15 ‘Looney Tunes’ Jokes for the Comedy Hall of Fame
It’s impossible to overstate how many fertile comedic minds wouldn’t have been nurtured if they hadn’t grown up watching Looney Tunes. Madcap bits and performances in sketch shows, animated and live-action, simply wouldn’t exist without them. Likewise, existential and absurd humor wouldn’t have evolved without Looney Tunes teaching current comedy writers and stand-ups how to walk that that path. Hell, Michael Jordan and LeBron James would have failed in the highest-stakes games they ever played without Bugs and the gang, which is more than we can say for the likes of Dave Corzine and Timofey Mozgov.
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So, overture, curtain, lights. This is it; we’ll hit the heights with some of our favorite Looney Tunes gags for our Comedy Hall of Fame...
Playing with Physics
One thing that animation has over live-action is the ability to subvert expectations due to us 3D humans needing to obey the laws of physics. Or that gorilla is just really, really strong.
The Only End to the Ultimate Rivalry
This can be the only way the long-standing conflict between frenemies Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd can end. Death. Goofy, silly death.
Big Chungus Origins
Since this is the internet, we have to include the classic gag that gave birth to a relentless meme.
Bugs Just Keeps Having Gorilla Encounters, Doesn’t He?
More Fun with Physics
Much like Bugs Bunny and a cliff-pulling gorilla, Wile E. Coyote is often falls prey to physics that are destined to harm him.
Now You’re Thinking with Portals
‘Back Alley Uproar’
Beating Susan Boyle for “Most Unexpected Beautiful Voice” by 61 years is this orange cat from Back Alley Uproar. Not only is the juxtaposition funny, but so is the warped singing upon getting kiboshed by Elmer Fudd.
‘Corny Concerto’s Racy Reveal
Leave it to Bugs to turn a resuscitation into a perfect drag moment.
Gun Assembly Required
Meta-Commentary
Before all the modern meta-humor in today’s media, there was Daffy Duck being animated to yell at an animated animator animating him in embarrassing ways. Did you catch all of that? No? Too bad.
The Multi-Door Gag
Before Scooby-Doo popularized the multiple-door-hallway gag, Bugs and Yosemite Sam set the template and added a cannon to it.
Diplomacy
Sometimes the Ultimate Answerer isn’t the one you’d expect — or want.
Robin Hood Daffy
A classic slapstick bit that does a great job of heightening, then releasing one last unique smack for good measure
‘Rabbit of Seville’
Taking a classic opera like the Barber of Seville to use as the background music for a series of hilarious gags is genius, especially with how the animation is synced up to every beat of the overture, both large and small.
‘DUCK SEASON!’ ‘RABBIT SEASON!’
This bit is so timeless that it’s been used multiple times throughout multiple decades yet still hits as hard as it did the first time.
