when does toilet humor work?

[Mr.E]

I'm confused guys. When is toilet humor considered good (as in South Park or Blazing Saddles) And when is it just unfunny? (as in Scary Movie or 8 Crazy Nights) Just about all of it is the same to me.

[J.R.]

I think toilet humor works in small doses, as in South Park or Blazing Saddles, where more subversive or satirical humor is emphasized and the nasty stuff is spread out, but with Scary Movie or Eight Crazy Nights the focus is entirely on the toilet humor, so there's no substance to back it up.

[AndyC]

Exactly right. If the toilet humour is used sparingly, and mixed with some well-crafted gags, the results can be fantastic. South Park and Blazing Saddles both have a good deal of clever satire to go with their fart jokes. Scary Movie does not.

I suppose if the clever stuff goes over your head, the difference might not be all that apparent.

[Ash]

One good example that comes to mind is "Dumb & Dumber".

The scene where the Turbo-Lax takes effect was a riot!

Now that's toilet humor!

[Vermin Boy]

I think it also helps when there's some sort of self-awareness behind the gross-out humor, as in the films of John Waters, Peter Jackson, and Troma.

[systemcr4sh]

I was going to say Dumb and Dumber. Look at the ferraly brothers now, they saw that people loved dumb and dumber, and the grosser parts of the movie got the most laughs, so they just started making movies that are just made up of scenes like that over and over. I still think Dumb And Dumber is one of the funniest comedys ever. Everytime I watch it I hear a joke or see something I didn't see the time before, or didn't get when I was a bit younger that I get now.

[Mr.E]

I still don't understand why if your sister rips a loud fart on you couch watching TV, its kinda funny. But when a scene like that is in a movie, most people just think it's a flat joke.

[JohnL]

>I still don't understand why if your sister rips a loud fart on you couch watching
>TV, its kinda funny. But when a scene like that is in a movie, most people just
>think it's a flat joke.

That's hard to say, upload a video of your sister ripping a loud one and we'll let you know. :)

[wheresthecarrot]

I think that, basically, there needs to be a lot more intelligent humor in a movie, along with a bit of toilet humor for it to work.   If it's actual toilet stuff.....like in the case of Jackass, then most people think it's funny because it's happening in real life.....but a movie completely based on nothing but TH usually flos, much like movies based entirely on T&A

[Rick Popko]

Speaking of toilet humor, any of you guys heard of or seen "monsturd?"
www.monsturd.com.
Scott Foy just did a review that made the Ain't it cool news Web site.
We're also reviewed in this month's Rue Morgue.
-Rick