1) Ridicule those in power, i.e. politicians or the boss 2) Give ordinary people something or somebody out-of-the-ordinary to talk about, e.g. celebrity gossip 3) Let people laugh at characters who are clownish, but take themselves seriously, e.g. the characters in Fraser 4) Allow people to laugh at characters who share their own less-than-desirable qualities as in Roseanne 5) Present characters who are such losers that almost anyone can feel superior to them, e.g. the Bundys
1) Ridicule those in power, i.e. politicians or the boss
2) Give ordinary people something or somebody out-of-the-ordinary to talk about, e.g. celebrity gossip
3) Let people laugh at characters who are clownish, but take themselves seriously, e.g. the characters in Fraser
4) Allow people to laugh at characters who share their own less-than-desirable qualities as in Roseanne
5) Present characters who are such losers that almost anyone can feel superior to them, e.g. the Bundys
All are time honored formulas.