Chronicles the lives, careers, and comic styles of over four hundred of the world's most celebrated funny people

“Funny [and] fascinating . . . If you’re a comedy nerd you’ll love this book.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, National Post, and Splitsider Based on over two hundred original interviews and extensive archival research, this groundbreaking work is a narrative exploration of the way comedians have reflected, shaped, and changed American culture over the past one hundred years. Starting with the vaudeville circuit at the turn of the last century, the book introduces the first stand-up comedian—an emcee who abandoned physical shtick for straight jokes. After the repeal of Prohibition, Mafia-run supper clubs replaced speakeasies, and mobsters replaced vaudeville impresarios as the comedian’s primary employer. In the 1950s, the late-night talk show brought stand-up to a wide public, while Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, and Jonathan Winters attacked conformity and staged a comedy rebellion in coffeehouses. From comedy’s part in the civil rights movement and the social upheaval of the late 1960s, to the first comedy clubs of the 1970s and the cocaine-fueled comedy boom of the 1980s, The Comedians culminates with a new era of media-driven celebrity in the twenty-first century. “Entertaining and carefully documented . . . jaw-dropping anecdotes . . . This book is a real treat.” —Merrill Markoe, TheWall Street Journal

If you think you’re funny, buy this book! Whether you dream of becoming a star . . . A better public speaker . . . A more effective communicator . . . A funnier, happier human being . . . You can learn to leave ‘em laughing! David Letterman learned to do it. Jay Leno learned to do it. Roseanne Barr learned to do it. So can you! Now successful stand-up comic Judy Carter—who went from teaching high school to performing in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Lake Tahoe, and on over 45 major TV shows—gives you the same hands-on, step-by-step instruction she’s taught to students in her comedy workshops. She shows you how to do it: create an act, perform it, make money with it, or apply it to everyday life. Discover: • The formulas for creating comedy material • How to find your own style • The three steps to putting your act together • Rehearsal do’s and don’ts • What to do if you bomb • Ways to punch up your everyday life with humor

David Steinberg's name has been synonymous with comedy for decades. The Canadian-born comedian, producer, writer, director, and author has been called "a comic institution himself" by the New York Times. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 140 times (second only to Bob Hope), and directed episodes of popular television sitcoms, including Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, Friends, Mad About You, The Golden Girls, and Designing Women. From 2012–2015, Steinberg hosted the comedy documentary series Inside Comedy, which featured such comedy greats as Billy Crystal, Chris Rock, and Gary Shandling. In this entertaining history of comedy, Steinberg shares insightful memories of his journey through his career and takes the reader behind the curtain of the comedy scene of the last half-century. Steinberg shares amusing and often hilarious stories and anecdotes from some of the most legendary comedians in the industry—from Groucho Marx, Carol Burnett, Mel Brooks, and Richard Pryor to Lily Tomlin, Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Tina Fey. Inside Comedy presents in-depth portraits of some of the most talented and revered comedians in the world of comedy today.

Featuring our greatest comedic minds on the nature of humor, its relevance in society—and why sometimes you just need a good dirty joke to cleanse the palate—Satiristas is a hilarious multi-voiced manifesto on satire and comedy presented by Paul Provenza, co-creator of The Aristocrats.

