Good comedy books

[Hildie]

I've ventured into the realm of straight comedy. Would anyone like to share their favorite books about the art of writing comedy?

Thanks.

[GroundlingCom]

Coitenly! nyuk-nyuk-nyuk

(Ooops ... maybe that disqualifies me from having an opinion).

--<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "How to Write & Sell Your Sense of Humor"<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> (now called <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "Comedy Step By Step"<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->) by Gene Perret.

--<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "Tragedy & Comedy"<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> by Walter Kerr.

Perret wrote gags for all the greats and did an extended stint on "The Carol Burnett Show" (remember that great Gone With The Wind skit? <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Saw it hangin' in the window and just couldn't resist?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> That was Gene's). He has a website at: members.aol.com/geneperret/ (http://members.aol.com/geneperret/) but I haven't really checked it out. The book I cite is the only one of his I'm familiar with. His site lists many more books (http://members.aol.com/geneperret/bkindex.html) along with a Correspondence Class (http://members.aol.com/geneperret/pcwc_idx.html) I know nothing about that and only mention it in passing.

The Kerr book is an all-time favorite of mine. It's more theory than nutz-n-boltz (like Perret's stuff). Still, I think Kerr nailed it. I wrote I short synopsis of his view on the nature of comedy -- perhaps I'll find it and post it some time. I can't really delve into it too far now, but he basically said people had two faces: the noble and the human. Comedy occurs in the disparity; when we attempt to wear our noble face and are thwarted by our humanity.

Why do we laugh when someone slips on a banana peel? What the hell is funny about someone dang near breaking their leg? Kerr would say, we aren't laughing at the incident itself -- we're laughing at the reaction of the bozo who jumps back up, brushes himself off, glares at anyone watching and pretends it didn't happen ... or tries to make it look like he was bending over to pick up a dime. He's trying to maintain the dignity of his noble side, but is (literally) tripped up by his humanity. (Deep, eh?)

Kerr finds comedy in the indomitable spirit of man to succeed against all odds. When mere mortals would collapse in dispair (tragedy), the comedic hero marches blindly into the pit wearing a walkman and chewing on a ham sandwich -- he refuses to be broken. Kerr illustrates his point with a classic comic: Imagine two guys chained high up on a wall spread-eagle in a medieval dungeon. They've been there for months, maybe years. Skraggly beards, tattered clothing. Big husky guards standing by the door. Screams of despair from the next cell. Guard dogs chained beneath their feet. And a little, teeny-tiny window (with barbed wire) 30 feet away. One guy leans over to the other and whispers: <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "Okay, here's my plan ... "<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

[Hildie]

Thanks, GroundlingCom. I found Gene's book at the library, going to give it a read this weekend.

[SandraLyon346]

The Farrelly brothers wrote an interesting book called, THE COMEDY WRITER. It's not great instruction wise, but still a decent read.

[JoanEasley]

Vorhaus, The Comic Toolbox