[Theories of Humor in 3rd Rock From the Sun: Application and Analysis] [Theories of Humor in 3rd Rock From the Sun: Application and Analysis]

Theories of Humor in 3rd Rock From the Sun: Application and Analysis Krista Nardella, Humor on TV, Winter 1997 Youngstown State University

Introduction

3rd Rock From the Sun, though its humor has been at times defined as "raunchy," shot the ratings through the roof when it premiered mid-season on NBC. Of course, Jane Curtin (Dr. Mary Albright) attributed the ratings hike to the great blizzard of the Midwest that kept everyone home and in front of their televisions. Still, the show held on even after the blizzard and the ratings continued to soar. With Friends appealing to the twenty-something crowd, NBC was looking for a new brand of humor, and they found it in a group of aliens sent to Earth to explore human emotions. Why is it that 3rd Rock is so funny? There are two reasons, in fact: complexity and diversity. There are levels to the humor in 3rd Rock, and the perspectives on humor that can be found are so varied and numerous, this show has something that can allure even the most apprehensive sitcom watcher. The producers of 3rd Rock (Tom Werner, Marcy Carsey, and the Turners) definitely found something that many different groups of people can laugh at. This paper is basically set up to analyze the humor of 3rd Rock From the Sun through Berger's "Eight Perspectives on Humor." Only one show will be analyzed so far as text is concerned: the one-hour special -- The New Dick -- which aired on February 10, 1997, and 8:00 p.m. The script to this show is included at the end of this paper. I will also use the GTVH as part of the semiotic analysis and social stereotypes as part of the sociological and psychoanalytical analysis. The first part of this paper will examine the semiotics of humor, discussing the character roles, the GTVH, and script oppositions and macroscript oppositions. The second part of this paper will explore the sociological and psychoanalytic aspects of humor in the above-mentioned episode, mixing with it some feminist and philosophical theories of humor. Part 4 studies other humorous devices used but not yet mentioned: parody, intertextuality, co-text and context, sarcasm, irony, and the idea of situation as comic. The only perspectives that will not be studied are the communicative and the political science perspectives, in order to give more attention to the other six perspectives. While the show is entirely too complex to analyze completely in the given time frame, I hope to present an exhaustive overview into the perspectives of humor in 3rd Rock From the Sun. The fact must not be overlooked as well that many of the perspectives and theories overlap, such as theories of superiority and incongruity. Therefore, I will try to deal with these perspectives as concisely as the analysis will allow, but at times these factors may need to be repeated, re-categorized, or even overlapped.

Part 1. Semiotics of Humor

1.1. Incongruity theories

Berger states, "One of the important techniques semioticians use when they deal with texts is to consider their paradigmatic structure -- the set of oppositions found in them (some would say read into them) that give them meaning . . . . Listeners to the joke don't necessarily bring this set of oppositions to mind, but they must recognize it if the joke is to make any sense and the punchline is to be effective" (12). According to Raskin, this incongruity is based on the stimulus, and the incongruity of the joke is further based on a possible world, which is why a listener of the joke may not bring the set of oppositions to mind if not for the stimulus of the joke. Collier and Beckett refer to this incongruity as a "polarity with serious values on one side and comic values on the other" and the listeners respond to that tension through laughter (59). Values are juxtaposed for a comic effect and "One could say that juxtaposition's is the inclusion of two things not usually associated with each other in a single image or event" and that juxtaposition causes surprise and incongruity, hence laughter (38). In this paper, incongruity and semiotic analysis will be broken into three categories: Character analysis, General Theory of Verbal Humor, and Other semioses. The GTVH is the incongruity theory will be studied the most in-depth, for it is the only one that is equipped for handling texts longer than the joke.

