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| humor that works: Humor That Works Andrew Tarvin, 2019-04 Humor That Works is a business book on humor. No, that's not an oxymoron. It really is a business book and it really is about getting better results by having more fun. Because people who use humor in the workplace are more productive, less stressed, and happier. No joke; sources included. |
| humor that works: Humor That Works Andrew Tarvin, 2012-11-13 The author presents a collection of ways to reap the proven human and corporate benefits of humor at work, organized by core business skill and founded on his own work as a business speaker and coach with the consulting company, Humor That Works. |
| humor that works: The Comedy Bible Judy Carter, 2001-09-05 The guru to aspiring comedic writers and stand-up comics offers the scoop on being--and writing--funny: inside tips on how to turn humor from your life into a career. |
| humor that works: Humor Works John Morreall, 1997 Explores the connections between humor and creativity, teamwork, risk-taking, and effective communication. |
| humor that works: How to Be Funny Jon Macks, 2010-06-15 An invaluable guide on how to lighten up from a distinguished pro who has provided laughs for JAY LENO, BILLY CRYSTAL, STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS, BRAD GARRETT, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, AND MANY MORE. Who hasn't wished for the perfect withering comeback line, a clever tension-breaking quip, or a winning flirtatious remark? Being funny is hard work and not everyone is a natural. How to Be Funny is a witty guide that teaches readers precisely how to be funnier in everyday life. It's a must-read for anyone who has to speak in public, be engaging and funny at work or at play, or who hopes to one day go out on a date. Jon Macks, a comedy writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards, Hollywood Squares, and the nation's top comedians, politicians, and corporate leaders, knows his funny business. Here he demystifies the process of making people laugh, breaks down the basic building blocks and types of humor -- which include self-deprecation, misdirection, deadpan delivery, sarcasm, and the reverse -- and reveals the best approaches to use in common situations. How to Be Funny features helpful (and hilarious) tips and anecdotes from the comic legends Mack's worked with -- including Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, Gilbert Gottfried, Billy Crystal, Rita Rudner, Dave Barry, and Carrie Fisher -- in his eleven years as one of the nation's top television writers. Whether the goal is to give a memorable public address or deliver a killer line with friends, How to Be Funny is a charming, instructive, and practical read. |
| humor that works: The United States of Laughter Andrew Tarvin, 2017-09-17 At the age of 31, Andrew Tarvin made the practical decision to rid himself of most of his belongings, leave his apartment in NYC, and travel the country out of two bags. Through his journey to all 50 states, he discovered that, despite what we may see on the news or read on the internet, there is one thing that unites all Americans: laughter. |
| humor that works: Stand-Up Comedy Judy Carter, 2010-03-03 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 |
| humor that works: Laugh out Loud: A User’s Guide to Workplace Humor Barbara Plester, Kerr Inkson, 2018-09-24 This book is the first-ever authoritative work on the use and management of humor in the workplace. It is a practical guide for everyone involved: the humorists (‘jokers’), the targets (sometimes ‘victims’), the observers (‘audience’) and most of all the managers who have to ‘set the tone’ and encourage, control and manage humor. Humor is part and parcel of every workplace. However, while it usually demonstrates and fosters a united, happy workforce, it can at times be deeply damaging and divisive. The authors – academics with vast organizational experience and a research-based understanding of humor at work – bring together state-of-the art knowledge of the topic, making it fun, accessible and readable for all humor participants. The topics include how humor works, humor cultures in organizations, the many forms of workplace humor and their pros and cons, humor rituals at work, digital humor, workplace jokers, the 21st century issue of ‘political correctness’, and both the ‘bright side’ of humor (assisting positive cultures, making work ‘fun’), and its ‘dark side’ (where humor offends and humiliates). With over 60 ‘real life’ illustrative stories of workplace humor, a self-completion questionnaire to measure the Humor Climate in your organization, end-of-chapter ‘takeaways’ and an end-of-book summary advocating ‘best practice’, the book is a ‘fun’, how-to-do-it guide that will both inform and entertain. |
