Brusque Humor

        Madea’s blunt approach to life and its intricacies is a core aspect of Tyler Perry’s humor in his book; this behavior often leads to either laughs or anger in an audience. Anger seems natural – to be brusque is to be impolite – but why is it that acting in such a way can also make people laugh?

Using the theories we have learned, we can answer this question. When it comes to relief theory, a person is primed to believe that something horrible is happening or has happened – the energy then is built up in that person to be used for pity or anger at the offender. However, a brusque reply connotes that the speaker is more annoyed than upset; it is the reaction of a person who looks down on the offending behavior but does not see himself as truly harmed by it. The person is not conventionally upset (and is also acting improperly himself), so the audience does not have to react with pity or righteous anger – those emotions are then turned into humor.

This humor also relies on it being unexpected. A comment is not brusque if it is not abrupt; for example, Madea’s revelation of her life as a stripper was sudden, seemingly unrelated to the conversation, and incredibly improper for a woman of her age to state, considering modern social conventions. The multiple facets of this shock provide another disruption and build-up of energy that erupts as laughter.

There are many reasons, it seems, why brusque behavior is humorous. It is unexpected and provides an anecdote free of suffering; it offers release by breaking conventions. Madea’s humor provides a strong example of the brusque and shows us why it’s funny.