This link I found on wikipedia seems to be relevant; wikipedia surfing seems like a fruitful venue for this type of question; at least to find good links.

I might also ask a theater arts professor or a comedic actor; they would probably be familiar with the literature.

If I were very serious about the endeavor I would also probably ask my funniest friends about their senses of humor or watch my favorite funny movies and compare to the literature to sift through competing theories if they arose.