| humor that works: Engaging Humor Elliott Oring, 2010-10-01 Exploring the structure, motives, and meanings of humor in everyday life In Engaging Humor, Elliott Oring asks essential questions concerning humorous expression in contemporary society, examining how humor works, why it is employed, and what its messages might be. This provocative book is filled with examples of jokes and riddles that reveal humor to be a meaningful--even significant--form of expression. Oring scrutinizes classic Jewish jokes, frontier humor, racist cartoons, blonde jokes, and Internet humor. He provides alternate ways of thinking about humorous expressions by examining their contexts--not just their contents. He also shows how the incongruity and absurdity essential to the production of laughter can serve serious communicative ends. Engaging Humor examines the thoughts that underlie jokes, the question of racist motivation in ethnic humor, and the use of humor as a commentary on social interaction. The book also explores the relationship between humor and sentimentality and the role of humor in forging national identity. Engaging Humor demonstrates that when analyzed contextually and comparatively, humorous expressions emerge as communications that are startling, intriguing, and profound. |
| humor that works: How to Tell a Joke Marcus Tullius Cicero, 2021-03-30 Everyone knows that Marcus Tullius Cicero was one of the great statesmen, lawyers, and effective orators in the history of Rome. But did you also know he was regarded as one of the funniest people in Roman society as well? Five hundred years after his death, in the twilight of antiquity, the writer Macrobius ranks him alongside the comic playwright Plautus as the one of the two greatest wits ever. In this book, classicist Michael Fontaine, proposes to translate selections from Cicero's great rhetorical treatise, On the Ideal Orator (De Oratore). That larger work covered the whole of rhetoric and effective public speaking and debate. However, contained within it, is a long section focused on the effective use of humor in public speaking. In it, Cicero is concerned not just with various kinds of individual jokes, but with jokes that are advantageous in social situations. He advises readers on how to make the most effective use of wit to win friends, audiences, and achieve their overall ambitions. Cicero wants to teach his readers how to tell a joke without looking like a buffoon, and how to prevent or avoid jokes from backfiring. Hence, he does give scores of examples of jokes-some of which are timeless and translate easily, others that involve puns in Latin that challenged the translator's creativity. But overall, this work brings to the fore a little known, but important part of Cicero's classic work.-- |
| humor that works: Humor in School Is Serious Business (Sort Of) B. Lee Hurren, 2010-01-01 |
| humor that works: 50 Quotations on Humor Andrew Tarvin, 2011-11-25 Humor is powerful. It can help heal, communicate, create, relate, lead and, of course, add some fun. This collection of quotations showcases the breadth of what humor can do, coming from some of the greatest minds in history. |
| humor that works: Ha! Scott Weems, 2014-03-04 An entertaining tour of the science of humor and laughter Humor, like pornography, is famously difficult to define. We know it when we see it, but is there a way to figure out what we really find funny -- and why? In this fascinating investigation into the science of humor and laughter, cognitive neuroscientist Scott Weems uncovers what's happening in our heads when we giggle, guffaw, or double over with laughter. While we typically think of humor in terms of jokes or comic timing, in Ha! Weems proposes a provocative new model. Humor arises from inner conflict in the brain, he argues, and is part of a larger desire to comprehend a complex world. Showing that the delight that comes with getting a punchline is closely related to the joy that accompanies the insight to solve a difficult problem, Weems explores why surprise is such an important element in humor, why computers are terrible at recognizing what's funny, and why it takes so long for a tragedy to become acceptable comedic fodder. From the role of insult jokes to the benefit of laughing for our immune system, Ha! reveals why humor is so idiosyncratic, and why how-to books alone will never help us become funnier people. Packed with the latest research, illuminating anecdotes, and even a few jokes, Ha! lifts the curtain on this most human of qualities. From the origins of humor in our brains to its life on the standup comedy circuit, this book offers a delightful tour of why humor is so important to our daily lives. |
