Talk:Fatal hilarity

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I don't think that Infinite Jest (the film) is fatal hilarity. It is fatal comfort that kills - there are hints throughout Infinte Jest (the book) that the film consists mostly of shots from the point of view of the crib while the mother figure repeats over and over again that she is sorry. Furthermore, in another passage, it is learned that the director was working a special lens apparatus (and also specially ground lenses) that simulated the eyesight of an infant. The whole point is to regress the viewer to an infantile state of bliss, which turns out to be so overwhelming that those who view it want nothing more to keep viewing it.

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[edit] Article?

This doesn't seem so much an article as it does a list. Perhaps it would be better if it were formatted as such? Gershwinrb 10:58, 28 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Historical death

I read in a book....I think it was caled miscellaney or something....That one king died laughing when he found out that italy was independant or something.....Not sure though.199.224.81.132 17:01, 22 April 2006 (UTC)

I added the incident mentioned in Schott's Original Miscellany. Thanks for the lead.--Stoa 20:28, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Wow

I suggest we get some medical sources here? Anyone care to elaborate on how exactly this happens? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Xvall (talk • contribs) 20:51, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Zeuxis is said to have laughed himself to death

Zeuxis, the famous painter of Ephesus in the 5th century BC, is commonly said to have laughed to death at one of his own paintings of an old woman—(indeed, I just checked, and the Wiki article on him says as much). If someone kind find a source, I think it would be worth adding. I'll go ahead and add it.

[edit] Remington Steele

There was one episode of Remington Steele where a person is murdered by laughing so hard they suffocated. In fact, it was the only episode of Remington Steele that I ever watched. Can't remember the episode though. Worth adding if anyone can remember it. Kevin 03:07, 27 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Too much trivia, not enough science

Can anybody provide details of the pathology of fatal hilarity. How do people actually die? Kransky 13:29, 3 October 2007 (UTC)

Agreed. If you read the article it's evident the result is either asphyxiation or heart failure, but how either of these are reached is not explained. Asphyxiation I can easily see - I've had to remove myself from situations because, after laughing for a few minutes straight and finding myself unable to stop, I can no longer breathe and my chest starts to hurt. But heart failure... eh? Explanation would be nice. Torca 08:01, 13 October 2007 (UTC)