1.1.1. Character analysis

There can be no mistaking that when Werner-Carsey and the Turners were looking for people to play Dick Solomon, they knew what they were doing when they picked John Lithgow. Lithgow's career in comedy has been no where near as long or involved as his career in drama. He has won awards for his performances in Terms of Endearment and The World According to Garp. Being more of a stage actor, 3rd Rock is the first situation comedy Lithgow has ever appeared in. The incongruities that he brings to the set just with his name and the associations hitherto are an element of surprise, since most people know him to be a serious actor and while humor (or aliens, for that matter) are nothing new to him, 3rd Rock is definitely in opposition to the roles that he is best-known for. Lithgow claims that he took the part because "the fun of acting is doing something different and new each time" (USA Today) and playing an alien certainly has not begrudged him the individuality of the part. Sally, Kristen Johnston's role, was rumored to be the most difficult part to cast on the show. The Turners said that they were looking for "Harrison Ford in a dress" and what they found was a 6-foot tall beauty that displayed both feminine charms and masculine brashness. Sally is incongruous because, besides the fact that she was a man on her own planet and has been sent to Earth as a woman, she is trying to cope in a female body with male emotions and attitudes (which, however, are slowly changing as Sally becomes more used to her breasts). Carsey-Werner agreed with this incongruity when they said that "it seemed a lot funnier to have a masculine male inside a petite female body" (USA Today). While French Stewart and Joseph Gordon-Levitt may not present the clear-cut incongruities that their co-actors do, it is interesting and ironic to note that Stewart did have a role in "Star Gate" and most people would conclude that he is definitely an alien, or definitely not from this planet. Jane Curtin's role as a human in 3rd Rock is probably the most interesting to note, since she is probably known best as a Conehead, and alien that she played on Saturday Night Live for years that was actually made into a movie in 1993. Still, all the characters bring one great incongruity to the show: they uncover the fact that all humans feel like aliens at one point or another, and they take that incongruity and magnify it to the point of humor. Thus, we may be laughing at the characters in a situation comedy, but at the same time we are also laughing at ourselves, and seeing that it's okay to laugh at ourselves. Dennis Rodman appears as a guest star on this one-hour episode and, though not one of the regulars, he poses an incongruity that both shocks and humors the audience.

