Humour/Comedy in BDSM fiction

[NoCarbon]

Here's a question that has puzzled me for a while.

How do other people feel about humour/comedy in your BDSM fiction? I find that a lot of written BDSM erotica is a bit humourless, but that seems to be what many/most people prefer. I find that a bit puzzling, as other sexualities often combine sex and comedy. So why not BDSM?

Personally I’m a big fan of Jake Napier’s fiction http://www.amazon.com/Jake-Napier/e/B00H0FQAMU which is often laugh-out-loud funny while at the same time being very sexy (which is to say, I suppose, that his creative imagination suits my taste) and it makes me wonder if my enjoyment of a combination of the erotic with the humorous is unusual in the community.

Or maybe I’m completely wrong and you all know of a lot of other humorist writers of BDSM stories. If so, please tell me, as I’d probably enjoy their stuff. But my impression is that BDSM comedy is slightly unusual, although I don’t see why it should be.

Any thoughts on the subject?

 

[barefootgirl69]

Just my opinion

I recently edited something for a Literotica writer, and there were several parts that made me laugh-out-loud. It didn't detract from the BDSM at all. In fact, I felt that it made the characters seem more like someone I would know, who lived next door.

Humour in the conversation, or humour in a situation...it can happen in real life, why not write a story that way? It could be something simple like a text message with auto-correct. I'm sure that the reader could relate and laugh, and then settle in for the sensual, erotic part with no problem.

 

[Mindfondler]

I agree that there's plenty of scope for humour in BDSM fiction. It's certainly something that I'd like to see. I don't think there's anything intrinsic about the genre that makes humour inappropriate. For example, the film Secretary contains quite a few laugh-out-loud moments (for me, at least!) that don't detract from its relevance, appeal or dramatic impact -- indeed, those moments reinforce the human vulnerability of the characters that drives the story along.

Also, I'm unable to visit a dungeon without finding the equipment and the possibilities that it offers rather hilarious. What could be funny about a Damsel in Distress scenario? Quite a lot, actually.
.

 

[NoCarbon]

I'm sure that the reader could relate and laugh, and then settle in for the sensual, erotic part with no problem.

Thanks for the reply. Your post (quoted above) touches upon the point I was getting at. You've separated the laughter from the eroticism (i.e. first you laugh at the funny part, then you move on to the erotic part). But what I meant was writing where the eroticism is comedic; where the humour is blended into the eroticism, not separate from it.

Maybe I'm wrong but Napier seems to be an unusual writer in this respect, and I'd like to find other writers who can make the erotic scenes simultaneously funny. (I enjoy serious BDSM writing too, of course.) However, as I said, I'm wondering if this is a marginal taste - in which case, I'm probably out of luck!

 

[NoCarbon]

I agree that there's plenty of scope for humour in BDSM fiction. It's certainly something that I'd like to see. I don't think there's anything intrinsic about the genre that makes humour inappropriate.

What could be funny about a Damsel in Distress scenario? Quite a lot, actually.

Yes, exactly. I don't find it inappropriate and I don't find it detracts from the eroticism. (But maybe some people do?) That's very much what I was asking.

The damsel in distress scenario would have almost endless scope for comedy, but it could be very sexy at the same time.

 

[Mindfondler]

Yes, exactly. I don't find it inappropriate and I don't find it detracts from the eroticism. (But maybe some people do?) That's very much what I was asking.

I anticipate that this will vary considerably across individuals, depending on their personal take on BDSM. Some may feel that humour takes their focus away from the seriousness reality of the moment. For me, though, an essential characteristic of BDSM play is exposure of the vulnerability of a sub (and, in my take, also that of the Dom), so humour can have a valid role in expressing this aspect.

In my own BDSM play, I find it difficult to keep a straight face when topping. I imagine that might be off-putting for some bottoms who prefer a stern and serious partner. In my case, though, I find myself taking on the persona of a twisted villain whom the audience loves to hate. I don't actually pose in a cape and twirl my moustache, but it wouldn't be out of character for me to do so.

The damsel in distress scenario would have almost endless scope for comedy, but it could be very sexy at the same time.

