Make 'Em LaughThe success of Steve Allen's How To Be Funny led first to the republication of that book, and now occasioned a companion volume, Make 'Em Laugh. This new how-to book about the art of comedy includes an even richer assortment of examples of the author's unique humor. In Make 'Em Laugh, Allen laces his formal instruction with hilarious ad-libs, written jokes, TV comedy sketches, satires, song parodies, humorous essays, amusing autobiographical reminiscences, one-act plays, witty speeches, and stand-up monologues from his comedy concerts. Noel Coward called Steve Allen the most talented man in America, and he is probably the most borrowed-from comedian of all time. The perceptive reader will recognize many of the comic ideas that Allen originated during the "Golden Age" of television comedy - ideas that are still influential in the 1990's. If there were a college course in creating and performing comedy, Make 'Em Laugh would be the ideal textbook. |
Contents
Introduction | 11 |
Thinking Funny | 15 |
A Brief History of American Comedy | 31 |
Adlibbing Your Way Out of Tight Spots | 39 |
Delivering Funny Speeches and Emceeing | 55 |
Writing Monologues | 83 |
Playing Straight | 111 |
Plagiarism | 121 |
Writing TV Satires and Other Sketches | 141 |
Creating Comic Essays | 185 |
Writing Funny Letters | 215 |
Creating Cartoons | 249 |
Writing Funny Song Lyrics | 273 |
TelevisionShtick Stunts and Routines | 309 |
Joke and Other Comedy Writing | 333 |
How to Play Hoaxes and Practical Jokeses | 129 |
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Common terms and phrases
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