1.1.2. General Theory of Verbal Humor

The GTVH is a revision of the SSTH by Raskin and Attardo, which was necessary in order to expand the theory to cover areas of linguistics above and beyond jokes (but still jokes as well). It introduces six knowledge resources, including the basis of SSTH: script oppositions. The other five resources deal with factors surrounding the script opposition: language, narrative strategy, target, situation, and logical mechanism. I will here analyze four humorous texts from 3rd Rock From the Sun in the light of the GTVH.
1.1.2.1. The Crying Scene
Sally: Well, missing him's not going to bring him back. I will admit that the Old Dick's methods were a little different from this Dick, but it's not up to us to question his directives, okay? He's in command and that's that. (She starts to whine) He's just mean and there's nothing we can do about it. Sally starts to cry. LA: whining SI: sitting on the roof, complaining about New Dick
NS: n/a SO: logical vs. illogical
TA: women LM: Sally crying
Sally's main incongruity is that she is a man in a woman's body, hence every micro-incongruity. The incongruity presented here is that Sally at the beginning of the conversation is trying to be logical about the "New Dick" situation. Halfway through, though, she starts crying -- a very illogical and stereotypically feminine way of handling the situation -- and whining that New Dick is mean. The conversation has turned from logical to illogical, based on Sally's ever-constant incongruity of masculine vs. feminine stereotypes. As Sally learns how to be a woman, she moves away from the masculine stereotype of swashbuckler and towards the feminine stereotype of overbearing, clothes-loving whiner. The language in this example is of paramount importance, since by the change from the confident voice to whining, we are able to witness the script opposition.
1.1.2.2. The Classroom Scene
Bell rings. New Dick enters classroom.
New Dick: Excuse me, there must be some mistake. This classroom is mine, find your own.
LA: n/a SI: classroom
NS: framed statement SO: students vs. no students
TA: University professors LM: non-realization that students belong in
a classroom
Since New Dick's macroscript opposition is experience on Earth vs. non-experience on Earth. New Dick is new to Earth, so all he's been told is that he works at the University. He does not understand that when he walks into his classroom, it most likely is for the purpose of teaching a class. Thus, he does not expect to see students sitting in his classroom. I think that University professors are the target here, and not all teachers, because University professors especially have been stereotyped as being arrogant, having no common sense, and constantly trying to dodge students. The logical mechanism exposes New Dick's macroscript in that he has no experience with Earth, real life, students, even grades (which is evident in a later script). All he has been told is that he works at the University and we assume that someone told him where his classroom was. He has no knowledge beyond that and he does not suspect anything else. One could analyze his naivete in these matters to also relate back to his macroscript opposition: naivete vs. real-world experience (or common sense). I refer to the narrative strategy as a framed statement in that one really needs no knowledge of prior events to understand the humor. In a way, this can be thought of as a canned joke, in that it has a definite beginning and punch-line, with no dialogue taking place and with only one statement being made.
1.1.2.3. The Hardware Store Scene
Hardware store -- day
Harry is playing with a plunger
Sally and Tommy enter
Sally: Stop it. Okay, okay, here's the duct tape. How many rolls do we
need?
Tommy: Uh, five-hundred rolls of silver-reflective.
Sally: Okay, well, how's eight rolls of sort-of-grayish?
Tommy: That's fine.
LA: n/a SI: hardware store
NS: Q & A SO: explicit type vs. any type
TA: New Dick LM: Tommy and Sally's non-consideration of New
Dick's orders
The humor of this text lies in the fact that New Dick had given Tommy and Sally explicit orders as to what kind of duct tape he wanted. Not only did they bend those orders, but they outright disobeyed him. The target here is New Dick since that is who gave them the orders. If no one had given them the orders of what type of duct tape to get, then the target would be non-applicable. However, since they are blatantly going against New Dick's very strict orders, it is he that is the target. The narrative strategy follows the script opposition in that the first Q & A explain the "explicit type": Sally asks Tommy what kind of duct tape New Dick wants and Tommy tells her. The second Q & A display the "any type": Sally asks Tommy if another completely different type is alright and he says yes. The situation is only important in the fact that one would probably not find duct tape in many places other than a hardware store. Thus, it is simply a vehicle to the tape and nothing more. The language is not applicable in that it is very straightforward. There is nothing in it that could not be altered (of course, with heed taken to the semantic content). Thus, the wording is not so important in this text, so long as the narrative strategy and script opposition remain the same and the meaning is not lost.
1.1.2.4. The Sally-Old Dick Confrontational Invisible Box Scene
In this scene, Sally, Tommy, Harry, and Old Dick are re-united as Old Dick is discovered in the basement, being kept captive in an invisible box. Now an attempt takes place to get him out of the box. Old Dick: Tommy, go get a hammer.
Tommy: Right.
Sally: Nobody's getting a hammer.
Old Dick: Get a hammer, that's an order.
Sally: I'm sorry, Sir, but you can't give us order.
Old Dick: (sputtering) Of all the insult!,hr> Sally: Dick, you're no longer High Commander. I'm sorry, and if we
let you out of that box, that's mutiny.
Tommy: Mutiny, schmutiny.
Harry: Big fat dutiny.
LA: word mockery SI: basement / invisible box
NS: dialogue / aside SO: follower vs. rebellion
TA: Sally LM: Tommy and Harry's non-agreement
with Sally that Old Dick should not
be let out
This text is a bit more complicated than the other three due to the narrative strategy and the script opposition. The narrative strategy is based on the dialogue between Old Dick and Sally, which sets up the joke but is non-humorous in itself. The joke comes in during an aside, where Harry and Tommy are mocking the one word that Sally is trying to stress. In this way, they are mocking Sally and her refusal to rebel against New Dick. This example displays the rebellion that Tommy and Harry have felt towards New Dick the whole episode, as well as Sally's undying willingness to give in to the "power" of the new High Commander. In this way, the co-text of the example is important1. The situation is of utmost importance, since it is the invisible box that is rendering Old Dick of incapable of escaping himself. He is dependent upon Sally, Harry, and Tommy because of it, but especially upon Sally since she is second in command and Harry and Tommy are only the Transmitter and the Intelligence Officer, respectively. Since Sally is the only one that is giving Old Dick the problem, she is the follower and hence the target, whereas Tommy and Harry are more than ready to rebel against New Dick.
1.1.2.5. Conclusion
It must be noted that this is only a brief overview of the different texts that can be analyzed by the GTVH. Every text in 3rd Rock has an incongruity and thus can have the GTVH applied to it. I've tried to deal with a wide range of texts (though I've only dealt with four) including different characters as targets to show how many incongruities exist. Next I will examine other semioses that, while not being directly related to Incongruity Theory, are extremely important to the semiotic analysis of humor.

