WhileThe Far Sideis best known for its dark, surreal humor and razor-sharp wit, Gary Larson also had a knack for embracing the absurd with gleeful silliness. In fact, some of the funniest Far Side strips ditch clever wordplay in favor of classic slapstick, think pratfalls, slipping mishaps, and the always-reliable pie to the face.
Though many fans remember The Far Side for its intellectual edge, it’s easy to forget how often Larson leaned into pure physical comedy, proving that sometimes a well-timed tumble can be just as funny as a clever punchline.
10"No One’s Played This Thing For Years"
Originally Published: June 12, 2025
A piano repairman is not prepared for his latest job. He is under the piano, fixing what has broken when, at just the moment that his customer is telling him about how exciting it is that the piano is finally getting fixed and how no one has played it for years,an avalanche of musical notes falls onto his face.
Having all the musical notes fall on the repairman’s face is not onlyslapstick humor, but it is also a form of meta-humor, as it makes the audience aware that it is acknowledging its existence as a comic strip.The Far Sidewould often highlight its presence as a comic strip, especially in self-aware comic strips that involved Gary Larson himself, with this comic strip being a notable addition to the collection, featuring slapstick humor.
9"Zubutu Country"
Originally Published: June 30, 2025
Two explorers traverse the jungle when they find that they are in Zubutu country,which has its own unique form of trap: pie traps.A pie trap, as one of the explorers finds out firsthand, is precisely what it sounds like: a pie is loaded onto a springboarded bamboo stick so that it will be thrown in the face of any possible trespassers.
A pie in the face is as slapstick as it gets, with the setting being a jungle, making the pie in the face even more unexpected. Having a habit of placing the unlikeliest of circumstances in incongruous settings,The Far Side’suse of slapstick humor, courtesy of a pie in the face of an explorer in the jungle, offers a surreal scene that is both hilariously funny and takes the reader by surprise.
8"Mount Stoogemore"
Originally Published: July 28, 2025
Mount Rushmore gets a slapstick,Far Sidemakeover in one comic strip, where the presidents' faces on the monument are replaced with those of Larry, Curly, and Moe from The Three Stooges, carved out of the mountain instead. In the comic,Moeperforms his trademark finger-eye poke on Curly, a hilarious nod to the classicThree Stoogesfilms that also adds a nice slapstick touch toThe Far Side.
For fans of the trio or just those who are really passionate lovers of slapstick comedy, Mount Stoogemoore ofThe Far Sidemay seem like an upgrade compared to the Mount Rushmore of the real world.The Three Stooges were beloved for their slapstick humor, with the trio always slapping, poking, and generally roughing each other up, an act rooted in the vaudeville tradition.
7"That Chair’s Just Not Safe"
Originally Published: July 31, 2025
When Doreen visits her friend, she’s just about to sit down when her host thankfully stops her, warning that the chair she’s about to use isn’t exactly safe. Calling it unsafe is the understatement of the century. Outfitted with spikes, an animal trap, and even a venomous snake dangling from a rope, the chair is less a piece of furnitureand more a full-blown death trap. Injury would be the least of her problems if she actually sat in it.
Readers who see this comic strip can’t help but wonder: Why does this woman even own a chair like that?Maybe she’s preparing for home invaders and has set a trap,Home Alone-style, but the comic never offers a clear answer. While the reason behind the deadly chair remains a mystery, its sheer absurdity is enough to catch readers off guard, especially since it’s placed in an otherwise ordinary-looking home. That contrast is what makes the moment so unexpectedly hilarious.
6"The Moon!"
Originally Published: June 11, 2025
With his fellow astronaut Warren in tow, one astronaut is thrilled that they have finally reached their destination: the moon! The astronaut is so elated at their accomplishment that they swing their arms open in enthusiasm and joy, but it is ultimately to the misfortune of Astronaut Warren.With his helmet shield now smashed open after being unintentionally struck in the face by his peer, he had better move at breakneck speed back to the oxygen-holding spaceship, or his future does not look too bright, regardless of the moon landing.
