a burp?
The genius of Seinfeld wasn't that he was funny; it was that he was precise.