You’ve seen it. That specific, distorted grimace that someone pulls right before they burst into a fit of laughter. It’s a mess. Eyes squeezed shut, nostrils flared, jaw unhinged. We call them very very funny faces, but to a biologist, they’re actually a fascinating glitch in the human operating system.
Humor is weird. Why do we find a contorted lip or a crossed eye so inherently hysterical? It’s not just "childish" humor; even the most stoic adults find themselves cracking up when a comedian like Jim Carrey or Rowan Atkinson pushes their facial muscles to the absolute limit. There is a deep, evolutionary reason why these expressions trigger such a visceral response in us. It’s about subverting expectations. Our brains are hardwired to recognize patterns—specifically the pattern of a "normal" human face. When someone breaks that pattern with a high-effort, asymmetrical, or bizarre expression, the brain’s "error detection" system fires off, and for some reason, we interpret that error as a joke.
The Science of the "Ugly-Funny" Dissonance
According to Dr. Peter McGraw, a leading researcher at the Humor Research Lab (HuRL), humor often stems from a "benign violation." This theory suggests that something is funny when it is perceived as wrong, unsettled, or threatening, but is simultaneously recognized as being safe. Very very funny faces are the perfect example of this. A face that is severely distorted could signal pain or a stroke—which isn't funny—but because we know the person is just "making a face," the threat is neutralized. The result? Laughter.
It's a delicate balance.
If the face looks too real or too pained, the humor evaporates instantly. We call this the "Uncanny Valley" effect, where something looks almost human but slightly "off" in a way that triggers revulsion rather than joy. But when a friend pulls their ears back and sucks in their lips to look like a confused turtle, the "violation" is so obviously harmless that we can't help but lose it. Honestly, it’s one of the few universal languages we have left. You don't need to speak the same dialect to understand a well-timed "derp" face.
The Physical Labor of a Great Expression
Think about the sheer muscle power involved. The human face has 43 muscles. Most of the time, we use them for boring stuff like chewing or frowning at emails. But when someone like Lucille Ball or Molly Shannon gets to work, they are essentially performing a high-intensity workout.
- The Procerus muscle: This is what pulls the eyebrows down and in. When over-exaggerated, it creates that classic "angry baby" look.
- Orbicularis oculi: These are the muscles around the eyes. Squinting them while opening the mouth creates a massive contrast in the face's geometry.
- Risorius: This pulls the corners of the mouth sideways. It's often called the "smiling muscle," but when pushed too far, it creates a grimace that is both terrifying and hilarious.
Research published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior suggests that we might actually admire the "skill" involved in these expressions. It takes a high level of motor control to move individual facial muscles in ways they weren't intended to move. It’s basically athletic comedy.
Why Kids (and Comedians) Win at This
Kids are the undisputed masters of the craft. Why? Because they haven't yet developed the social filter that tells them to "look pretty." A toddler making very very funny faces in a mirror is exploring their own agency. They realize, often for the first time, that they can change how the world perceives them just by moving their skin around.
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Professional comedians just never grew out of that phase.
Take Jim Carrey in the 1990s. He didn't just tell jokes; he became a living cartoon. His ability to manipulate his features was so extreme that it almost felt like CGI before CGI was a thing. He understood that a facial expression could provide a punchline faster than any sentence ever could. Words take time to process. A face is instant. It hits the amygdala before the prefrontal cortex even knows what happened.
The Social Glue of Shared Ridiculousness
There’s a social component to this that most people overlook. When you make a ridiculous face at a friend, you are making yourself vulnerable. You are intentionally making yourself look "ugly" or "stupid" for the sake of their entertainment. It’s a high-level bonding signal. It says, "I trust you enough to let go of my dignity."
This is why "funny face" photo booths are a staple at weddings. It breaks the ice. It strips away the formality of the event and reminds everyone that, underneath the suits and dresses, we’re all just slightly evolved primates with very expressive skin.
- The "Gurning" Tradition: In the UK, there are actually World Gurning Championships. People put their heads through a horse collar (a braffin) and try to make the most hideous face possible. It’s been a tradition for centuries.
- The Mirror Neuron Response: When we see someone pull a weird face, our mirror neurons fire. We "feel" the stretch in our own faces, which often leads to a sympathetic smile or a full-blown cackle.
- Stress Relief: Laughing at a silly face triggers the release of endorphins. It’s a physiological reset button.
How to Actually Get Better at This (Seriously)
If you want to master the art of the funny face—whether for your kids, your TikTok, or just to be the life of the party—you have to understand the "Melt" and the "Stretch."
The "Melt" is about letting your features go limp. Droop one eye, let the jaw hang loose, and look like you’ve just discovered gravity for the first time. The "Stretch" is the opposite. Everything goes wide. Eyes big, mouth open, nostrils flared. The funniest faces usually involve a combination of both—one side of the face melting while the other stretches.
Don't overthink it. The moment you start trying to look "cute" while being funny, you’ve lost. The commitment is what makes it work. If you aren't willing to look genuinely bizarre, it won't land.
Actionable Insights for Using Humor
- Break the tension: In high-stress situations (that aren't life-or-death), a quick, subtle funny face can de-escalate anxiety. It reminds everyone that things aren't that serious.
- Boost your mood: Stand in front of a mirror and try to make five different very very funny faces. It sounds cheesy, but the physical act of moving those muscles and seeing the absurdity of your own reflection can actually lower cortisol levels.
- Photograph for memory: In twenty years, you won't care about the photo where you looked "perfect." You’ll cherish the one where you and your best friend were making the most hideous faces imaginable.
- Watch the masters: Study silent film stars like Buster Keaton or modern physical comics. Observe how they use their eyes specifically. Often, the eyes stay still while the rest of the face moves, creating a "static vs. chaos" effect that is comedy gold.
The human face is a playground. We spend so much time worrying about wrinkles, symmetry, and "flaws" that we forget its primary purpose: communication. Sometimes, the most important thing you can communicate is that life is weird, we are all a bit strange, and a well-placed tongue-out-eyes-crossed expression is the most honest response to the world we have.