‘I absolutely loved this book! I was laughing out loud at certain scenes and when I tried to go to bed I ended up giggling myself into a fit thinking about them. Absolutely amazing… A delightful, HILARIOUS book.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars Cat’s life has hit a brick wall. Since her ex ditched her without ceremony five years ago she’s quit stand-up comedy, landed in a steady but dull job, and lives in a tiny flat with roommates she knows only as The One Who Eats All My Food and The One Who Has Really Loud Sex. So when she bumps into old friend Harvey and sparks fly, Cat is surprised – and horrified, because Harvey is her ex’s brother, and so absolutely, 100% off-limits romantically. Even if his dimples do make her insides fizz… When she’s offered a new job abroad, Cat is tempted to accept – and leave her depressing flat and mess of a love life behind her. But will running away from her problems really solve them? A hilarious rom com about falling in love, falling out of love, and finding out who you really are. Fans of Jenny Colgan, Marian Keyes and Mhairi McFarlane will love Keris Stainton! Read what everyone is saying about The One Who's Not the One: ‘A fabulous feel-good read… This book had me in tears, both happy and sad ones in equal doses! It had me hooked from the first page and it certainly had me laughing out loud unashamedly!’ Stardust Book Reviews ‘I absolutely adored this book from start to finish. All the characters were so lovable and the story was lovely and totally laugh-out-loud funny… I love funny and heartwarming love stories so this ticked all my boxes.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I couldn’t put it down. It’s funny, engaging and thoroughly relatable. I really enjoyed it. It’s got some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments while being full of real heart as well. Loved it!’ Bibliophile Book Club ‘Another Keris book I absolutely adored!… I instantly fell in love with Cat, Kelly and Harvey! Oh my god, Harvey what a soft space nerd! I love him! Cat felt so very real and I just want to sit and have a glass of wine with her and Kelly!… Like one big hug from a friend.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘What a great book! Romantic, funny and easy to read. Cat is the type of character you would like to hang out with every day. I didn't want this story to end.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I was laughing a lot… I had a lot of fun reading it… Cat and Harvey were utterly charming in this contemporary romantic comedy!.. The ending… My goodness, folks… Just read to the end. Trust me… This is the first book I have read by Keris Stainton, and I look forward to reading future books by her! Anyone that can make me laugh out loud while reading has a gift.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘An adorable rom com! I read it in one sitting… There are hilarious antics, laugh-out-loud moments. ’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars ‘This was my first Keris Stainton book and I'm actually so angry that I haven't read anything by her before! I read this book in one go… I just couldn't put it down!… I loved everything about Cat and Harvey… I couldn't stop thinking about them all morning.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Highly enjoyable!… A delight to read… The relationship between Cat and Kelly (and her family) is what makes this book special. What a fantastic friendship.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘I absolutely loved this book… It's warm and funny and the characters are so relatable… Her friendship with Kelly is wonderful… Another triumph of a book!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this “essential” (Entertainment Weekly), “hilarious” (AV Club) memoir, the star of Mr. Show, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as an action film ass-kicker at fifty. “I can’t think of another entertainer who has improbably morphed so many times, and all through real genius and determination.”—Conan O’Brien ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations—with a side-trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him—it’s almost like there are many Bob Odenkirks! But there is just one and one is plenty. Bob embraced a life in comedy after a chance meeting with Second City’s legendary Del Close. He somehow made his way to a job as a writer at Saturday Night Live. While surviving that legendary gauntlet by the skin of his gnashing teeth, he stashed away the secrets of comedy writing—eventually employing them in the immortal “Motivational Speaker” sketch for Chris Farley, honing them on The Ben Stiller Show, and perfecting them on Mr. Show with Bob and David. In Hollywood, Bob demonstrated a bullheadedness that would shame Sisyphus himself, and when all hope was lost for the umpteenth time, the phone rang with an offer to appear on Breaking Bad—a show about how boring it is to be a high school chemistry teacher. His embrace of this strange new world of dramatic acting led him to working with Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Greta Gerwig, and then, in a twist that will confound you, he re-re-invented himself as a bona fide action star. Why? Read this and do your own psychoanalysis—it’s fun! Featuring humorous tangents, never-before-seen photos, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic showbiz tale told by a determined idiot.

Who's funny? -- Sitcom history -- Half hour technique: rhythm, words, punctuation, timing, and pace, the turnaround, triplets -- Acting technique -- The four C's of comedy -- The characters: the logical smart one, the lovable loser, the neurotic, the dumb one, the bitch/bastard, the womanizer/manizer, the materialistic one, in their own universe -- Finding your comedic note -- Appendix 1: Ten rules of comedy -- Appendix 2: Who said that? -- Appendix 3: Glossary (finding the funny).

"The Comedy of Errors" is the story of two identical twins named Antipholus who are separated following a shipwreck 25 years earlier. Antipholus of Ephesus grows up in Ephesus with his mother, while Antipholus of Syracuse grows up in Syracuse with his father. Despite a ban on travel between the two cities, their father, Egeon, travels from Syracuse to Ephesus to try and find his long lost son and wife.

The Definitive Guide to Writing Comedic Characters From one of the world's most celebrated humor writers, this easy-to-follow, step-by-step book lays out a clear system for producing living, breathing comedy characters that audiences will fall in love with. You'll learn... - The 40 comedy character archetypes that get laughs automatically-you don't even have to write jokes! - How to generate endless funny character ideas - The 10 secrets to making your characters strikingly unique. - The 8 common mistakes that will make your audience lose interest in your character. - How to write funny dialogue that sparkles with originality. - Funny dialogue prompts and how to write banter that leaps off the page. - The number one tip for writing funny character descriptions that will pull readers in. - And many more tips, tricks, and techniques! Buy How to Write Funny Characters today and start creating characters that come to life for your audience!