| humor that works: Encyclopedia of Humor Studies Salvatore Attardo, 2014-02-25 The Encyclopedia of Humor: A Social History explores the concept of humor in history and modern society in the United States and internationally. This work’s scope encompasses the humor of children, adults, and even nonhuman primates throughout the ages, from crude jokes and simple slapstick to sophisticated word play and ironic parody and satire. As an academic social history, it includes the perspectives of a wide range of disciplines, including sociology, child development, social psychology, life style history, communication, and entertainment media. Readers will develop an understanding of the importance of humor as it has developed globally throughout history and appreciate its effects on child and adult development, especially in the areas of health, creativity, social development, and imagination. This two-volume set is available in both print and electronic formats. Features & Benefits: The General Editor also serves as Editor-in-Chief of HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research for The International Society for Humor Studies. The book’s 335 articles are organized in A-to-Z fashion in two volumes (approximately 1,000 pages). This work is enhanced by an introduction by the General Editor, a Foreword, a list of the articles and contributors, and a Reader’s Guide that groups related entries thematically. A Chronology of Humor, a Resource Guide, and a detailed Index are included. Each entry concludes with References/Further Readings and cross references to related entries. The Index, Reader’s Guide themes, and cross references between and among related entries combine to provide robust search-and-browse features in the electronic version. This two-volume, A-to-Z set provides a general, non-technical resource for students and researchers in such diverse fields as communication and media studies, sociology and anthropology, social and cognitive psychology, history, literature and linguistics, and popular culture and folklore. |
| humor that works: Explorations in Humor Studies Marcin Kuczok, Anna Stwora, Mariola Świerkot, 2019-11-12 Working towards a multifaceted debate on humor and related phenomena, this book is a comprehensive reflection of the contributors’ shared interest in various dimensions of humor and its manifold applications. It is composed of a selection of writings that provide important insights into language used for humorous purposes. Theoretical discussions are complemented by an assortment of case studies in linguistics, culture, literature, and translation, as well as in visual and media studies. |
| humor that works: Humor 101 Mitch Earleywine, PhD, 2010-12-15 Humor is complex, and the author, Mitch Earleywine, does an exceptional job of covering the big bases of humor from a research perspective in a small space with a readable content. When I first picked up this book and began reading it, I was looking for depth. What I found was an overview and at the same time a very exciting way to provide an entrÈe into psychology-a vehicle for students to grab hold of topics central to psychology but studiedand researched in terms of modern themes, and particularly humor. --PsycCRITIQUES I've just finished reading Humor 101 with great interest and admiration. The book combines psychological research and practicality beautifully and humorously. -- Bob Mankoff Cartoon Editor, The New Yorker Magazine In lucid, cheerful prose, Earleywine offers up the impossible: an explanation of humor that is as thoughtful, fascinating, and entertaining as humor itself. Elisa Albert Author of ,The Book of Dahliaand How This Night is Different Dr. Earleywine's witty insight on this topic will make you funny, happy, and wise. Mitch has that rare ability to clearly explain something that is mysterious as it is magical: the power of laughter. Read this book and laugh while you learn. Brett Siddell Sirius/XM Satellite Radio Personality Dr. Earleywine has written the perfect guide to understanding humor. No one else has the unique combination of witty stage time, outstanding teaching expertise, and impressive scientific background. You'll love this book. Derrick Jackson Winner, Ultimate Laff-Down What makes something funny? How does humor impact health and psychological well-being? How can you incorporate humor into everyday life? A concise, reader-friendly introduction to an important but often underappreciated topic in modern psychology, Humor 101 explains the role of comedy, jokes, and wit in the sciences and discusses why they are so important to understand. Psychology professor Dr. Mitch Earleywine draws from his personal experiences in stand-up comedy to focus on how humor can regulate emotion, reduce anxiety and defuse tense situations, expose pretensions, build personal relationships, and much more. He irreverently debunks the pseudoscience on the topic of humor and leaves readers not only funnier, but better informed. The Psych 101 Series Short, reader-friendly introductions to cutting-edge topics in psychology. With key concepts, controversial topics, and fascinating accounts of up-to-the-minute research, The Psych 101 Series is a valuable resource for all students of psychology and anyone interested in the field. |
