The act of delivering something with a completely expressionless face, especially for humorous effect; present participle of deadpan.
From 'deadpan' (blank-faced delivery) plus '-ing' (present participle suffix). This gerund form allows deadpan to function as an action or technique.
Deadpanning is a genuine comedic technique that requires serious skill—you must absolutely control your face while saying something ridiculous, which requires more discipline than just laughing along with your own jokes, which is why audiences find it fascinating.
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