Men's Humor

In a study on gender differences in humor, Allan Reiss, MD, concluded that men and women cognitively experience humor in distinctive ways. 

Reportedly, women experience greater intensity with respect to pleasurable responses to novel experiences noting that men's expectation of humor diminished their pleasure. 

However, in a article on Gender Differences in Humor, I proposed that novel or non-traditional humor would potentially appeal more to men, resulting in a similar executive processing effect in the brain. 

Looking to late-night talk shows as an example of humor that offers the greatest variety of news stories, it is easy to see why late-night talk shows attract more male than female viewers. The argument that late-night talk shows are entirely misogynist may not be as founded as previously considered. Naturally, progressive content with respect to world news and the economic downturn, which has proportionally cost more men than women jobs (resulting in a sort of "man-cession" or male-affected recession), would rank higher in terms of novel news stories and subsequently favorable responses from men. 

Emotionally, I enjoy the lighter side of comedy: cute babies, funny puppies, inspirational or witty comments on thriving, and the balancing out of social inequalities. 

However, my analytically-dominated brain prefers more cutting-edge, societally sharp humor often associated with late-night comedy shows. As a woman, I am uncomfortable with the constant reference to sexual content, however, it is expected with respect to the limitations in outdated pre- and post-industrial thinking. 

*Contains explicit content

While late-night talk shows could attract more viewers by incorporating a more balanced emotional and analytical perspective on humor, the main purpose is aimed at offering humorous perspectives on the crumbling Cold War superpower (politics, culture, media). These are not light-hearted issues. Accordingly, fluffy bunnies, equality, and puppies vs. babies do not fit the theme. 

In addition to differing gender responses to late-night talk shows, I see the primary differences in gender ratings as a natural result of the human brain's response to an underdeveloped (in the case of women) or overdeveloped (in the case of men) nucleus accumbens, or NAcc, which is part of the mesolimbic reward center in the brain.