I am a wookie - hear me RRAAWWRR
We and 150 million viewers have seen Candace Payne laughing in her Chewbacca mask.
Why is it so funny? Why are we laughing uncontrollably with her?
According to Amanda Hess in the New York Times, the formula of this and other funny internet viral videos is simple:
- Do something a bit out there
- Laugh at the harmless transgression
- Post the video
The essential ingredient is a harmless transgression. That's what we're laughing at. In this case the harmless transgression is a lady wearing a child's Star Wars mask.
But we would never laugh at a harmful transgression. That would be cruel and indifferent.
So the difference between comedy and tragedy is that one is a harmless transgression but the other is a harmful transgression.
In the Bible, Jesus promises, "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh."
But how can this be? How can God covert a harmful transgression into a harmless one?
Because Jesus takes the harm in our place. So our harmful transgression is now harmless to us.
That's why we can laugh.
ROFL
Or as Chewbacca would say, "RRRAAAWWWRRRRRR!"