The (far less than) 100 Things that Disappear with 2010: Part VI

"Hilarious"

Louis C.K. Pretty funny.

No, not the Louis C.K. movie, but the usage of the word. Usually, when you listen to people tell stories about a funny thing that happened at ... actually, I forget where it happened, but something happened that was hilarious, but hardly a laugh is had while telling the events which occurred. This is also a word used in response given after listening to a funny (at best) story. Again, by the respondent, boisterous merriment or convulsive laughter there is not . The problem is that if something is actually so funny that people enter a state of hilarity, 
it would be nearly impossible to actually
utter any four syllable word.


I'm not trying to be clever or ironic by saying this, but I take comedy seriously. If I say something funny or entertaining, I don't want to hear "that's hilarious" unless tears, absence of breath, and side-splitting laughter is also involved. Otherwise, I feel like I'm being pandered to. Don't get confused though. Of course the word should still be used, but let's not cheapen that which is truly hilarious.


2010 response: I've actually abused this word plenty. Also, "Well, I don't know about 'hilarious'..."


2011 response: Properly use the word as well as petition Louis C.K to name his stand-up special "Pretty Funny".