…and by “comedy,” I prefer that we avoid the classical definition and use it in the contemporary sense.
So, really, I’m just curious about the processes that those of you who purposefully employ them use to achieve humorous effect. Out of our talent pool, I feel confident that there must be some jokers out there, so I’d like to hear about how you do it.
I think the key ingredient for a humorous dialogue between two characters is strong, well-written characters with unique points of view. Humor arises from clashes of these. I think in it’s most pure form, laughter is a way to express admiration for an unexpected solution to a problem, or a way of expressing admiration for noticing something that others did not. Something unexpected that makes sense in context is generally humorous.
That being said, there are different forms of humor and different people enjoy them to differing extents.
I also think it’s important to point out that something the characters may find funny, the reader may not. And vice versa.
A combination of a funny situation, funny dialogue, and funny narrative voice. And fingers crossed that other people will find it as funny as I do!
Alright, I’ll attempt to address you two gentlemen…I mean, you’re both gentlemen? Men? Males? Mammals? Ahem. I’ll attempt to address you two fine, young people.
Dandin here touches upon (though not fully) what is scientifically understood, as far as my own knowledge goes (and please correct me if I’m mistaken), as basal humor: that being something that plays with expectations. And that’s supposed to cover everything from “Expecting that guy to walk across the floor? Nope, he slipped and fell instead!” to “Expecting this perfectly orchestrated party to go as planned? Nope, it goes badly!” to “Expecting a photo of your new grandchild? Nope, here’s a cow with antlers standing on a telephone pole!”
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Cow-on_pole,_with_antlers.jpeg Also, just…that previous sentence…if I ever have to try to properly punctuate something like that, I think I’ll just commit seppuku. It needs umlauts.
But, what I’m trying to get at are the particulars. In your own works, what works?
I’ve found that it really depends on your characters. Comedy, for me, seems to work better from characters from whom you don’t expect comedy to happen from, but one that it’s possible to see comedy from. I don’t expect the rough and serious prison security guard to start making fart jokes, but a company executive who comes home from a late night at the office and shows up with flowers and condoms for his wife would be amusing. It works to add an extra depth of characterization to this executive because now you know that while he’s all business at work, he likes to be the fun guy with his family at home.
Probably not as general of an answer as you were looking for, but it works for me.
Who, me? I’m not a gentleman. Well, not in the biological sense. I like to think that I am gentlemanly in terms of being chivalrous and polite, however 
Here, here.
