Comedy comes in threes: developing a conceptual framework for the comic triple humour technique

Abstract There is an opportunity in humour studies to expand its fundamental theories and develop joke structure analysis tools for humour techniques such as the Comic Triple. Despite its use in the comedic arts, there is a lack of research regarding the Comic Triple tactic wherein three components of a joke appear in a sequence. The first component establishes a joke’s setup, the second reinforces the setup, and the third contradicts this pattern with a surprise. Using the Incongruity Theory of humour as a theoretical basis, the author proposes a conceptual framework for explaining and analysing the Comic Triple with applications to visual humour and comedic outlets other than stand-up comedy, where research has already been conducted. This conceptual framework graphically presents a theoretical construct of the Comic Triple displayed as a linear process. In the final portion of the article, the Comic Triple Conceptual Framework is applied to The Three Stooges’ short film Punch Drunks as an example analysis, illustrating a well-defined humour tactic within an academic context.