"Tain't funny, McGee."

I am beginning to think the two words you should never use to anyone is, "It's funny." Humor is as specific a taste as music and what you think is hysterically funny may not even slightly amuse somebody else. That's one of reasons I hate expressions like "hilariously funny" or "you'll laugh till you cry." Maybe not. I have yet to see a really funny SNL skit. Most of them seem to be, to me, high school material and not as well done. Many people I know right now love The Big Bang Theory, as I do. Many others think there is not a laugh in it. Many love Modern Family, which I don't, and think it's the funniest show on television. I find it a sitcom full of pat characters, including the usual cliched, ergo:offensive, gays—all completely unbelievable.I guess that's why there are so many sitcoms: to suit every taste. There seems to be some humor most people agree on, like Seinfeld and Raymond, and I Love Lucy which is always running somewhere in the world. But I'm sure there are millions who don't love Lucy. What do I find funny? French & Saunders, One Foot in the Grave, variety shows like Brilliant,in fact most imported Britcoms. I think the first half of Some Like it Hot is funny and all of Auntie Mame. I am always amused by such sophisticated comedies as The Philadelphia Story,The Bride Came C.O.D., It Happened One Night and Desk Set. There are people I trust who would disagree on any number of these. To me, none of today's comedies are funny since they mostly rely on sex and bathroom humor for most of their laughs. Most of today's comic actors also leave me cold. I don't get Steven Carell, Jack Black, Wil Ferrell, Ricky Gervais, etc. But it's not just today's comics. I think there is nothing funny about the Marx Brothers, but they are a standard for classic comedy, so what do I know? Actually what does anyone know? If it makes you laugh, it's funny. If it doesn't, it isn't—at least not to you. So, I suggest that don't say, "You'll love this show, it's hilarious." but instead say, "You might like this show. I thought it was very, very funny."

Note: For many younger readers (if I have any readers) the headline quote was oft-repeated on one of radio's most popular comedy shows. How popular? Well it ran from 1935 to 1959. I call 24 years popular. At any rate millions of American found it funny. I wonder how amusing it would strike most people today.