2.1. Macroscripts

Throughout the different examples of analysis for the GTVH, I have addressed the subject that I have termed macroscript oppositions2. Every character in 3rd Rock possesses a macroscript opposition, from what they are to what they are trying to be. This opposition is for the most part based on stereotypes. These macroscript oppositions branch out into smaller script oppositions that are presented in every show. I will show each character separately with his macroscript opposition, as they have been illustrated in the above examples of analysis using the GTVH.

2.1.1. The Solomons

The Solomons as a whole have one macroscript opposition: humans vs. aliens. The logical mechanism is that the group of extraterrestrials have come to Earth and are posing as humans in order to study human emotions. From this macroscript opposition3 there branches a macroscript opposition for every character.
2.1.1.1. Old Dick
Old Dick's macroscript opposition4 is as follows: commander vs. subordinate. He has been instated as the High Commander and is the patriarch of the family, but in all reality he is just the subject. He is, metaphorically speaking, ruled by his emotions more and more. He becomes subservient to Mary, who is the sole object of his affections, and in this episode he becomes subservient (in a way and in the invisible box, at least) to Sally. This contradicts his patriarchal and commanding stance when he becomes dependent on a woman and a second-in-command at that.
2.1.1.2. New Dick
New Dick's macroscript opposition lies in the fact that this is his first trip to Earth: ignorance vs. real-world experience. New Dick is ignorant of everything on Earth, from occupations to pragmalinguistic situations5 to New Dick's inability to work a car. The humor thus lies in the fact that New Dick takes everything literally and has no knowledge of things such as cars, telephones, or sex6.
2.1.1.3. Sally
Sally macroscript opposition lies in the stereotype of genders: masculinity vs. femininity. Since Sally was a man (well, actually an asexual being with masculine tendencies) on her own planet, she is facing a contradiction head-on when she is given the body of a 6 ft. tall blonde bombshell and is made to experience "womanism" at its finest. Therefore, most of Sally's humorous texts are about feminism (where she is being oppressed because she is a woman) or masculinity (where she acts stereotypically like a man).
2.1.1.4. Tommy
Tommy's macroscript, like Sally's, is based on some characteristic that he possessed on his own planet: age. Tommy, who is the oldest of the group, is given the body of a pubescent over-achiever who is good at science and is not good at sports. Therefore, his macroscript is old vs. young. He is forced to experience adolescence all over again, using the hormonal body of his peer group and the mind of a seasoned intelligence officer. He is learning, though, that even with a mind as brilliant as his own, he still is never going to understand teenage love.
2.1.1.5. Harry
During the opening theme song to each show, it is stated that harry came along because they had an extra seat. Hence, he possesses the most ironic macroscript: alien vs. human. The macroscript is ironic in the fact that here, the alien and the human are one in the same thing. Therefore, Harry is an embodiment of the macro-macroscript and the idea that everyone feels like a freak at some point or another. This is evidenced in the episode that I am analyzing during a conversation with guest star Dennis Rodman: Sally: Look at you, the hair, the tattoos, like you could be human.
Dennis: They think I'm weird or something.
Harry: I hear that.
Harry realizes that he is thought of as weird, but really he is the only one of the group who isn't forced to be the opposite of what he is. This is where the opposition lies, in that Harry is being exactly like he was on his own planet.

Part 2: Psychoanalysis and Society

Psychoanalytic and sociological factors all incorporate humor theories and can be applied to 3rd Rock From the Sun. Humor allows us to take out our sexual frustrations, aggressions, hostilities, etc., on laughter, a very non-violent way of dealing with day-to-day living. I will examine 3rd Rock based on both the psychoanalytic and sociological perspectives as they are presented by Berger.

