What is a word for fake seriousness, especially when you are intending to be funny
Solution 1:
The word deadpan is probably the best fit. It can be used as an adjective or adverb (or a noun or a verb):
adjective
marked by or accomplished with a careful pretense of seriousness or calm detachment; impassive or expressionless:
deadpan humor.adverb
in a deadpan manner:
He spoke his lines utterly deadpan.Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018.
Solution 2:
straight faced TFD straight′-faced′ (-fāst′) adj. straight′-faced′ly (-fāst′lē, -fā′sĭd-lē) adv.
A face that betrays no sign of emotion.
As in:
He was a very straight-faced prof, but he has a tremendous sense of humor.
She was watching me totally straight-faced and it took a couple of seconds before it dawned on me that I'd just been had.
And here is an article on some famous straight-faced comedians: article
Solution 3:
The word that came to my mind was "dry wit". A search of "dry wit" will bring you to Laurel's answer. Laurel's answer is better anyway, and more common.
dry
14. Humorous in an understated or unemotional way: dry wit.
definition of dry