Explores the evolution, theories, principles, and practice of comedy, combining history and the latest scientific findings with humor from movies, television, prose, theater, and stand-up.
Exploring the evolution, theories, principles and practice of comedy, this entertaining book combines history and the latest scientific findings with movies, television, prose, theater, jokes and stand-up comedy. Original.
(Applause Books). Funny: The Book is an entertaining look at the art of comedy, from its historical roots to the latest scientific findings, with diversions into the worlds of movies (Buster Keaton and the Marx Brothers), television ( The Office ), prose (Woody Allen, Robert Benchley), theater ( The Front Page ), jokes and stand-up comedy (Richard Pryor, Steve Martin), as well as personal reminiscences from the author's experiences on such TV programs as Mork and Mindy . With allusions to the not-always-funny Carl Jung, George Orwell, and Arthur Koestler, Funny: The Book explores the evolution, theories, principles, and practice of comedy, as well as the psychological, philosophical, and even theological underpinnings of humor, coming to the conclusion that (Spoiler Alert!) Comedy is God.