2.1. Psychoanalytic Perspective

Berger paraphrases Freud's theory on humor by saying, "His theory, which suggests that there are unconscious elements in humor and that much of it involves masked aggression, remains one of the dominant explanation of why people laugh" (127). People are full of anger and sexual frustration and laughter is simply a release for that. It is a catharsis of aggression in a non-violent manner. Within the light of 3rd Rock, I am going to examine two different categories of aggression from the psychoanalytic perspective: sex and aggression.

2.1.1. Sex

The humor that sex elicits in 3rd Rock is based on an incongruity posed be New Dick: sexual experience vs. sexual ignorance. New Dick and Mary are constantly throughout the episode speaking in double entendres. However, only Mary thinks that the conversations are sexually metaphoric (which inordinately excites her) while New Dick takes everything literally. For example, the following script. New Dick is sitting at his desk in the office
Mary enters
Mary: Hello.
New Dick: Dr. Albright. Dinner. My place. Tonight.
Mary: Is that an invitation?
New Dick: No.
Mary: Well, the cat thinks he has the mouse by the tail.
New Dick: Yes, but sometimes the cat likes to play with his prey
before he goes in for the kill.
Mary: Well, the cat may have claws, but the mouse is quick.,hr> New Dick: True, but the mouse will always fall for the cheese.
Mary: The cat likes a little cheese, too.
New Dick: And milk, and dead birds, but he always licks himself clean.
Mary looks around, confused.
While Mary and New Dick are both apparently enjoying this sexually rhetorical excursion, we find out that they are enjoying it for different reasons. Mary is seemingly becoming aroused, but we come to find out that New Dick is not when his symbolism becomes a bit deranged: "And milk, and dead birds, but he always licks himself clean." At this point we see that New Dick is (hopefully) not being sexually metaphoric, and then we realize, with the help of Mary's confused look, that New Dick was really not being metaphoric at all. This is further evidenced when Mary and New Dick are in the bedroom kissing: Mary: Hold on. Enough. I think my tongue has a Charley Horse.
New Dick: Well saddle up, we're going for another round.
Mary: What is going on? Last time you were so fast. Why don't
we just get to it?
New Dick: It? What?
Mary: You know. It.
New Dick: Oh, it. You'll get it alright. You'll get all the it you want.
It is on it's way.
New Dick exits bedroom
It becomes extremely obvious that New Dick has no idea what sex is and has to ask Sally. Sally tells him that "it" is when a man puts his feet in a woman's purse. New Dick later on recounts this to Old Dick as Old Dick is tied up in the chair: Old Dick: What will happen to Mary?
New Dick: Oh, don't worry, I'm not using this on her. I'm going to take Of course, the fact that Old Dick is appalled at this since he thinks that New Dick is using double entendres, is another amusing source of miscommunication. They are using language as a humorous device and, though I am only analyzing this one episode, it must be noted that this is a device that is used consistently in the show. The sexual inadequacies suffered by New Dick gives the viewers something to laugh at and, according to Freud, is a vehicle in which to release their own sexual repression. Thus, it is both humorous and psychologically necessary.

2.1.1.2. Aggression

Berger examines Freud's definition of tendentious jokes and asserts, "The basic purposes of tendentious jokes for Freud are hostility and obscenity" (126). Aggression in hostility can be seen through both Harry's and Tommy's dislike of New Dick, in which they make comments instead of actions to show how they feel, at the same time creating a humorous effect. For example, when New Dick first came and was laying down the ground rules, the responses that he got were less than agreeable, for Tommy and Harry made it perfectly clear that they did not want to comply with New Dick's commands, like going to a barber instead of a stylist and not being allowed in the car. Still, instead of rebelling physically, they used a rhetorical approach: talking about him behind his back. For example, Harry: You know, I was this close to kicking his butt.
Tommy: Yeah, I was going to kick his butt but I figured you'd do it.
Harry: Well, when he comes back I'm kicking his butt.
Harry will not impose violence upon New Dick in this episode, but he will keep rebelling in his mind. Another example is during a confrontation between Harry and New Dick: New Dick: Now shut up and get me that turkey baster!,hr> New Dick exits
Harry: Why don't you get the turkey baster?
Of course, Harry does go and get the turkey baster for New Dick, but first he had to make that remark to release the hostility that he was feeling for the High Commander. The audience, at the same time, releases the aggression that they feel towards New Dick by laughing at Harry's remark.

