Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, created this rule to explain the difference between what is funny, and what falls short. The idea is that if you hit 2 of the categories solidly enough, it’s funny. The higher you score, the funnier it is. He consciously uses this rule when he writes, looking at what is present, and what could be added to score higher.

Cute Clever Cruel Familiar Bizarre Naughty

Cute is anything that evokes the “Awwww” response. Here are some of the things that may be considered cute: Puppies Kittens Children Furry Critters Associated with children Associated with pets

Clever makes the audience think, “I never would have thought of that.” It’s the aspect of pure originality and creativity. Here are some examples: Metaphors Analogies Alliteration Made up jargon Wordplay Exaggeration Surprise Flip Timing/Pause

Cruel is anything that’s unpleasant to the “victim.” It can range from mildly unpleasant to flat out brutal. Some things which are Cruel are: Ridicule Mockery Humiliation Sarcasm Violence Threatened violence Death Slapstick

Familiar is what is known to the audience. Choosing a pop culture icon will appeal to a broad audience, while choosing something more exclusive yields an inside joke. Here are a few things that are familiar: Pop Culture Celebrities Political Figures Popular Trends Stereotypes

Bizarre is the opposite of familiar in some ways, but it’s not entirely the opposite of familiar. It’s the opposite of familiar more in the sense of being unnatural or even against our conceptions of nature. Some qualities include: Odd Quirky Unusual Weird Very different from ordinary Unexpected

Naughty is the class of things that are taboo, or at least not appropriate in polite company Crude Humor Profanity Toilet Humor Gross Sexual Innuendo Overt Sexuality