Black comedy

comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor

Black comedy (also known as dark comedy or dark humor) is getting humor (something funny or comical) from something serious. It is known for its use of very sensitive subjects, such as war, tragedy, disease, death and suffering of the innocent. Black comedy is also a form of satire that uses irony and mocking. It may cause a wide variety of emotional reactions.

The term black humor (from the French humour noir) was coined by the surrealist André Breton in 1935.[1]

Some famous examples of black comedy include South Park, Waiting for Godot, Happy Tree Friends, Charles Addams' cartoons, Catch-22, Dr. Strangelove, Harold and Maude, and plays by Joe Orton, the novel film and early TV episodes of M*A*S*H, Itchy and Scratchy from The Simpsons, cartoons by John Callahan, Lasagna Cat, It's Such a Beautiful Day, SuperMarioLogan, SMG4, Moral Orel, Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, etc.

References

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  1. Breton, André 1935. Anthologie de l'humour noir. Paris. Translation: Anthology of black humor 2001. City Lights, transl. Mark Polizzotti. ISBN 978-0-872-86321-7