Folk art is one example of whimsy in art. Folk art, or primitive art, contains some of the freshest and most unexpected juxtapositions of images and symbols, because the artists are self-taught and often haven't been influenced by anyone else. The famous Georgian folk artist Howard Finster combined wildly differing elements, such as Bible verses and symbolism with Coca-Cola bottles, or portraits of movie and music stars. However, the caricature art of Sebastian Kruger is more traditionally funny by exaggerating the features and quirks of well-known celebrities.
Think of the funniest movie you ever saw. Maybe it was when Oliver Hardy threw himself on the top bunk of a triple-decker bunk bed and caused it to instantly pancake to the floor. This movie stunt takes place in the "real" world and may be more or less expected, given Ollie's size. "The Flying Deuces" contains a more whimsical plot twist, when Laurel and Hardy finally succeed in blowing themselves to Kingdom Come -- and Ollie comes back as a horse.
Whimsical literature is often children's literature, since children delight in the fantastic. "The Hobbit" is a good example of whimsical literature -- light in tone, even when describing uncomfortable or even dangerous events -- and given to quirky inventions, such as the one described in the opening sentence: "In the hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." Straightforward comedy, on the other hand, is more like Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" or Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer" -- describing real-life, laugh-out-loud disasters and scams.
Whimsical music varies from funny music in its element of surprise. The music of '40s bandleader Spike Jones began like any other songs, but was soon punctuated by startling horns, whistles and bangs not unlike the sound effects used in The Three Stooges' movies. By contrast, the songs of "Weird Al" Yankovich are known for their (somewhat) more straightforward satire, using lyrics as the primary form of humor.