MEANER

The majority of humor theorists swallow whole the sacrosanct doctrine that comedy always begins with conflict. This misguided dogma provides justification for boorish misanthropes to transform their neuroses and pathology into sadistic humor.

Higher levels of humor exist within the realm of wordplay and the non sequitur. Give me Samuel Beckett, Zippy the Pinhead or Sun Ra over “Married . . . With Children” or “Saturday Night Live” any day.

PETER STENSHOEL

Santa Monica