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Unintentional humor is the act of making other people laugh without actually meaning to. There are several different kinds of unintentional humor that arise out of various situations.

A no smoking sign at Baker Street tube station, surrounded by icons of Sherlock Holmes smoking a pipe, which adorn the station.

Unintentionally funny combination of "Way In" and "No Entry"

[edit] Unintended contradiction

It is possible for unintentional humor to arise when two different well-meaning people contribute independent pieces of information, but in combination, they contradict each other. The images on the right are an example of this.

[edit] Missteps

A misstep in the (in)appropriate environment is often considered humorous, that is the tension or embarrassment it creates is released by laughter. Examples are misspeaks or falls by a famous individual, catching somebody at an official event with inappropriate manners or embarrassing body noises.

[edit] Taking one's creation too seriously

Some books, movies, and other literary works end up being unintentionally funny because they are comically clichéd or overwrought, despite appearing to be earnest and serious efforts by their creators. Examples are "so bad they're good" movies, such as Plan 9 From Outer Space and the style of bad writing celebrated by the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.

[edit] See also

[edit] Examples

• English As She Is Spoke
• The Eye of Argon
• Striking and Picturesque Delineations of the Grand, Beautiful, Wonderful, and Interesting Scenery Around Loch-Earn
• All your base are belong to us
• Robert Coates, actor
• Florence Foster Jenkins, singer
• William McGonagall, poet
• James McIntyre, poet
• Julia A. Moore, poet
• Amanda Ros, novelist
• Edward D. Wood, Jr., director
• Bushism
• Goldwynisms
• Yogiisms
• Dildo, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Fucking, Austria
• Figure moe zoku
• Engrish
• Spoonerism
• Latawnya, the Naughty Horse, Learns to Say "No" to Drugs
• The Room

[edit] Types

• Inherently funny word
• Oxymoron
• Malapropism
• Camp (style)
• Blooper

[edit] Other

• Irony