I need to make a 20 min. presentation on this question: "The best
comedy is always unsettling"  Do you agree? Discuss with reference
"Seinfeld"...... where can i find resources to use for my
presentation? We have been studying Shakespear comedies and Tartuff .....

Hi Daniella,

To me the operative word here is "best."  That is extraordinarily
subjective.  I can think of examples of comedy that is unsettling, but
why is it the "best?" Because (a) it makes us laugh, (b) it makes us
think, (c) it makes us better, (d) it makes us squirm, or (e) some
other reason?

Think of the famous "Black Knight" sketch from "Monty Python and the
Holy Grail."  That was a bit unsettling, no doubt, because of the
blood spurting and the graphic limb severings, but is it the "best?"

Or how about the hilarious scene in the Steve Martin movie "Planes
Trains and Automobiles" where he engages in a soliloquy at the car
rental counter in which he uses the f-word extensively.  Unsettling
because of the extreme vulgarity, but is it the "best?"

"Jane, you ignorant slut."  I still remember watching Dan Akroyd say
that on live TV in 1977.  I fell out of my chair with laughter. 
Unsettling because it broke social mores, yes, but the "best?"

John Belushi imitating a zit in the cafeteria scene in "Animal House."

Or have you seen the John Waters movie "Pink Flamingos?"  'Nuff said. 

You specifically mention "Seinfeld."  I am not sure that I agree that
anything in "Seinfeld" was unsettling.  Perhaps the infamous
masturbation allegories presented in the "master of your domain" bit? 
Or the glib use of the term "nazi" in the "Soup Nazi" piece?

Or is the stand-up comedy of Eddie Murphy the "best" because it is
vulgar and raw and edgy and unsettling?

Conversely, I can think of an equal number of counterexamples where
some of the "best" comedic moments were simply funny and not at all
unsettling.  Like when Ron Burgundy's dog comes up out of the river at
the end of "Anchorman" and says, "I'm coming Ron," that was hilarious
to me because that looked exactly like my dog and my dog "snaps" her
jaws the same way and tries to "talk."  To me, that was the best. 
Similarly, I'll bet there are millions of folks who think that Jeff
Foxworthy's comedy, which is not at all unsettling, is much funnier
than Eddie Murphy's.

So I guess after thinking through all this, I do not agree that the
best comedy is always unsettling, simply because comedy and one's
reaction to it is far too subjective.

Resource:
Seinfeld Scripts
http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

Maybe you should just read aloud what ipfan wrote.  That is, of
course, a joke.  I think those points were right on.  They were filled
with several examples, which I believe is what your professor would
want.

One excellent point was that of having a personal interest or feeling
of being involved in the sketch like with the dog story.  Garrison
Keillor of Prairie Home Companion has the same effect with his story
telling, yet not unsettling at all.  Unsettling, in the way I
understand that you mean, could be "slap stick" comedy (i.e. 3
Stooges, Dumb and Dumber, etc.).  It can still be clean and
politically correct while unsettling.

Good luck and keep laughing.