Ken Levine says this is the best comedy writing book evah…and who are we to disagree?
by Ken Levine
If anybody ever had great credentials for a book about comedy – what it is, what it ain’t – Dan O’Shannon, Emmy winning showrunner of MODERN FAMILY, former showrunner of FRASIER, former executive producer of CHEERS is the guy. His approach – analyzing the “comedic event” as opposed to examining joke structure, makes you wonder why anybody ever even thought of looking at what’s funny another way. To O’Shannon, context is everything…and he’s convinced me of it too.
With that in mind:
THE GOOD: This book is filled with insight into what makes people laugh and how to use those elements accordingly…and they aren’t the elements you’re thinking of. (At least, they weren’t what I was thinking of before I read it.)
THE BAD: I can’t be that funny.
THE CONCLUSION: This book about the funny is in itself riotously funny. So even if you don’t get it, or can’t duplicate it, you’ve had yourself a hell of a time just sitting and reading and chortling and giggling and…
munchman recommends this, especially for the aspiring pro comedy writer.
What Are You Laughing At?: A Comprehensive Guide to the Comedic Event [Paperback] at Amazon.Com