| humor that works: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Mark Haddon, 2009-02-24 A bestselling modern classic—both poignant and funny—narrated by a fifteen year old autistic savant obsessed with Sherlock Holmes, this dazzling novel weaves together an old-fashioned mystery, a contemporary coming-of-age story, and a fascinating excursion into a mind incapable of processing emotions. Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. At fifteen, Christopher’s carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbour’s dog Wellington impaled on a garden fork, and he is initially blamed for the killing. Christopher decides that he will track down the real killer, and turns to his favourite fictional character, the impeccably logical Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration. But the investigation leads him down some unexpected paths and ultimately brings him face to face with the dissolution of his parents’ marriage. As Christopher tries to deal with the crisis within his own family, the narrative draws readers into the workings of Christopher’s mind. And herein lies the key to the brilliance of Mark Haddon’s choice of narrator: The most wrenching of emotional moments are chronicled by a boy who cannot fathom emotions. The effect is dazzling, making for one of the freshest debut in years: a comedy, a tearjerker, a mystery story, a novel of exceptional literary merit that is great fun to read. |
| humor that works: Laughter After David Slucki, Avinoam Patt, Gabriel N. Finder, 2020-04-07 Laughter After will appeal to a number of audiences—from students and scholars of Jewish and Holocaust studies to academics and general readers with an interest in media and performance studies. |
| humor that works: Humor Paul E. McGhee, Phd Paul McGhee, 2010-01 We've all heard the phrase, Laughter is the best medicine. Readers Digest has been telling us this for years, but until recently there was no real evidence to back up the claim. This book discusses the exciting findings scientists have obtained over the past 25 years for how your sense of humor supports good physical and mental health. A separate chapter discusses humor and the brain. The first studies of humor and health demonstrated humor's ability to strengthen the immune system, reduce pain and reduce levels of stress hormones circulating in the body. These general health-promoting benefits led researchers to study the impact of humor and laughter on specific diseases. This exciting new work has now shown health benefits of humor in connection with coronary heart disease, asthma, COPD, arthritis, certain allergies and diabetes. The two cerebral hemispheres of the brain are shown to play different roles in our understanding and enjoyment of humor. Also, specific dopamine-based pleasure centers in the brain have now been identified which account for the good feeling that results from humor and a good belly laugh. The key to understanding humor's contribution to health and wellness is its ability to both build more positive emotion into your life and reduce feelings of anger, anxiety and depression. Humor helps provide the emotional resilience needed to meet the challenges presented by steadily increasing stress in our personal and work lives. It is a powerful tool for coping with any form of life stress, and a means of sustaining a positive, optimistic attitude toward life. Similarly, humor plays a key role in generating a happy marriage and greater happiness and life satisfaction in general. And it's never too late to improve your sense of humor. You can learn to use humor to cope and get these benefits into your own life. |
| humor that works: Roy Blount's Book of Southern Humor Roy Blount, 1994 A treasury of contemporary Southern humor includes more than 150 stories, sketches, essays, poems, memoirs, and song lyrics from William Faulkner, Mark Twain, Zora Neal Hurston, Dave Barry, and other contributors |
| humor that works: The Bright Side Sanctuary for Animals Becky Mandelbaum, 2021-08-10 2016. The Bright Side Sanctuary for Animals is in trouble. Ariel discovers that her mother Mona's animal sanctuary in Western Kansas has not only been the target of anti-Semitic hate crimes, it is also for sale, due to hidden financial ruin. Ariel, living a new life in progressive Lawrence, and estranged from her mother for six years, returns to her childhood home - and finds her first love, a ranch hand named Gideon, still working at the Bright Side. Back in Lawrence, Ariel's fiancé, Dex, sets out to confront Ariel and finds her questioning the meaning of her life in Lawrence--and whether she belongs with Dex or with someone else, somewhere else. |
| humor that works: A Comedian and an Activist Walk into a Bar Caty Borum Chattoo, Lauren Feldman, 2020-03-24 Comedy is a powerful contemporary source of influence and information. In the still-evolving digital era, the opportunity to consume and share comedy has never been as available. And yet, despite its vast cultural imprint, comedy is a little-understood vehicle for serious public engagement in urgent social justice issues – even though humor offers frames of hope and optimism that can encourage participation in social problems. Moreover, in the midst of a merger of entertainment and news in the contemporary information ecology, and a decline in perceptions of trust in government and traditional media institutions, comedy may be a unique force for change in pressing social justice challenges. Comedians