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University professor leaves City Club members laughing
No "real good data' explains the biological response to humor, professor says
by Lisa Anderson | Freelance reporter |
Amid listening to a slew of weekly political presentations, the City Club of Eugene was humored by biology professor Nathan Tublitz.
"George Bush ordered a quickie from the interns for breakfast ... then Dick Cheney corrected him, saying it was pronounced quiche," Tublitz told an audience of more than 100 business and professional people.
Tublitz had City Club members in hysterics during "The Biology of Humor: Jews, Blondes, Lawyers & Bush" Friday at the Downtown Athletic Club. Tish Hathaway, the event organizer, said she and Linda Sage recommended Tublitz's light-hearted but educational presentation to give members a break from political campaign forums.
A series of photos depicting men using extension ladders, forklifts and moving equipment illustrated Tublitz's first joke: "definitive evidence for why women live longer than men." He proceeded to break up his presentation as a three-act play in which he told several stories per act and used PowerPoint to accentuate his ideas. Between jokes, Tublitz spoke about humor as a universal human experience and during his "intermission," he played a recording of great ape laughter.
"His visual presentation was slick," said Sage.
Hathaway agreed, adding: "It was a nice break. I hadn't considered the psychology of humor before."
Humor is anything funny that involves mental processes and activates at least 12 parts of the brain, said Tublitz. It develops in babies as young as four months; "even babies born deaf and blind who have an innate sense that something is funny and make distinguishable sounds in response."
"I was left wondering how humor changes from childhood to adulthood," said Rose Barber, who attended the City Club forum on a whim and loved it. "He gave so much information but I also went away with many questions."
The physiological response to humor includes loud oral noises, diaphragm movement, mouth grimaces and flushing skin, said Tublitz. Voluntary laughs are spontaneous and genuine, while forced laughs are unemotional.
"George Bush ordered a quickie from the interns for breakfast ... then Dick Cheney corrected him, saying it was pronounced quiche," Tublitz told an audience of more than 100 business and professional people.
Tublitz had City Club members in hysterics during "The Biology of Humor: Jews, Blondes, Lawyers & Bush" Friday at the Downtown Athletic Club. Tish Hathaway, the event organizer, said she and Linda Sage recommended Tublitz's light-hearted but educational presentation to give members a break from political campaign forums.
A series of photos depicting men using extension ladders, forklifts and moving equipment illustrated Tublitz's first joke: "definitive evidence for why women live longer than men." He proceeded to break up his presentation as a three-act play in which he told several stories per act and used PowerPoint to accentuate his ideas. Between jokes, Tublitz spoke about humor as a universal human experience and during his "intermission," he played a recording of great ape laughter.
"His visual presentation was slick," said Sage.
Hathaway agreed, adding: "It was a nice break. I hadn't considered the psychology of humor before."
Humor is anything funny that involves mental processes and activates at least 12 parts of the brain, said Tublitz. It develops in babies as young as four months; "even babies born deaf and blind who have an innate sense that something is funny and make distinguishable sounds in response."
"I was left wondering how humor changes from childhood to adulthood," said Rose Barber, who attended the City Club forum on a whim and loved it. "He gave so much information but I also went away with many questions."
The physiological response to humor includes loud oral noises, diaphragm movement, mouth grimaces and flushing skin, said Tublitz. Voluntary laughs are spontaneous and genuine, while forced laughs are unemotional.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
heckler
posted 4/28/08 @ 11:16 AM PST
see another review here:
p://harbaughboyz.blogspot.com/2008/04/lenny-bruce-tublitz.html
Check
posted 7/09/08 @ 6:37 PM PST
warning:
"heckler" is Deb Frisch.
Deborah Frisch's record of harassment, stalking, libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress, etc., is well-documented. (Continued…)
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