Donald Glover
A mechanism-level breakdown of 39 analyzed bits from Donald Glover (2012), spanning 1 special. Every excerpt is tagged with its primary humor mechanism using the Comedy Stack framework.
- Analyzed bits
- 39
- Specials
- 1
- Active range
- 2012
- Go-to mechanism
- incongruity-resolution
How Donald gets laughs
Distribution across the primary humor mechanisms in the analyzed set.
39 attributed excerpts
Short quoted bits used here as editorial examples of Donald Glover’s mechanism-level craft. Each excerpt links to its full-transcript source.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes! I can’t wait. Oh, this is gonna be so great, we get to tell everybody at school we had Cocoa Puffs!”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Yes, yes, yes, yes! I can’t wait.', then the trigger 'Oh, this is gonna be so great, we get to tell everybody at school we had Cocoa Puffs!' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“He would… The sweetest thing he was allowed was mints. He was just allowed to have mints. So he would steal mints by the handful.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'He would… The sweetest thing he was allowed was mints. He was just allowed to have mints.', then the trigger 'So he would steal mints by the handful.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“For some reason, he’s playing… And the bear’s not eating Kanye ’cause he has so much respect for him, he’s just, like, looking at him.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'For some reason, he’s playing… And the bear’s not eating Kanye ’cause he has so much respect', then the trigger 'for him, he’s just, like, looking at him.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“What’s the difference? What’s the difference? The only difference is, you can’t go to jail by accidentally dropping AIDS. So AIDS wins by this much.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'What’s the difference? What’s the difference? The only difference is, you can’t go to jail by accidentally dropping A...', then the trigger 'So AIDS wins by this much.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Like, I mean, like, my parents were my parents, I never had foster parents, but like, we had a lot of kids going through there.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Like, I mean, like, my parents were my parents, I never had foster parents, but like, we', then the trigger 'had a lot of kids going through there.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“You know, kind of a joke, but also, like, who doesn’t want to be Spider-Man… That’d be cool. And that’s when the world went crazy.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'You know, kind of a joke, but also, like, who doesn’t want to be Spider-Man… That’d be cool.', then the trigger 'And that’s when the world went crazy.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“You know, I’m on TV and stuff like that, so a lot of relatives have been reaching out to me and stuff like that.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'You know, I’m on TV and stuff like that, so a lot of relatives have been', then the trigger 'reaching out to me and stuff like that.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Sometimes you just want to hang out there, just look at all the new stuff, get on bikes, like, ride ’em in the aisles.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Sometimes you just want to hang out there, just look at all the new stuff, get', then the trigger 'on bikes, like, ride ’em in the aisles.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“He’s just like, oh, mine has bigger battery power and it picks up the radio. It’s like, “it’s still a Zune, n*gga… nobody wants it.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'He’s just like, oh, mine has bigger battery power and it picks up the radio.', then the trigger 'It’s like, “it’s still a Zune, n*gga… nobody wants it.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“I was having dreams about it, that’s how much I was excited about it. I was having dreams about it.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'I was having dreams about it, that’s how much I was excited about it.', then the trigger 'I was having dreams about it.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Yeah, gonna talk about a lot of stuff. My parents are gonna see it. They’re the ones in the other car. My mom hasn’t.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Yeah, gonna talk about a lot of stuff. My parents are gonna see it. They’re the ones in the other car.', then the trigger 'My mom hasn’t.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Their first big hit? “Bills, Bills, Bills.” Remember that? “Bills, Bills, Bills”? Every girl in here is like, “Yes, I do, I remember that.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Their first big hit? “Bills, Bills, Bills.” Remember that? “Bills, Bills, Bills”?', then the trigger 'Every girl in here is like, “Yes, I do, I remember that.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“I was like, niglet, like, is that like the black version of Piglet, like, Niglet?”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'I was like, niglet, like, is that like the black', then the trigger 'version of Piglet, like, Niglet?' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“No, that’s not okay. He’s not even a superhero. He’s just a black guy. He’s just a black dude. You couldn’t… He’s not a superhero.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'No, that’s not okay. He’s not even a superhero. He’s just a black guy. He’s just a black dude.', then the trigger 'You couldn’t… He’s not a superhero.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Where do you want to go on a Saturday morning more than anywhere else, where do you want to go? Park, I heard park.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Where do you want to go on a Saturday morning more than anywhere else, where do you want to go?', then the trigger 'Park, I heard park.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“I’m gonna get two s’mores for me, everybody else can get one. It was just like, okay, cool.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'I’m gonna get two s’mores for me, everybody else can get one.', then the trigger 'It was just like, okay, cool.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“I really am. Because, I don’t know, we have a long history together. We do, we have a long history together.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'I really am. Because, I don’t know, we have a long history together.', then the trigger 'We do, we have a long history together.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“I’m serious, I mean, like, people… At least people, “when you have AIDS, people are, like, aware of it and people want to help you.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'I’m serious, I mean, like, people… At least people, “when you have AIDS, people are, like, aware', then the trigger 'of it and people want to help you.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Put it away.” “Obama has it!” “Get out of here.” I’m sorry I’m being so crazy.