who say something serious about the world while they make us laugh are capable of mobilizing the masses, focusing a critical lens on injustices, and injecting hope and optimism into seemingly hopeless problems. By combining communication and social justice frameworks with contemporary comedy examples, authors Caty Borum Chattoo and Lauren Feldman show us how comedy can help to serve as a vehicle of change. Through rich case studies, audience research, and interviews with comedians and social justice leaders and strategists, A Comedian and an Activist Walk Into a Bar: The Serious Role of Comedy in Social Justice explains how comedy – both in the entertainment marketplace and as cultural strategy – can engage audiences with issues such as global poverty, climate change, immigration, and sexual assault, and how activists work with comedy to reach and empower publics in the networked, participatory digital media age. |
| humor that works: The Sense of Humor Max Elliot Anderson, 2016-03-05 During these uncertain times, what people need most is a good laugh. Imagine what would happen if you understood there is an untapped force, contained within you, that has the power to totally change your life. And what if you discovered all you had to do in order to unlock this secret is simply to start using it? So it is with humor. The Sense of Humor is designed to demonstrate the sense that humor can make in the life of anyone who is willing to use it. Humor will deliver direct health benefits to the user. Outside of this primary benefit, humor will touch the lives of everyone around the user in positive ways for relationships, families, education, at work, in ministries, and so much more. The Sense of Humor cuts across social, economic, ethnic, and educational barriers. Music had been said to be a universal language. So, too, is laughter |
| humor that works: Christianity and the Triumph of Humor Bernard Schweizer, 2019-07-17 This book traces the development of religious comedy and leverages that history to justify today’s uses of religious humor in all of its manifestations, including irreverent jokes. It argues that regulating humor is futile and counterproductive, illustrating this point with a host of comedic examples. Humor is a powerful rhetorical tool for those who advocate and for those who satirize religious ideals. The book presents a compelling argument about the centrality of humor to the story of Western Christianity’s cultural and artistic development since the Middle Ages, taking a multi-disciplinary approach that combines literary criticism, religious studies, philosophy, theology, and social science. After laying out the conceptual framework in Part 1, Part 2 analyzes key works of religious comedy across the ages from Dante to the present, and it samples the breadth of contemporary religious humor from Brad Stine to Robin Williams, and from Monty Python to South Park. Using critical, historical, and conceptual lenses, the book exposes and overturns past attempts by church authorities, scholars, and commentators to limit and control laughter based on religious, ideological, or moral criteria. This is a unique look into the role of humor and comedy around religion. It will, therefore, appeal to readers interested in multiple fields of inquiry, including religious studies, humor studies, the history of ideas, and comparative literature. |
| humor that works: Between Heaven and Mirth James Martin, 2011-10-04 “Between Heaven and Mirth will make any reader smile. . . . Father Martin reminds us that happiness is the good God’s own goal for us.” —Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York From The Colbert Report’s “official chaplain” James Martin, SJ, author of the New York Times bestselling The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, comes a revolutionary look at how joy, humor, and laughter can change our lives and save our spirits. A Jesuit priest with a busy media ministry, Martin understands the intersections between spirituality and daily life. In Between Heaven and Mirth, he uses scriptural passages, the lives of the saints, the spiritual teachings of other traditions, and his own personal reflections to show us why joy is the inevitable result of faith, because a healthy spirituality and a healthy sense of humor go hand-in-hand with God's great plan for humankind. |
| humor that works: A Subtreasury of American Humor Elwyn Brooks White, Katharine S. White, 1955 |