Getting whacked in the face is a sure way to make someone who loves slapstick humor laugh. Although Warren is likely not in the mood to laugh, thanks to the consequences that will quickly arise fromhis astronaut buddy’s carelessarm flailing. Mixing dark humor with slapstick,The Far Sidebrings together black humor with silliness.
5"Hold Still, Carl!"
Originally Published: July 23, 2025
Like any true friend, a man tries to protect his buddy by getting rid of a nearby predator that could pose a danger. Unfortunately, thehumans ofThe Far Sideare not too bright, so those efforts may amount to more harm than good. With his friend and road trip partner Carl sleeping out in the desert, a man tries to kill a scorpion that has crawled onto Carl’s face.The man’s bright idea is to kill the scorpion with a giant rock by smashing it on Carl’s nose.
While the rock-to-the-face strategy may have a chance of killing the scorpion, it also has a significant chance of bashing his friend in the face. As a result,the scorpion extermination technique is not the best idea, but what more can you expect from the humans ofThe Far Side?
4"A Sense Of Awe"
Originally Published: August 15, 2025
A UFO full of aliens lands on Earth, where they have garnered an audience to see their arrival. As they prepare to make their showstopping entrance to the world,the first alien falls down the stairs, face-planting in front of all the humans.Consequently, the aliens are mad at their compatriots for ruining their chances of entering Earth by instilling a sense of awe in the humans.
Now, rather than awe, the effect is laughter at the alien’s slapstick fall. The aliens may like to think that they could pass themselves off as graceful, elegant creatures superior to humans, but the first alien out makes sure to eradicate that impression and show that they are not that different (or better) than humans at all.The trip back to their home planet is going to be a long onefor the annoyed aliens and the one who fell.
3"Leona Helmsley Meets The Three Stooges"
Originally Published: June 27, 2025
For those unaware, Leona Helmsley was a renowned real estate tycoon best known for her high-end luxury hotels in New York City. In other words, Leona Helmsley’s name was synonymous with glamor, luxury, opulence, and immense wealth. In contrast,The Three Stoogesis not synonymous with glamour and opulence, but rather associated with violent slapstick and physical humor.
A common trope ofThe Three Stoogeswas the mishaps and messes that would arise when they attempted construction jobs.The Far Sideimaginesa work thatblends the two worlds of Leona Helmsley and The Three Stooges, pushing these two opposites together. In the comic strip, Leona Helmsley comes down the stairs, dressed in a fancy gown in a classy setting, while in the other room, The Three Stooges are causing their usual havoc while they paint the room.
2"Hold It Right There!"
Originally Published: June 16, 2025
On the two clowns' first date, the woman is firm about certain behaviors she will not tolerate from her suitor, Charles.As Charles pulls his arm back, ready to smash a pie in her face, she stops him in his tracks, making it perfectly clear that if he knows what’s good for him, she will not be the one getting pied on their first date.
Two clowns in full costumes and makeup are funny enough on their own, but adding slapstick humor or at least an attempt at it makes the comic strip even more amusing. While we do not know what a typical first date looks like for clowns inThe Far Side,Charles definitely crosses a line with his date,who clearly does not appreciate the classic pie-in-the-face gag.
1"Big Bob’s"
Originally Published: June 22, 2025
As one might expect from a place called Big Bob’s Ball Bearings, Bananas, Roller Skates, and Floor Wax Company, the factory is full of workplace accidents presented in the most humorously slapstick ways imaginable.Throughout the day, employees are slipping, sliding, and tumbling all over the place.
Everything produced or distributed by Big Bob’s, from banana peels to floor wax, is a classic recipe for falls in cartoons, comics, and movies. Just reading the company’s name gives readers a good idea of the chaos inside, even before seeing the workers caught mid-fall. This perfectly captures the style of slapstick humor that fans ofThe Far Sidelove.
