Hack (comedy)

Hack is a term used primarily in stand-up comedy, but also sketch comedy, improv comedy, and comedy writing to refer to a joke or premise for a joke that is considered obvious, has been frequently used by comedians in the past and/or is blatantly copied from its original author. Alternatively, it may refer to a comedian or performance group that uses hack material or similarly unoriginal devices in their act. Since comedians and people who work with comedians are typically exposed to many more jokes than the general public, they may recognize a topic, joke or performer as hack before the general public does; as a result, even performers who do well on stage may be considered hacks by their peers.

The word "hack" is derived from the British term "hackneyed", meaning "overused and thus cheapened, or trite".

One proposed amelioration to hackneyed material is an essay by George Orwell, Politics and the English Language: The Six Rules.

Occasionally, a performer will be one of the first to develop a joke about a specific topic, and later others will follow suit to excess. This renders the topic "hack" to new performers but is not considered a detriment to the originator of the material.

Reusing humor can also be joke theft if it is taken without permission from another specific comedian.