What's the humor in abbreviating states?

The humor in abbreviating states often comes from the delightful absurdities and unexpected challenges it presents, as exemplified by comedian Gary Gulman. He recalls the difficulty from childhood of memorizing state abbreviations that began with the same letters, like Alaska (AK) and Alabama (AL), and how this turned into a funny, original joke many years later. He emphasizes how, in comedy, finding unique and nuanced ways to explore simple topics can create entertaining and memorable humor 1.

Moreover, the idea of a documentary about abbreviating all 50 states into two-letter codes was used by Gulman to create humor out of the apparent triviality and ridiculousness of such an effort. He joked about the length of such a documentary and the absurd notion of a "crack squad of abbreviators", which adds to the humor by treating a mundane bureaucratic task as an epic, cinematic endeavor 2.

These elements of humor are tied to the broader appeal of absurdity and specificity in comedy, which can turn everyday observations into entertaining narratives.