Types of Humor and Disciplines

Humor is more than just laughter. It is a game, a style, a technique, a strategy.
Within the framework of the World Humor Federation, we develop humor as an independent sport where participants compete in a variety of genres and disciplines. Some of these are already recognized as official competitive categories, while others are still in the stage of testing and experimentation.

Main WHF Disciplines

Stand-up Comedy
A solo performance by a comedian sharing observations, stories, ironic reflections, or grotesque moments from everyday life. This discipline values rhythm, delivery, originality of material, and connection with the audience.
⏱ 1 participant, up to 10 minutes

Humor Decathlon
An exclusive WHF format combining several humor genres in a single competition. The participant completes a series of humorous tasks—from jokes and pantomime to musical improvisations and blitz jokes.
The mix of genres varies from tournament to tournament, making each event unique and allowing participants to develop versatile skills. This competition tests versatility, mental flexibility, and a sense of style.
⏱ 1 participant, up to 6 different contests per game, genres are not announced in advance

Improvisation
An individual humor discipline based on the ability to instantly react to unexpected tasks, topics, or situations. The participant does not prepare in advance and must create jokes on the spot.
Improvisation is especially valuable because the outcome depends on interaction with other participants, the audience, opponents, and sometimes props or chance factors. It is intellectual and artistic fencing on the edge of reflexes.
⏱ Individual, but involves live interaction with other participants or the audience

Team Disciplines for Clubs and National Teams

Sketch Comedy
A staged mini-performance with 2–5 people, featuring a single plot, well-developed characters, and a vivid ending. Often includes elements of theater, absurdity, and grotesque. Special attention is paid to acting skills, precise scene structure, and team synergy.
⏱ 2 to 5 participants, up to 10 minutes

Panel Comedy
A group stage performance combining elements of a show, variety, and improvisation. Includes miniatures, monologues, dialogues, musical inserts, and plot fragments. All united by a common idea, theme, or team image.
⏱ 4–5 participants, up to 10 minutes

Humor Quiz
A classic quiz reimagined through the lens of humor. Teams compete not only in knowledge but also in who can interpret questions in the brightest, most absurd, and funniest ways. The key is not just knowing, but finding unexpected, amusing, and striking answers.
⏱ Up to 8 participants per team

Humor Championship Among Clubs

A format where professional humor clubs compete. Each game is played in a “best of five” system with teams competing in the following disciplines:
1. Stand-up
2. Sketch Comedy
3. Panel Comedy
4. Repeat Stand-up (if needed)
5. Repeat Sketch Comedy (if needed)

The game ends when one team wins three sets. The lineup can be adapted but always requires preparation in at least three disciplines. This reveals the versatility and depth of the team and makes the competition exciting and multifaceted.

Experimental and Rotational Disciplines

These genres are used in humor decathlons, improv tournaments, and thematic shows. Each of them may evolve into a full-fledged separate discipline.

Joke (Anekdot)
A concise genre with a tightly packed form. The task is to tell a short story with a powerful punchline. Requires precise timing and acting skills.

Purposely Unfunny Humor
A paradoxical discipline where the participant must either deliberately make unfunny jokes or maintain absolute seriousness while the opponent tries their best to make them laugh. It tests resilience, self-irony, and game awareness.

Joke / Repartee
An improvisational reaction to a situation, question, or unexpected prompt. The participant receives a topic, phrase, or image and must instantly deliver a witty and original response. Trains quick thinking and creativity.

Musical Humor (Song)
The participant is given the start of a song (real or made-up) and must continue it with humorous lyrics. It is important not only to match the rhythm but also to build an unexpected comedic twist. Variant: a song battle between comedians.

Caricature / Picture
An image appears on the screen or is held by the host. The participant must give a funny commentary or interpretation. This can be a “reaction from the character’s perspective,” an absurd translation, or a playful distortion of the story. Stimulates visual thinking.

Additional Formats Developed Within WHF
Some of these genres already appear at festivals and shows, while others are still conceptually under development. We are ready to turn successful ideas into full competitive disciplines:

Satire — pointed criticism through humor

Dark Humor — tragicomic themes within ethical boundaries

Alternative / Absurd Humor — complete breakdown of logic for unexpected effect

Blitz Humor — maximum reaction in minimal time

Anecdotes — funny first-person life stories

Musical Parodies — humorous rewrites of well-known songs

Pantomime — comedy through movement without words

Parody — playing on recognizability, imitation of famous styles, personalities, brands

Trolling / Sarcasm / Irony — sharp comedic style with a provocative message

Puns / Wordplay — verbal humor based on ambiguity

Political Satire — allowed in countries where it is not prohibited

Meme Culture — working with visual and digital symbols

Physical Humor — falls, tricks, exaggerated gestures

Literary Humor — stories, poems, prose with a humorous bent

Advertising Humor — fictional or parody slogans and commercials

News Humor — interpreting current events in the form of jokes

Vines — short humorous videos ideal for social media

⚠️ We Are Open to New Ideas

The world of humor evolves. We test, implement, and adapt new disciplines based on audience feedback, participant ideas, and club activities.
If you have an idea for a new discipline — suggest it through our feedback form.
And maybe as soon as tomorrow it will become part of the official WHF program.