Tragedy and Cartoon Physics

The line between tragedy and comedy? Where does one end, the other begin?

Studying for a summer show, I heard something, about a certain play, and wanted to expand the idea.

Imagine the image of a figure running off a cliff, legs still churning in mid-air, apparently pedaling and paddling forward until the figure looks down. Then gravity takes hold, but not until the figure is aware that there is no support.

In cartoon physics, the law of gravity doesn’t apply until the character realizes that there is no support, then, sometimes, like, ever see the coyote blink before he falls?

In real life, though, same figure running off a cliff then being sucked downward immediately, or almost immediately, depending on angular momentum, right? That quickly becomes a tragedy.

Tragedy then must be immediate, but if there is a clever pause, or an edited pause, or some kind of timing that allows the humor of the situation to develop?

Think this is a big clue on how to deal with Saturn headed into Aquarius.

Previously mentioned, cf. this Aquarius.