Why do people laugh at catch-phrases? Is it a Pavlovian response?

It's a social thing, a sign that one is a knowing and active part of a pack/herd. It's a shared experience akin to a singing along on the football terraces, or being one of the blokes in a bukkake video.

Whatever.

There's both aspects to it, imo, Pavlovian learned response and herd sharing. Although for me Pavlovian has the upperhand. For an audience to keep finding the same torturous grind towards a predictable and known ending funny, seems a more Pavlovian response.

Don't forget, there's humour in repetition.

Don't forget, there's humour in repetition.

Don't forget, there's humour in repetition.

Aren't you glad I didn't say Oranges?

I always thought it was like those people who laugh loudly in the cinema at the film references in those Orange ads. It's to tell everyone they get the joke, in the hope others would be impressed. Or something.

Depends on what the Catchphrase is.

Bruce Forsyth has Catchphrases that involve the audience, like a kind of warm up for the Comedy Gold about to come.

In sketch shows the Catchphrase often works because of the anticipation, you know it's coming & are just waiting for it.
"Now I do not believe you wanted to do that"
"Is that what you want? Because that's what'll happen!"
"Which was nice!"

Catchphrases are also very handy when someone is doing uncannily realistic Impressions in the Pub and they want to make quite sure that everyone knows who they are Impersonating.
"Mmmm I doooon't believe it Betty!"

So it seems the answer is that people might laugh at catchphrases because the repetition itself is funny, they want to laugh to confirm their group identity, and possibly because they simply expect to laugh. Who would have thought it could be so complicated?

Quote: Nogget @ September 2 2009, 4:10 PM BST

Who would have thought it could be so complicated?

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Ironically, that is actuallty my catchphrase.

I suppose anything could be a catchphrase, but I'm happy to be corrected.

Quote: Nogget @ September 2 2009, 4:24 PM BST

I suppose anything could be a catchphrase, but I'm happy to be corrected.

View original

That's a good one. It's got a certain ring about it.

Repetition is an oft used element in comedy. Especially stand up comedy, a comedian will have a certain running joke or theme and repeat a certain line throughout the act.

Often the catchphrase does not elicit laughter though. "Nice to be here, to be here nice" was never supposed to be funny. Would it have been funny, had humour been intended?

Pavlov actually had his own Catchphrase..
"Who let the Dog's eat - me me"

I once tried to make my own Pavlov's Dog, but it ran off and left meringue all over the kitchen.

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