2.2. Sociological Perspective

One sociological perspective found in Berger is that "humor . . . functions as a means of social integration. It helps people integrate themselves and helps establish group identity and a sense of solidarity" (95). Humor is also used as a vehicle for superiority. From these two points we will look at the feminist theory of humor and some philosophical theories.

2.2.1. The Feminist

According to Collier and Beckett, "For some of the women we interviewed, humor is a political tool, used to even the odds in a male-dominated world. For others, it is simply a natural way of deal with the absurdities of life, an expression of inner exuberance" (xii). This statement could be no truer for Sally's character. Sally challenges the stereotypical roles of woman by embracing some of those stereotypes. She would be defined by Rowe as an "unruly woman," disrupting "the norms of femininity and social hierarchy of male over female through excess and outrageousness" (30). This is manifest in the remarks that Sally makes about being forced to live in a woman's world under male-dominated rule. For example, the following, when Sally complains about someone from the outside being selected as the new High Commander, even though for various obvious reasons she should be chosen. She sees no reason that anyone else should complain about New Dick, since she is the one that is being treated the most unfairly: Sally: What are you guys complaining about? Huh? I deserved this job, I should have been High Commander. I have the seniority, I know that territory. So why wasn't I promoted? Huh? Because I'm the woman. Once again the woman was passed over.
This may not seem humorous upon first sight, but because of its intertextuality it is very humorous. We know that Sally is actually a man in a woman's body, experiencing womanly things firsthand. She is someone that women can laugh at and laugh with, releasing some of the aggression that they at times feel due to oppression, bonding with other women, and feeling a sense of superiority to their male counterparts. One can also laugh at Sally's insecurity at being a woman, like the fact that she would not let Old Dick out of the invisible box because if the Big Giant Head found out she would be the one to get into trouble for it since she was the woman. Women can find superiority in this knowing that Sally was a man on her former planet, and likewise this is how a man would handle being a woman: by complaining.

2.2.2. Philosophical Theories

Several philosophical theories are based on the idea of superiority, like Hobbe's theory and Aristotle's theory. Bergson's theory, though, is based on the script opposition of man vs. machine. "Bergson suggests that a comic effect is always produced when an individual takes literally an expression that was used figuratively" (Berger 42). This was obvious in the example of the double entendres, where New Dick displayed an inelasticity in his thinking when it came to metaphors. New Dick's inelastic way of thinking is also (and blatantly) the cause of humor in the following text: Dick's office
Mary and New Dick are exchanging sexual conversation
Nina enters
New Dick: Nina, where's that comprehensive course syllabus?
Nina: You only asked me to do it ten minutes ago. I'm not a machine.
New Dick: Pity.

Part 3: Humorous Devices Not Yet Examined

In this section, I am briefly going to inspect some humorous devices that I have not yet touched upon or touched upon only slightly: parody and intertextuality, co-text and context, repetition, and the idea of situation as comedy.

3.1. Parody and Intertextuality

Berger writes, "Intertextuality occurs when a text makes reference to another text . . . . Parody is often cited as one of the most frequently used examples of intertextuality. Parody relies on the addressee recognizing the original text in order to get the most out of the humor" (73). In this one episode of 3rd Rock, I was able to count three instances of blatant parody: 1. The Lassie Scene; 2. The Bugs Bunny Scene; 3. The Talk Show Scene.

3.1.1. The Lassie Scene

After Harry finds Old Dick held captive in the basement, he goes up and tries to tell Sally and Tommy what is going on. For example, Living Room
Sally and Tommy are standing by the stairs
Harry enters, panting
Harry: (whimpers)
Sally: What is it, boy?
Harry points down the steps.
Tommy: I think he wants us to follow him.
They exit down the steps.
The parody is obvious in structure and the fact that Harry does not speak, but instead whimpers like a dog. The scene is a common climactic structure in Lassie episodes, and here is being mocked as the stereotypical "danger" scene and rescue.