You've set my mind whirring there!
.

 

[ktgirl18]

I actually really like when humor is evident in play, be in fictional or in person. It lends that little something extra. For kink novels, what's better than some incredibly hot scenes *aaand* a bunch of quips or outright laughs?

Nothing, I tell you, nothing at all =P

 

[Bramblethorn]

I agree, there's plenty of scope for comedy in BDSM but so often it's written as deathly serious. You might try my "Counting To Eleven"; it's not heavily comedic, but there's certainly humour in there.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[NoJo]

Nearly all my stuff is humorous at least, and goes in Humour/Satire here, even if there's BDSM involved.

My only real BDSM story here is atypically humourless, which kind of affirms your guess.

In RL I usually start out laughing, joking and generally kidding, but as I get more turned on, the laughter stops. Needless to say I'm no less happy when I stop with the humour, just more intensely fixated and in the moment.

So for me, it's not just BDSM that is slightly antithetical to humour, it's sexual arousal in general that antithetical to it, because humour takes me away from the experience.

 

[amofiga]

I have the opposite argument. It seems to me that mainstream films and TV can't seem to show or relate BDSM unless it's presented as a joke to be engaged in by screwed up stupid people. The classic of the maid comes into the room to find the poor dumb schmuck who has been left tied to the bed and his clothes and wallet are gone. A few like 9 1/2 weeks tried to be serious. Then some who try to be serious and make it look dumb like "50 Shades of Grey" don't help either. The worst was "Exit to Eden" that took a fairly erotic novel and tried to make it a spoof with Rosy O'Donnell as a domme because the studio was afraid the public couldn't handle a real story about BDSM.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I have the opposite argument. It seems to me that mainstream films and TV can't seem to show or relate BDSM unless it's presented as a joke to be engaged in by screwed up stupid people. The classic of the maid comes into the room to find the poor dumb schmuck who has been left tied to the bed and his clothes and wallet are gone. A few like 9 1/2 weeks tried to be serious. Then some who try to be serious and make it look dumb like "50 Shades of Grey" don't help either. The worst was "Exit to Eden" that took a fairly erotic novel and tried to make it a spoof with Rosy O'Donnell as a domme because the studio was afraid the public couldn't handle a real story about BDSM.

I get what you mean, yeah. CSI Vegas sometimes handled BDSM well with Lady Heather, but I think it took a turn for the worse some time after I stopped watching. Castle establishes that Nathan Fillion's character is a pyl; it's used for comedy but he's not diminished by it, if that makes sense. Beyond that, portrayal in media is generally awful.

What I'd like to see is stuff that laughs WITH BDSMers rather than AT them.

 

[NoCarbon]

I have the opposite argument. It seems to me that mainstream films and TV can't seem to show or relate BDSM unless it's presented as a joke to be engaged in by screwed up stupid people. The classic of the maid comes into the room to find the poor dumb schmuck who has been left tied to the bed and his clothes and wallet are gone. A few like 9 1/2 weeks tried to be serious. Then some who try to be serious and make it look dumb like "50 Shades of Grey" don't help either. The worst was "Exit to Eden" that took a fairly erotic novel and tried to make it a spoof with Rosy O'Donnell as a domme because the studio was afraid the public couldn't handle a real story about BDSM.

Yes, I completely agree with this but what you're talking about here is material produced by the vanilla mainstream who understand nothing about BDSM. They use humour to ridicule us because they don't know any better. I don't expect anything but ignorance from them.

What I was talking about was the work of BDSM authors who are writing from within the BDSM community. It seems to me that we can have BDSM erotica that combines fetish with romance, combines fetish with horror, combines fetish with action thriller, and that combines fetish with comedy, etc. etc. That's why I was so pleased to find Jake Napier's books on kindle because he is doing something very different to the usual kind of BDSM erotica. I'd like to see more authors like him who combine fetish stories with other elements of entertainment.

 

[Lord_Steve]

imo BDSM is inherently funny. its also potentially profound/therapeutic/significant, but mostly its fun. all of the very best sex i've had has been punctuated by laughter.