Previously, we learned about Expectations in Writing by looking at a humorous scene from the novel Mort by Terry Pratchett. Let’s look at a second example, a funny scene from a comedy skit by British comedian Michael McIntyre about the Dentist.

What do you expect from a dentist? Usually, the patient is the nervous one and the dentist is calm and professional. Well, in the first part of this comedy skit, Michael McIntyre completely reverses these roles.

POV: You’re at the dentist.

We’ve all been there. We know what it’s like to be at the dentist, whether it’s stressful, nerve-wracking, or bothersome.

The sketch begins with Michael at the dentist to get his wisdom teeth extracted. Michael is numbed and distracted by the TV and doesn’t notice the pain. He glances toward the dentist and is surprised to see the man is very upset. This completely subverts our expectations. It’s funny and we want to know why. What’s wrong with the dentist?

So Michael, ever the calm patient, reassures the dentist and tells him to take a break and come back later. “No,” the dentist shouts. “You must go to a hospital!” Then he runs out of the room. The questions hit us even harder at this point. What is happening? Is Michael in danger? Is this a life-or-death situation? Or just a funny scene? I’m captivated by the abruptness of their exchange. I want to know more.

Well, Michael gets up and follows the dentist out, wearing his bloody bib and all. And that’s when the next expectation arrives. We know the cliche — people don’t like going to the dentist. (I’m one of those people who put it off even though I know it’s important to go.) In the reception, you’d expect to hear a mother reassuring her children there’s no reason to be afraid of the dentist.

Enter Michael McIntyre.

He walks into the waiting room with all this blood on his bib. And, the mother runs away screaming!!

Wait! Did he just confirm the cliche that you should be afraid of the dentist? Brilliant.

How to write a funny scene

The skit continues and evolves with various encounters including a phone call with his wife, meeting the nurses at the hospital, and dealing with hospital gowns. The jokes are especially on point because they play with your expectations. This is *not* how a visit to the Dentist is supposed to go. But I won’t spoil the sketch anymore. (I laughed so hard I could barely breathe.) Go watch the master yourself. Learn and study how he does it.

He’s full of energy and constantly moving around the stage. His voice rises in pitch, the tones wobble all over. His lips flap and his face contorts cartoonishly. The presentation and physical humor sell the funny scene, but also how he tells it.

Don’t rely on cliches

When you’re telling your own story. You can’t rely on cliches. Instead, rely on your audience.

Present them with a familiar but not familiar scenario.

We crave something new and interesting, but still like the familiar. (Think of fairy tale retellings. Hollywood is full of sequels, prequels, and reboots because they’re ‘safe’.) On some level, all stories are familiar. A clever character. An wise-cracking old woman. Two people meet, but will they fall in love and have adventures? (I hope so.) You know these types of characters already. You know about dentist visits and how death works. But when Terry Pratcheet describes a scene about Death it isn’t going to play out like you expect. It will be better. And Michael McIntyre describes what seems like an ordinary visit to the destist in the most extraordinary exaggerated way.

As writers and artists, you’re trying to captivate your audience. So, next time try subverting their expectations. Leave them guessing. What will happen next? How will they escape this seemingly impossible situation? Will the heroine survive?

Let me know if you want more writing analysis and examples of funny scenes. Or subscribe to my newsletter for more personal funny stories. (Hopefully, the subscription robots are back and did not run away again. It’s not my fault!) (Okay, yes it is.) Or check out my Twine story called Cursebreakers, where a Prince faces some unusual fairy tales curses.