This article is about how most men date people similar to their own mother, and enjoy the feeling of being taken care of. Frazier takes this idea a little farther than normal by asking the controversial question of, why not just date your mom? You love her and you have spent all your life getting to know her, so going ahead and dating her would make sense. It takes away the work of going out and dating many women, when you're bound to date someone similar to your mother in the end.
I'd say this article is funny because it takes an odd idea and treats it like a normal thing, making it almost understandable in a comedic way, though the topic itself is funny enough. Frazier uses many key elements to create a successful comedy, there's a juxtaposition right there in the title! Normally we don't see the words "dating" and "mom" together in this context, or any context for that matter. This title is full of euphemisms for the idea of dating the women who gave birth to you. In the first paragraph, when Frazier initially introduces the main idea of his writing, he says, " There are hundreds of times when you and your mother are thrown together naturally", as a reader I interpreted this as a way of making fun of the fact that, of course you are thrown together, she is the woman that gave birth to you and tended to your every need for the first years of your life, and possibly longer if you're that much of a momma's boy.
I would say this is satirical because as opposed to other types of comedy, such as slapstick, there is a purpose to this comedic piece. I'd say the purpose to this comedy is to say that many more grown men today are relying on their mothers while they should be out making a life for themselves. Though most men who live at home are not as extreme as this article states and do not wish to be a baby, that is how satire is written. Satire is meant to be sarcastic and exaggerated, and push the boundaries. Under other circumstances, claiming that dating your mother is okay, even a good idea would be ghastly, but in this comedic sense, it is accepted.
I'd say this article is funny because it takes an odd idea and treats it like a normal thing, making it almost understandable in a comedic way, though the topic itself is funny enough. Frazier uses many key elements to create a successful comedy, there's a juxtaposition right there in the title! Normally we don't see the words "dating" and "mom" together in this context, or any context for that matter. This title is full of euphemisms for the idea of dating the women who gave birth to you. In the first paragraph, when Frazier initially introduces the main idea of his writing, he says, " There are hundreds of times when you and your mother are thrown together naturally", as a reader I interpreted this as a way of making fun of the fact that, of course you are thrown together, she is the woman that gave birth to you and tended to your every need for the first years of your life, and possibly longer if you're that much of a momma's boy.
I would say this is satirical because as opposed to other types of comedy, such as slapstick, there is a purpose to this comedic piece. I'd say the purpose to this comedy is to say that many more grown men today are relying on their mothers while they should be out making a life for themselves. Though most men who live at home are not as extreme as this article states and do not wish to be a baby, that is how satire is written. Satire is meant to be sarcastic and exaggerated, and push the boundaries. Under other circumstances, claiming that dating your mother is okay, even a good idea would be ghastly, but in this comedic sense, it is accepted.