3.1.2. The Bugs Bunny Scene

In many Bugs Bunny cartoons, characters are scene going crazy by the use of facial convulsions and convulsive speech. The same happens to Old Dick, when he finds out that Mary is being seduced by New Dick and he feels that there is nothing he can do about it and he might as well give up. In the following scene, Old Dick goes through the same convulsive facial gestures and short, stopped, unfinished sentences, like the crazy characters in Bugs Bunny cartoons. Old Dick: Oh, what does she see in him? I mean, sure, he's gorgeous, but
it's all part of his depraved scheme. How dare he! How dare she. Did what we
have mean nothing to her? Wait! She thinks he's me. But he's going to get her
because he's deceiving her! And she'll be his forever . . . in a way mine . . . but
. . . she likes . . . but he . . . I oughta . . .but she . . . I . . . he . . .
Old Dick is clearly starting to lose it because he has no idea what to do about Mary, so he goes into this Bugs Bunny routine until Sally slaps him across the face, making for humor in both the parody and the end to the parody.

3.1.3. The Talk Show Scene

Talk shows are a constant theme throughout this episode, because of both Harry's and Old Dick's love of them. In one scene, Harry is watching Ricki Lake with Mrs. Dubcek. In another scene, he is complaining because he wants to watch Jerry Springer. In yet another scene, Old Dick is whining because he missed Jerry Springer's biker chic make-over episode. This theme comes together in the following parody, when Old Dick convinces New Dick that he wants to take over Earth due to his unaffectionate father. Living room
Sally, Tommy, and Harry are standing, listening to New Dick
Old Dick is tied up in the chair
New Dick: Shut up, all of you. Okay, so apparently I won't be impregnating the entire population of Ohio, but all fertile women of child-bearing age who are not currently pregnant, and that's a lot, we're talking lots of women here, will soon find themselves pregnant by me. It's as easy as one . . . two . . . three.
Old Dick: Yes! Yes, that will show him.,hr> New Dick: Not that I care, but who?
Old Dick: Your father. That unfeeling purple tube who gave you life but wouldn't give you love.
New Dick: You don't even know my father, so why don't you just shut up? Because you don't know him.
Old Dick: Don't defend him. You can't change the past, you have to live in the now. This is the '90s girlfriend.
New Dick: All I ever wanted was approval. is it any wonder I wet my bed?
Harry, Tommy, and Sally untie Old Dick.
Old Dick: I'm with you. You're father's got you all caught up in his emotional red tape and you need to cut yourself free.
Harry: What would you say if I told you that your father was here tonight.
Come on out! (pause) I'm just kidding, he's not really here.
Old Dick: You need to go home and face him. Let the cycle of pain end here.
New Dick: You're so right!
Old Dick: Let it out, let it all out.
Here is being mocked a common talk-show theme: the errors that one makes are due to bad relationships with that person's parents. The parody becomes even more obvious when Harry announces that New Dick's father was there, which is also very common in talk shows. The parody becomes fully apparent at the end of the show when Old Dick says he had a little help from is friends: Ricki Lake, Jerry Springer, and Sally Jesse (Raphael).

3.2. Co-text and Context

It is contended in Attardo (1994) the following: " 'Context' can be intended in at least two ways: the non-linguistic environment of an utterance and the other utterances that precede and/or follow a given utterance. Following Halliday (19978) and Pet–fi (1973), the former will be called 'con-text' and the latter 'co-text' " (294). Using the example from 3.1.3., we can say that the talk-show texts that appeared before Old Dick's and New Dick's confrontation were the co-text, which helped to set up this situation. Also, in example 1.1.2.4., The Sally-Old Dick Confrontational Invisible Box Scene, co-text is important since we see throughout the show up to that point that Sally is constantly supporting New Dick while Tommy and Harry are constantly rebelling against him.

