This document provides an overview of body language humor through 68 sections that cover topics such as American sign language, facial expressions, hand gestures, sports signals, cultural differences in personal space and time, body language in politics, and paralinguistic sounds. It includes links to humorous videos illustrating certain body language concepts. The overall document aims to demonstrate how body language and related cues can be used for both intentional and unintentional humor.

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
3

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
7

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
11

12. Doppelgangers: The Evil Eye
12

13. Red Skelton
13

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
15

16. 16

17. SHOULDERS
• Rolling shoulder
suggestively
• Shrugging
shoulders in
disbelief or
wonderment 17

18. The Juggling Politician
https://www.youtube.com/embed/n6mbW-jMtrY?rel=0
18

19. 19

20. 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
20
American Sign Language
Applauding

21. Louis (Sachmo) Armstrong: “What a Wonderful World!”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ5MJqB9myA
21

22. Sun Devils and Nerd Fighters
22

23. Uncle Sam Recruitment Poster
23
• Here is Uncle Sam’s
pointing finger.
• This is a rude
gesture in some
cultures.

24. 24
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.

25. The Thumbs-Up Strawberry
25

26. ARMS
• Limp wrist
• Raise hand in class
• Sign of the cross
• Waving hand (note
gender differences)
• Sports Signals (See
the next slide)
26

27. 27
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 Bounds,
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.

28. LEGS & FEET
• Crossing legs (note
gender & ethnic
differences)
• Sitting on a park
bench
• Sitting on a bus seat
• Slapping knee while
laughing 28

29. MINISTRY OF SILLY WALKS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqhlQfXUk7w
29

30. SPACE BUBBLES:
• Asian vs. Latin
American
• Doorway, Subway,
Elevator
• University of Texas:
Texas Tower Sniper
30
The University of Texas Shooter
had the space bubble of
a paranoid.

31. 31
TIME EXPECTATIONS
• Latin American vs. Mormon
• Cocktail Party vs. Dinner vs. Class

32. UNINTENTIONAL BODY LANGUAGE
• blinking
• blushing
• cowering
• cringing
• shuddering
• trembling
• twisting hair
• weeping 32

33. Tim Conway as a Dentist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfTyEtVIe84
33

34. 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
34
Total Relaxation

35. Mr. Bean Getting Up Late for the Dentist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VumrpkL6RS0
35

36. Exuberance and Sadness:
First Day of School
36

37. Doppelgangers and Body Doubles
Richard Nixon
37

38. James Carville
38

39. John McCain
39

40. Hillary Clinton
40

41. Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin
41

42. Sarah Palin and Tina Fey
42

43. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr0_x2lxRdc
43

44. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin
Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton
44

45. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul-3JDAnqjI
45

46. 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
46
Desire

47. Happiness
47

48. Friendship
48

49. Love
49

50. 50

51. Full-Body Language
3-YEAR-OLD CONDUCTING BEETHOVEN’S 5th
SYMPHONY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0REJ-lCGiKU
51

52. Amusement and Antipathy
52

53. Enthusiasm vs. Arrogance
53

54. Total Involvement
54

55. EGG TRICK: Tom DeLuise and Johnny Carson:
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/138148
55

56. PARALANGUAGE
• Giddyup (plus lateral click)
• Hiss
• Huh?
• Raspberry (Bronx Cheer)
• Shush
• Swearing (*&#@+&%$@~*)
• Tsk tsk
• Uchhhhh
• Uh huh (yes & no)
• Wolf whistle
• Yuchhhh
56

57. SLAPSTICK ON “CHEERS”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1kbn-LOpes
57

58. 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
58
Age Differences

59. Social In-Bonding
59

60. SILENT MONKS SINGING “HALLELUIA CHORUS”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU&feature=related
60

61. 61

62. Social Out-Bonding
62

63. Point of View
63

64. Physical Workout Dance Humor:
http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/extwidget/openGraph/wid/0_u0r71mg5
64

65. Parody
65

66. Photobombing
66

67. SEND IN THE CLOWNS! (Frank Sinatra, et. al.):
http://www.yourememberthat.com/media/10939/Send_In_The_Clowns/#.V
BdREfnIY9Y
67

68. Four Really Talented Ladies:
http://www.reshareworthy.com/amazing-quartet-blew-audience-away/#HlDc3TMGOGULZGi4.01
68