from Don and Alleen Nilsen, Co-Founders International Society for Humor Studies

1. 1
Body Language Humor
by Don L. F. Nilsen and
Alleen Pace Nilsen

2. Association of Applied and
Therapeutic Humor
2

3. Avery Nilsen, Our Grandson
At the 2014 AATH Convention
(Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor)
Red Skelton Museum in Vincennes, Indiana
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4. 4
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
• Contrast sign language and fingerContrast sign language and finger
spelling.spelling.
• Iconic Sign Language: Male-Female,Iconic Sign Language: Male-Female,
Past-Future, Hand shape, Location,Past-Future, Hand shape, Location,
Movement, Palm Orientation, FingerMovement, Palm Orientation, Finger
SpellingSpelling

5. American Sign Language:
Finger Spelling vs. Signing
5

6. Arizona Politics
6

7. Justin Timberlake and Santa Claus: “Cup O’ Soup”:
http://www.wat.tv/video/justin-timberlake-cup-soup-d1y0_2ftur_.html
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8. 8
In Flags: The Peace Symbol
Nuclear Disarmament (N & D)

9. FACE
• Frown
• Giggle
• Grimace
• Grin
• Guffaw
• Laugh
• Scowl
• Smile
• Smirk
• Snarl
9

10. 10

11. THE BABY’S EVIL EYE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBSYD0dQCAw
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12. Doppelgangers: The Evil Eye
12

13. Red Skelton
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14. HEAD
• Flutter eyelashes
• Grit teeth
• Hold nose
• Nod head (yes)
• Raise eyebrows
• Shake head (no)
• Stick out tongue
• Wink
• Wrinkle nose
• Yawn
14

15. LIE TO ME:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgRJ7-s0u7c
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16. 16

17. Curiosity and Exuberance
17

18. Sadness and Surprise
18

19. SHOULDERS
• Rolling shoulder
suggestively
• Shrugging
shoulders in
disbelief or
wonderment
19

20. The Juggling Politician
https://www.youtube.com/embed/n6mbW-jMtrY?rel=0
20

21. 21

22. HANDS, FINGERS & THUMB
• Applauding
• Extending pinkey
• Crossing fingers (to lie)
• Giving the finger
• Holding hands
• Pointing
• Shaking hands (note
gender & ethnic
differences)
• Thumbing a ride
• Thumbs up
• Twiddling thumbs
22
American Sign Language
Applauding

23. Louis (Sachmo) Armstrong: “What a Wonderful World!”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ5MJqB9myA
23

24. Sun Devils and Nerd Fighters
24

25. Uncle Sam Recruitment Poster
25
• Here is Uncle Sam’s
pointing finger.
• This is a rude
gesture in some
cultures.

26. 26
DAVE CHAPPELLE’S THUMB
• Chappelle tells about a high-jacked airplane
in which he sees another Black male and
they do a thumbs up to each other.
• “We were just communicating that we
understood the situation. We were both
seeing the same thing. What we understood
was simply—terrorists don’t take black
hostages.

27. The Thumbs-Up Strawberry
27

28. ARMS
• Limp wrist
• Raise hand in class
• Sign of the cross
• Waving hand (note
gender differences)
• Sports Signals (See
the next slide)
28

29. 29
SPORTS BODY LANGUAGE
• BASEBALL: Fair Ball, Foul Ball, Home Run, Out, Strike
– Plus Signals from the Catcher to the Pitcher, to the Infield, and to
the Outfield
– Plus Coach Signals for the Batter, from the First-Base Coach, and
from the Third-Base Coach
• BASKETBALL: Basket Counts, Basket Doesn’t Count, Blocking Foul,
Held Ball, In Bounce, Moving Screen, Offensive Fowl, Out of Bounce,
Time Out
• FOOTBALL: Clipping, Face Mask, Illegal Celebration, Illegal
Procedure, Late Hit, Offside, Pass Interference, Roughing the Kicker,
Roughing the Passer, Safety, Touchdown, Unnecessary Roughness
– Plus Metaphors related to most of these expressions like hardball
softball and ballpark figure.

