Tempting a new genre?

I usually write in the fantasy field.  There is some hint of Sci-Fi in it but it is only a touch.  I recently thought I could try a new writing genre, to see if I could.  I had done it in the past.  Not always successfully.  I tried my hand in erotica and I ended up doing a long triple X piece.  I guess I should have look up at the definition of erotica before.  Of course, I had pieces of that experiment that had some element of erotica.  The story was set in halloween.  A group of people meet up, in disguise, to get together for the night.  They each tell a story.  I leave the rest to the imagination.

That experiement was not totally waisted.  I learned a few things along the way.  If I return in that genre, I would know the pitfall and not to do it during nanowrimo (www.nanowrimo.org).  I also now know a bit more what erotica is, so I would write something more to the point and less on the sezy side.  It wasn't waisted because it helped me in knowing where to go next time I try erotica.

Now, recently, I wanted to try comedy.  My main problem: when I do a conscious joke, it isn't funny.  When I try to get serious, it is funny..  No middle ground.  I don't seems to understand and apply funny lines or timing to good use on a conscious level.  I won't see myself going for famous running gag.  I would put myself in a legal situation that I want to avoid.  I want to play safe and get my own jokes or my own funny moments.  After seeing a video called «25 funniest and strangest place names on earth»(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sgg5ZiyP5c).  After seeing that video, I got my light bulb going up.  My situation may not be totally messed up.  I could try the basic of a good comedy, some easy situation that can have great punchlines.  I could take models around me of people suited for the comedic life.  At the end, I would see if it is feasable.  It is worth the try.