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Put it away.” “Obama has it!” “Get out of here.” I’m', then the trigger 'sorry I’m being so crazy.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“People say the same stuff about rap music. People are just like, “Oh, rap music now, oh, it sucks so bad. “Rap music now sucks.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'People say the same stuff about rap music. People are just like, “Oh, rap music now, oh, it sucks so bad.', then the trigger '“Rap music now sucks.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Hmm, I can make my house a mansion.” No, you can’t. You can’t make your house a mansion with a bunch of 2 X 4s.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Hmm, I can make my house a mansion.” No, you can’t.', then the trigger 'You can’t make your house a mansion with a bunch of 2 X 4s.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Sorry, AIDS beats baby by this much. People get all upset when they hear that. Think about it, they’re not that different, you guys.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Sorry, AIDS beats baby by this much. People get all upset when they hear that.', then the trigger 'Think about it, they’re not that different, you guys.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“So, like, we would always go to the store and my mom… And my brother would be like, “Mom, can we get Cocoa Puffs?”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'So, like, we would always go to the store and my mom… And my brother would', then the trigger 'be like, “Mom, can we get Cocoa Puffs?' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“This is the best time there has ever been to be human and alive. That’s the truth. It’s the absolute truth.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'This is the best time there has ever been to be human and alive. That’s the truth.', then the trigger 'It’s the absolute truth.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“They’re too rough. Like, I tried to pull this stuff on this kid named, like, Teddy. I tried to pull it.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'They’re too rough. Like, I tried to pull this stuff on this kid named, like, Teddy.', then the trigger 'I tried to pull it.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Like if my sister was like, “I got raped yesterday,” I’d be like, “Did you hear about that earthquake? “It was like a 4.5.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Like if my sister was like, “I got raped yesterday,” I’d be like, “Did you hear about that earthquake?', then the trigger '“It was like a 4.5.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“And it’s hard to find that balance sometimes, because like, I know I’m gross. People laugh, but some people think it’s kind of gross, too.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'And it’s hard to find that balance sometimes, because like, I know I’m gross.', then the trigger 'People laugh, but some people think it’s kind of gross, too.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Like, no one cares, no one cares. It’s also the only job where you have to keep proving you can do it.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Like, no one cares, no one cares.', then the trigger 'It’s also the only job where you have to keep proving you can do it.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Can you pay my bills? Can you be a man who provides for me? Can you be… can you be there? Are you responsible?”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Can you pay my bills? Can you be a man who provides for me? Can you be… can you be there?', then the trigger 'Are you responsible?' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
““All right, I’ll see you later, I’ll see you later. Basketball later?” “No, no basketball later. I’m not playing with a monster.” Tiny Hitlers.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward '“All right, I’ll see you later, I’ll see you later. Basketball later?” “No, no basketball later.', then the trigger 'I’m not playing with a monster.” Tiny Hitlers.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“It’s where your childhood goes to die. The second… The one day you walk into a Home Depot and you’re like, “Oh, knobs,” you’re dead.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'It’s where your childhood goes to die.', then the trigger 'The second… The one day you walk into a Home Depot and you’re like, “Oh, knobs,” you’re dead.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is benign-violation.
“I feel like that’s planned, like, I don’t… We need weird stuff. But as an adult, we’re not really allowed to be weird anymore.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'I feel like that’s planned, like, I don’t… We need weird stuff.', then the trigger 'But as an adult, we’re not really allowed to be weird anymore.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“But like, we would always ask to go to Toys R’ Us. We’d go, like, “Dad, Dad, can we go to Toys R’ Us?”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'But like, we would always ask to go to Toys R’ Us.', then the trigger 'We’d go, like, “Dad, Dad, can we go to Toys R’ Us?' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“He’s like, why did my parents put me in here? I’m… I thought they loved me! And I was like, yes, that’s worth $50.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'He’s like, why did my parents put me in here? I’m… I thought they loved me!', then the trigger 'And I was like, yes, that’s worth $50.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Just like, “I was having sex with this girl, and enjoy ‘Black Swan. “Oh, I liked that.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Just like, “I was having sex with this girl, and enjoy ‘Black Swan.', then the trigger '“Oh, I liked that.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is benign-violation.
“Need a back massage, Dad?” And my Dad was like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Need a back massage, Dad?” And my Dad was like,', then the trigger '“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Like, that was like the world to me as a kid. Like, we like… ‘Cause kids love sugar. Like, my brother, Steven, loves sugar.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Like, that was like the world to me as a kid. Like, we like… ‘Cause kids love sugar.', then the trigger 'Like, my brother, Steven, loves sugar.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“So anyway, I go and pick up the kid, I pick him up, bring him home, make him dinner.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'So anyway, I go and pick up the kid, I pick him up,', then the trigger 'bring him home, make him dinner.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is incongruity-resolution.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sounds like a homeless person’s fever dream.”
Why it works (Comedy Stack analysis)
The setup points the reader toward 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?', then the trigger 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sounds like a homeless person’s fever dream.' forces a reinterpretation. The main mechanism is imitation.
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