30. LEGS & FEET
• Crossing legs (note
gender & ethnic
differences)
• Sitting on a park
bench
• Sitting on a bus seat
• Slapping knee while
laughing 30

31. MINISTRY OF SILLY WALKS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqhlQfXUk7w
31

32. SPACE BUBBLES:
• Asian vs. Latin
American
• Doorway, Subway,
Elevator
• University of Texas:
Texas Tower Sniper
32
The University of Texas Shooter
had the space bubble of
a paranoid.

33. 33
TIME EXPECTATIONS
• Latin American vs. Mormon
• Cocktail Party vs. Dinner vs. Class

34. UNINTENTIONAL BODY LANGUAGE
• blinking
• blushing
• cowering
• cringing
• shuddering
• trembling
• twisting hair
• weeping 34

35. Tim Conway as a Dentist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfTyEtVIe84
35

36. BODY METAPHORS:
• To be on your toes
• To be stuck up
• To be up in arms
• To break a leg
• To count noses
• To foot the bill
• To have your tongue in your
cheek
• To keep a stiff upper lip
• To keep your chin up
• To play it by ear
• To put your foot in your mouth
• To see eye to eye
• To shake a leg
• To throw in the towel
36
Total Relaxation

37. Mr. Bean Getting Up Late for the Dentist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VumrpkL6RS0
37

38. Exuberance and Sadness:
First Day of School
38

39. Doppelgangers and Body Doubles
Richard Nixon
39

40. James Carville
40

41. John McCain
41

42. Hillary Clinton
42

43. Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin
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44. Sarah Palin and Tina Fey
44

45. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr0_x2lxRdc
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46. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin
Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton
46

47. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul-3JDAnqjI
47

48. Body Language Plus Intonation
• Use only the words “John” and
“Marsha” to indicate the
following:
• Anger vs. Fear
• Resignation vs. Exuberance
• Sadness vs. Surprise
• Pretentiousness vs. Aloofness
• Hate vs. Passion
48
Desire

49. Happiness
49

50. Friendship
50

51. Love
51

52. 52

53. Full-Body Language
3-YEAR-OLD CONDUCTING BEETHOVEN’S 5th
SYMPHONY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0REJ-lCGiKU
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54. Amusement and Antipathy
54

55. Enthusiasm vs. Arrogance
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56. Total Involvement
56

57. Narcisism
57

58. EGG TRICK: Tom DeLuise and Johnny Carson:
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/138148
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59. Android Emotions
59

60. PARALANGUAGE
• Giddyup (plus lateral click)
• Hiss
• Huh?
• Raspberry (Bronx Cheer)
• Shush
• Swearing (*&#@+&%$@~*)
• Tsk tsk
• Uchhhhh
• Uh huh (yes & no)
• Wolf whistle
• Yuchhhh
60

61. SLAPSTICK ON “CHEERS”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1kbn-LOpes
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62. EXPLAIN HOW THE FOLLOWING GESTURES ARE INTERPRETED
DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
• Biting your thumbnail
• Kissing someone on
the cheeks
• Putting your hands on
your hips
• Using arm gestures
• Using eye gestures
• Using finger gestures
• Using hand gestures
• Using lip gestures
62
Age Differences

63. Social In-Bonding
63

64. SILENT MONKS SINGING “HALLELUIA CHORUS”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU&feature=related
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65. 65

66. Social Out-Bonding
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67. Point of View
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68. Physical Workout Dance Humor:
http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/extwidget/openGraph/wid/0_u0r71mg5
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69. Parody
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70. Photobombing
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71. SEND IN THE CLOWNS! (Frank Sinatra, et. al.):
http://www.yourememberthat.com/media/10939/Send_In_The_Clowns/#.V
BdREfnIY9Y
71

72. Four Really Talented Ladies:
http://www.reshareworthy.com/amazing-quartet-blew-audience-away/#HlDc3TMGOGULZGi4.01
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