Caledonian2 comments on False Laughter - Less Wrong

25 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 22 December 2007 06:03AM

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Comment author: Caledonian2 22 December 2007 01:56:52PM 9 points [-]

There are other considerations. Substituting a celebrity known for their zany improv humor and lack of personal dignity for Bill Gates would probably ruin the joke. You need someone who takes themselves seriously enough for the joke to work.

There's also an element of schadenfreunde involved. As Mel Brooks once noted: "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die."