Jokes at LMU

Nobody but cabaret artist Bruno Jonas is one of the founders of the “Central Council of German Humor”, who wants to scientifically examine the state of German humor at the “Humor Symposium” at the LMU in Munich. That can be fun.

Press conference with Bruno Jonas, then in the rooms of the Laughter and Shooting Association in Munich – who wouldn’t automatically think of announcing a new program, including a few powerful crackers? But what the cabaret artist presents here is not about practice, but theory. Jonas is one of the founders of the “Central Council of German Humor”, which in turn organizes the first “Humour Symposium” on November 25-26 in the Great Hall and at Odimax at LMU.

What sounds weird as a name (and probably should sound just like that) means quite seriously. Humor should be “scientifically examined and described,” according to Jonas on the two-day event presentation, in all its current guise. It is believed that the issue has been “carelessly treated” thus far. According to the 69-year-old, artists of all kinds, as well as cabaret artists, cartoonists and filmmakers, should “present their personal humor experiences at the conference,” and experts from various faculties must respond.

And not only literary scholars, as the German Friedrich Vollhardt adds as a “scientific director”, but also representatives of other disciplines such as jurisprudence (see below). In the end, it also comes down to the question of what spelling is allowed – and what isn’t. Questions from the audience are allowed, “However, seminar certificates cannot be purchased from us,” Jonas explains with a wink. There wouldn’t be full cabaret numbers either: “It’s not supposed to be the usual thing.”

An experienced scorner, who had an idea of ​​the seminar, doubts that it is difficult to talk about the joke in a funny way: “I also see the danger that it can become boring, but then, we as organizers are called to step in.” However – the controversy can also be heated In LMU, because ‘prepared to rage’ has increased in Germany in recent years. For example, are you allowed to joke about the appearance of Green Party leader Ricarda Lange (“Dick and Dove were two people”)? The reaction of the diaphragm, says the Central Humor Council member, then used the image of the “big and small tympanum” in each human – depending on the size of this instrument, and the vibration, that is, a sense of humor, is stronger. Scientist Vollhardt notes that there is an evolutionary biologist at the symposium, who will talk about physical reactions to the joke, “a burgeoning field of research.”

Seminar as a course where you learn to laugh (again)? Indeed, finding that there is a loss of satirical competence, Bruno Jonas recently received an applause in performance for a statement that was meant to be downright sarcastic. “You can use language to communicate – but wouldn’t it be naive to do that?” he adds with a vague smile.

the program:

Friday 25 November Cabaret artists Bruno Jonas and Mathias Tritter and cartoonists Gresser and Linz will discuss with professors of German language, art history and law.

Saturday 26th November Then cabaret artist Gerhard Bolt, satirist and MEP Martin Sonnborn and director Leander Hausmann, along with “FAZ” publisher Jürgen Kaup and film scholar Josef Fruchtel, got to the bottom of the joke seriously.

Events are held from 1 pm to 6 pm. Tickets are available at centralrat.lachundschiess.de.