| humor that works: Dare to Lead Brené Brown, 2018-10-09 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead. Don’t miss the five-part Max docuseries Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart! ONE OF BLOOMBERG’S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential. When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work. But daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human. The irony is that we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we’re scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can’t do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start. Four-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown has spent the past two decades studying the emotions and experiences that give meaning to our lives, and the past seven years working with transformative leaders and teams spanning the globe. She found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 50 companies all ask the same question: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders, and how do you embed the value of courage in your culture? In Dare to Lead, Brown uses research, stories, and examples to answer these questions in the no-BS style that millions of readers have come to expect and love. Brown writes, “One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.” Whether you’ve read Daring Greatly and Rising Strong or you’re new to Brené Brown’s work, this book is for anyone who wants to step up and into brave leadership. |
| humor that works: How to Be Funny Steve Allen, 2010-11-02 No one knows more about comedy than Steve Allen. For more than five decades as a writer, performer, and keen observer of the social scene, he has looked into every aspect of who''s funny, what''s funny, and why. Allen shares his discoveries in How to Be Funny, the book designed to help everyone develop their special talent for funniness.Now reissued in paperback, How to Be Funny covers all the basics, including joke telling, ad-libbing, writing humorously, performing comedy, emceeing, and much more. Allen takes you inside the world of comedy, from the early writings of Mark Twain, to the more contemporary work of Rodney Dangerfield and Bill Maher. Allen even provides homework assignments for the budding comic!Yet How to Be Funny is far more than just a book for aspiring comedians it will help anyone who wants to be a more amusing conversationalist, a more effective public speaker, and everyone who just wants to be the life of the party. |
| humor that works: Funny How It Works Out Manon Mathews, 2020-07-07 |
| humor that works: I Found this Funny Judd Apatow, 2010 I Found This Funny is a compilation of work by some of Apatow's favorite authors. Featured writers include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Conan O'Brien, Lorrie Moore, Paul Feig, Jonathan Franzen, Alice Munro, and many others. |
| humor that works: The Humor Advantage Michael Kerr, 2015 |
| humor that works: The Hidden Tools of Comedy Steve Kaplan, 2013 A paradigm shift in understanding the mechanics and art of comedy, providing practical tools that help writers translate that understanding into successful, commercial scripts. Kaplan deconstructs secrets and techniques in popular films and TV that work and don't work, and explains what tools were used (or should have been used ). |
| humor that works: Defining New Yorker Humor Judith Yaross Lee, 2000 A penetrating look into what really gave Americaas most notable magazine its distinctive punch |
| humor that works: Only a Joke Can Save Us Todd McGowan, 2017-09-15 Only a Joke Can Save Us presents an innovative and comprehensive theory of comedy. Using a wealth of examples from high and popular culture and with careful attention to the treatment of humor in philosophy, Todd McGowan locates the universal source of comedy in the interplay of the opposing concepts lack and excess. After reviewing the treatment of comedy in the work of philosophers as varied as Aristotle, G. W. F. Hegel, Sigmund Freud, Henri Bergson, and Alenka Zupancic, McGowan, working in a psychoanalytic framework, demonstrates that comedy results from the deployment of lack and excess, whether in contrast, juxtaposition, or interplay. Illustrating the power and flexibility of this framework with analyses of films ranging from Buster Keaton and Marx Brothers classics to Dr. Strangelove and Groundhog Day, McGowan shows how humor can reveal gaps in being and gaps in social order. Scholarly yet lively and readable, Only a Joke Can Save Us is a groundbreaking examination of the enigmatic yet endlessly fascinating experience of humor and comedy. |
| humor that works: The Sarah Book Scott McClanahan, 2017 McClanahan is the only real successor we have to Breece D'J Pancake. Old-fashioned storytelling from modern Appalachia. |
| humor that works: Catch-22 Laura M. Nicosia, James F. Nicosia, 2021 Catch-22 was published in 1961, becoming a number-one bestseller in England before American audiences identified with its anti-war sentiments, earning it classic status and prompting a film version in 1970. Heller's dark, satirical novel became so ubiquitous that it initiated the eponymous phrase regarding paradoxical situations. Catch-22 is appreciated for its black humor, extensive use of flashbacks, contorted chronology, countercultural sensibilities, and bizarre language structures. With current trends and political climate considered, this volume revisits this classic text for a contemporary audience. -- |
