Spite presents a comprehensive academic theory:
ALL COMEDY FALLS INTO ONE OF THREE CATEGORIES
by Will Hines

All comedy, no matter what, falls somehow into one of these three categories:

	1. Self-Deprecation Witness Conan O' Brien, the letters section of Mad Magazine, Woody Allen movies, and Ben Stiller. Putting yourself down is a guaranteed laugh.
	2. Overconfidence Anyone supremely confident, like Phil Hartman on News Radio, is funny. But the best division of this group are the people who are overconfident while remaining oblivious to their own social incompetence. Witness Inspector Clouseau, Steve Martin's 1970's personality, that kid in Rushmore and Ace Ventura.
	3. The Keystone Kops Those huge hats! The overcrowded cars! The way they all jumped up when any one of them whistled! These guys were great!