There are 5 Common Denominators of Humor. In order for “a joke to land,” The Comedian has to hit 3 of these 5 Elements with every joke, one of them always being “Relatability.”

We all have heard, “It’s the Element of Surprise,” which is why the same joke loses it’s humor the second time we hear it. 

We have also heard, “It’s all about Timing.” I am a Musician. No. It is not. Humor is the Contrast in Absurdity created from an Anticipated Conclusion (Logical Deduction) made by a Calculated Trajection based on Familiarity. 

Timing is just a Pulse and is the Red Herring for a Student trying to study Humor. The Student Comedian wants the Predictable Logical Familiar to act as the Red Herring for their Joke to Land. Not an ill-placed false word like “Timing” to distract them from the correct Math.

Surprise Absurdity is Humor and it consists of the variation of 5 Elements.

1. Relatability –> This is mandatory as it gives Comprehension and set up. This is why many jokes don’t land, and when the Audience says, “I don’t get it.” The joke was not Relatable.
2. Anticipation –> This is the Subconscious Mind’s Mathematical Trajection Calculating X. This is “The Set Up.” The Unknown is even better. Not knowing what The Comedian is going to do next… Having no Trajections at all and not being able to make a Calculation… This is easily one of the best Set Ups… It uses Curiosity and Wonderment as the Set up for The Element of Surprise. Remember Tape Face from America’s Got Talent?
3. Unpredictable and The Unexpected –> The Humor comes when the Audience calculates the Familiar Reality — or is carried away in Wonderment and Curiosity — and The Comedian swaps it out with Logic (Truth) showing us our own Absurdity instead or… is just plain… Absurd. It is the degree of Contrast between Realistic Expectation to Logical Truth that will determine just how Absurd — and hilarious — the Absurdity is. Contrast (Difference) of Anticipated Familiarity : Logical Truth = Absurd : Humor. It truly is The Element of Surprise that delivers the Humor. But also, the Absurdity of Ethical Truth with the Greatest of Contrast. Ideally, you want the Greatest Contrast for the biggest laughs.
4. Ethics –> In Horror, “Reality of Unethics” is revealed instead of Absurdity. But Suspend Disbelief too much, and the horror becomes Absurd. Turn the joke Unethical, and it offends and disgusts instead of amuses. Isn’t it funny that we don’t have Stand-Up Horrorians? Why is that? The Comedian must know the Ethics of their Audience. They must know the Audience’s Societal Expectations and Preferences. What is funny to an Orthodox, is not funny to a Vegan, is not funny to a Republican… and if it is then that would make for one funny Republican. 
5. Honesty or Misunderstanding –> Ironically, The Comedian is honest. Too Honest. 1/3rd of the time, The Comedian will show us all just how much we ignore the Obvious or Lie about a situation. The Other 2/3rds of the Time, The Comedian is setting the Audience up for a Misunderstanding that, when revealed in Logical Comprehension reveals the Absurd, and thus, we laugh… The Comedian hopes. The Comedian, in many ways, is a mirror, showing us The Don Quixote that we all are chasing Windmills.

The difference between Humor and Horror is Absurdity vs. Unethical Realism.

I just saw this the other day…  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLFybRrgSXA

The Humor Formula

[Contrast (Difference) of [Anticipated Familiarity : Logical Truth] = Absurd] = Humor