Categories of Jokes

Did you know that there are seven types of jokes according to the boundary they transgress?
This classification is shown in the table bellow, accompanied by a somewhat unsystematic but rather exhaustive review of many of the themes or "humorous scripts" that occur within each category.

1. Sexuality and gender

A. Ambiguity and innuendo; B. being over-sexed/promiscuity; C. asexuality/frigidity; D. celibacy; E. adultery; F. marriage (marriage as a mistake; authority relationships within marriage); G. sexual achievements & size; H. prostitution; I. (apparent) naiveté; J. homosexuality; K. rape; L. incest; M. pedophilia; N. bestiality & sex with animals; O. ugly women & old maids: sex and aging; etc.

2. Shortcomings and social deviance

Jokes about uncivilized, unusual, maladjusted or incompetent behavior, such as: A. stupidity; B. craziness; C. drunkenness; D. childishness; E. laziness; F. criminality; G. aggression; H. impoliteness; I. absent-mindedness; J. impaired speech; K. unusual appearance; L. filthiness; M. stench; N. naiveté; O. cowardliness; P. gluttony; Q. incomplete control of bodily functions; R. all sorts of lacking talent and incompetence.

3. Sickness, suffering and death

A. Sickness; B. infirmities and handicaps; C. accidents & disasters (9/11 jokes, hurricane jokes); D. blood and mutilation; E. castration; F. famine; G. public scandals (e.g. Marc Dutroux); H. horror stories; I. war (Second World War jokes; holocaust jokes; Hitler jokes).

4. Religion

A. Blasphemy; B. Godly interference and punishment; C. hypocrisy; D. after-life; E. celibacy; F. clergymen; G. breaking religious commandments.

5. Money and wealth

A. Poverty; B. richness; C. miserliness; D. covetousness; E. business acumen; F. prodigality; G. cunning ways of getting money.

6. Power and authority

Role reversals: A. superior & inferior, B. civilian & law enforcer, C. child & adult; D. jokes upwards: politicians, Royal House, celebrities; E. jokes downwards: inferiors, servants, laborers.

7. Stereotypes and relations with others [usually combined with one of the categories listed above]

Stereotyping (see 2 and 6): A. Cultural rivalry and superiority; B. attitude jokes; C. insulting the audience; D. put-down jokes (insulting a scapegoat to establish a good rapport with the audience); E. aggression and violence. Primarily ethnic, also, for instance, farmers, blonds, mothers-in-law, politicians, etc.

(Based on "Good Humor, Bad Taste: A Sociology of the Joke", by Giselinde Kuipers)