Comedy Analysis: Facial humour

The man with the rubber face

The face is one of the most powerful instruments in the world of comedy and humour. By using specific expressions, or by not using them, comic effect can be achieved. Some comedians have made the face their speciality or trademark. Rowan Atkinson is even nicknamed "the man with the rubber face", due to his ability to use differing facial expressions and deadpan in his humour.

A well-known version of facial humour is deadpan. This is derived from the slang meaning of 'pan' which is face. Therefore deadpan is a 'dead' face i.e. a face without expression. This is used for comedic purpose when delivering a statement or punchline. Leslie Nielsen was an expert in deadpan. His use of deadpan in the film Airplane! is legendary.

Leslie Nielsen's Deadpan

The opposite of deadpan is exaggeration. Here the comedian makes an exaggerated expression for comic effect. This can for instance be a grimace of incredible pain, when the comedian was only slightly nudged or a face of incredible joy over something small. Rowan Atkinson frequently used exaggeration in his Mr. Bean character.

Another form of facial humour is to make an expression which does not suit the actual emotion in the least. For instance a happy face at a funeral, though (or maybe because) it is inappropriate, can be funny. (In comedies ONLY, do NOT attempt this at a real funeral!).

The final form of facial humour we will discuss here is the act of making a weird or funny face, unrelated to the surroundings. This is a technique used by many comedians, as well as by 'normal' people. This can be hilarious when done right and can often be seen in photo-bombs, at parties, stand-up comedy acts and in many films, series and on the streets.

Due to the many possibilities of the face (most probably haven't even been mentioned here) it is a truly powerful tool of comedy. You can try it at home, take a ridiculous picture, upload it to the Internet and see the responses flood in!