Blackout gag
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Blackout Gag is a term mainly used in Animated Cartoons to describe a manner in which a gag or joke is played out.
The term refers to a rapidly set-up situation in the cartoon storyline, that may be irrelevant to the rest of the story, that has a quick-fire gag then cuts to the fade out or Blackout. This accentuates the joke with a swift cut off without any need for a follow-on line or wrapping the joke up in any way. It may use a shock value to define the joke.
The abrupt ending is what makes the joke funny as it is usually an unexpected event. It may not be initially noticeable to all viewers if it is a very fast joke.
Fast paced cartoons such as those made by Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies and especially the Tex Avery MGM cartoons use this technique frequently.
Because many of these Blackout Gag cartoons feature explosions and the character's face goes black (as in a Negro caricature or similar style), it could be misunderstood literally as this is what a Blackout Gag means. A similar technique where the screen is black except for illuminated eyes or similar is not a Blackout Gag either.
A recent similar use of a Blackout Gag was in Family Guy, the episode where it ends with Brian the Dog pushing Stewie in front of a Bus, in revenge for Stewie's violent treatment in a previous episode. But the storyline it concluded started long before, so it is merely similar in the ending style to a Blackout Gag.
Benny Hill similarly started his non-animated TV shows with a quick Blackout Gag, showing the technique was used outside animation.