3.3. Repetition

Attardo (1997) states, "Repetition is a very big player in longer texts, for example, repetition is a well known feature of comedy . . . . Consider for instance the catch phrases of many sitcoms" (108). While they are not catch phrase per se, I did find two instances of repetition in this 3rd Rock, both given by Harry. The first one is as follows: Harry: You know, I was this close to kicking his butt.
Tommy: Yeah, I was going to kick his butt but I figured you'd do it.
Harry: Well, when he comes back I'm kicking his butt.
Tommy: Alright.
Sally: What are you guys complaining about? Huh? I deserved this job, I should have been High Commander. I have the seniority, I know the territory. So why wasn't I promoted? Huh? Because I'm the woman. Once again the woman was passed over.
Harry: You want me to kick his butt?
Here, Harry keeps repeating the same phrase, even though another one might have been more appropriate. Of course, the appropriate phrase (like, "Oh, I'm sorry you feel that way," etc.) would have been in no way humorous. Harry's repetition, though, as well as lack of an appropriate phrase is definitely humorous. Another example of repetition is when Harry, Tommy, Sally, and Old Dick are out in the Rambler and everyone is trying to convince Old Dick to go in and fight for Mary. It starts when Sally slaps Old Dick: Sally slaps Old Dick across the face.
Sally: We're not going anywhere. Now you listen to me. This afternoon when I was with Albright arranging this date she told me . . .
Old Dick: You arranged this date?
Sally: Yeah, but the point . . .
Old Dick: You set this up? What are you, Mrs. Pimp?
Sally: No, if you'll just let me finish . . .
Old Dick: I can't believe you of all people.
Tommy slaps Old Dick across the face.
Tommy: Dick! Get a grip and listen to her for a second.
Sally: The point is, Dick, I tried to talk her out of this date but she wouldn't listen to me because, and don't ask me why, she has some sort of emotional attachment to you.
Old Dick: She said that?
Sally: She cares about you so much she is upstairs about to have sex with another man.
Old Dick: She would do that for me?
Sally: If you don't stop her.
Old Dick: You're right. The tyrant has gone too far. I must defeat that man.
Sally: Alright!
Harry slaps Old Dick across the face.
Harry: I should have done that earlier.
Once again, Harry does something completely out of context and at the inopportune time just for the sake of repetition. The joke is made even funnier in Harry's last line, when he admits to the slap just for the sake of repetition.

3.4. The Idea of Situation as Comedy

Palmer writes, Because of Harry, Tommy, Sally, and Dick's situation as a whole -- they are sent to Earth to explore human emotions -- it is a common thread that runs through every episode. Also, it is a great "out" to those who criticize the show. It is a play frame that allows that show's producers and writers to say, if someone is offended, that they were only kidding (in a way). That is, these aliens can exploit anything that humans do, simply because they do not know better. That is the reason that they are on Earth: to learn all about the things that they know nothing about. Tommy learns all about the emotions of the adolescent, Sally about the emotions of the female, and Dick about the emotions in the male adult world7. In doing so, they are able to play off of stereotypes, exploit traditional gender and age roles, and generally make fun of the "way" that humans are. And of course, they cannot be blamed for any of it, since they are only innocents beforehand ignorant of the emotions they explore.

Conclusion

While I hope that the amount of things I was forced to leave out is not greater than the amount of things I have left in, it must be noted that there are many things left to be examined and scrutinized in this one episode of 3rd Rock alone. I have attempted to give a broad overview of the show's humorous devices using theories and perspectives found in Berger's Blind Men and Elephants: Perspectives on Humor, and also the GTVH, a general theory by Attardo and Raskin. Humor is something more complex than just laughter and while the study of it may not always be amusing, the science of it is both complex and curiously interesting. 1 Co-text will be dealt with separately in Part 3.2: Co-text and context.2 This is playing on the idea of macroscripts and script oppositions and the author is not claiming that this is a new idea, but a welding of two different terms that she has not seen combined in this way before.3 This can also be termed a macro-macroscript opposition, which may be too redundant and messy to deal with here. 4 For this episode only is there a New Dick and an Old Dick. Therein lies a complexity all on its own. Each Dick will be dealt with separately.5 This refers to New Dick's sexual oncomings with Mary and will be dealt with in the psychoanalytic section.6 There are two many things to name here, but they can all be viewed by the reader in the episode at hand.7 The author has not quite figured out what emotions Harry is trying to learn about.