A callback, in terms of comedy, is a joke which refers to one previously told in the set. The second joke is often presented in a different context than the one which was used in the initial joke. Callbacks are usually used at or near the end of a set, as the aim is to create the biggest laugh at the end of a comic set. The main principle behind the callback is to make the audience feel a sense of familiarity with the subject matter, as well as with the comedian. It helps to create audience rapport. When the second joke is told, it induces a feeling similar to that of being told a personal or in-joke. Comedy is the use of humor in the performing arts. ... Jump to: navigation, search A joke is a short story or short series of words spoken or communicated with the intent of being laughed at or found humorous by the listener or reader. ... An audience is a group of people who participate in and experience or encounter a work of art, literature, theatre, music or academics in any medium. ... An in joke is a joke whose humour is clear only to those people who are in a group that has some prior knowledge (not known by the whole population) that makes the joke humorous. ...

Television

In television, the term callback has come to mean a joke or line that refers to a previous episode. Particularly in earlier sitcoms - through even until the early 1990s - callbacks were rare and often frowned upon by networks, because they threaten to isolate a viewer who is new to the series, or who missed episodes. Seinfeld was one of the first sitcoms to regularly use callbacks in its scripts, although on a level which would often be missed or disregarded by viewers. More recently, Arrested Development has become well-known by fans for its regular use of callbacks throughout all of its episodes. A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Jump to: navigation, search // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ... Jump to: navigation, search Seinfeld is a television sitcom, considered to be one of the most popular and influential of the 1990s in the U.S., to the point where it is often cited as epitomizing the self-obsessed and ironic culture of the decade. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

External link

• Glossary of comedy nomenclature