| humor that works: Humor Us! Alyce M. McKenzie, Owen Hanley Lynch, 2023-06-06 Homiletics textbooks often discourage the use of humor in preaching, regarding it as trivializing or distracting. The result is that many preachers have failed to understand humor’s positive power, demoting it to the opening joke to get a guaranteed guffaw to warm up the crowd. Humor Us!, the second volume in the Preaching and… series, is a collaborative effort by homiletician Alyce M. McKenzie and humor scholar Owen Hanley Lynch that promotes humor, a force capable of great good, to its rightful place in the pulpit. Establishing humor as a divine gift, Humor Us! opens to preachers the world of humor studies with its positive portrayal of humor’s usefulness to speak truth to power, unite people in their common humanity, and strengthen them to cope and survive in tough times. Humor Us! helps preachers understand how humor works and shows them, in very practical and specific ways, how preachers can put it to work in their sermons. It combines the wealth of knowledge of two highly regarded scholars-practitioners to show how humor can become a potent tool for sharing the good news in sermons. McKenzie and Lynch prove that humor, when applied thoughtfully, can foster compassion and a sense of common humanity, help challenge an unjust status quo, and invite listeners into a shared experience of the presence of God. |
| humor that works: Write Humor That Hits Virversity Online Courses, 2025-04-30 Write Humor That Hits is an engaging course designed to teach you how to craft comedy that resonates and entertains. Whether you're a beginner or looking to sharpen your comedic writing skills, this course offers practical techniques to make your humor impactful and relatable. Master Writing Humor That Captivates and Connects¥ Understand the fundamentals of comedy and what makes people laugh¥ Explore different types and styles of humor to find your unique voice¥ Learn to build memorable, relatable characters that enhance your comedy¥ Develop skills to write engaging openings, punchlines, and structured humor columns¥ Gain techniques for using satire, parody, and storytelling in your work¥ Discover how to edit and refine your humor while balancing sensitivity and audience expectations¥ Learn how to pitch and publish your humor columns to reach a wider audience¥ Analyze successful humor writers to inspire and guide your own writing Comprehensive course on writing impactful humor and comedy columns that engage diverse audiences. This course begins with an introduction to the very basics of humor writing, empowering you to understand the mechanics of comedy and why people laugh. You will then explore key elements that make a story funny, gaining insight into different humor styles and genres so you can experiment and discover your personal comic voice. Emphasis is placed on creating relatable characters and crafting openings that immediately capture your reader's attention. As you progress, you will master the art of punchlines, timing, and surprise – essential ingredients for effective humor. The course also teaches you how to weave personal experiences into your writing, making your comedy authentic and engaging. You'll learn how to organize your humor columns for maximum impact, incorporating storytelling techniques and social commentary through satire and parody. Editing skills are a crucial part of this course, helping you refine your work to enhance the laughs while skillfully balancing humor with sensitivity to respect your audience's boundaries. Additionally, the course covers practical advice on pitching and publishing your humor columns, enabling you to share your work with the world. By analyzing successful humor columns and writers, the course offers you invaluable examples and inspiration, shaping your approach to humor writing. After completing Write Humor That Hits, you will confidently create comedy that not only entertains but also connects with your readers on a meaningful level, transforming your writing into a powerful tool for laughter and engagement. |
| humor that works: Crunch Time Rick Peterson, Judd Hoekstra, 2017-01-23 Be Your Best Under Pressure! Learn how elite athletes like Michael Jordan, Sandy Cofax, Tom Glavin, and Pedro Martinez, deal with pressure. In his 15 years as a major league pitching coach, with Moneyball Oakland A's, NY Mets, Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles, Rick Peterson has coached Hall of Famers, Cy Young winners, and many other elite athletes. In this book, he and bestselling author and leadership expert, Judd Hoekstra make this skill available to everyone. From an insider's perspective, learn how you too can become a Crunch Time performer and perform your best in all situations. With fascinating behind-the-scenes examples from some of the top names in sports and business, Rick and Judd offer six powerful reframing strategies to help you see a pressure situation with a new perspective so that it shifts from a threat that can make you panic to an opportunity for you to shine. With a Forward by Money Ball”, Billy Beane, EVP, Oakland Athletics. |
HUMOR Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of HUMOR is that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous : a funny or amusing quality. How to use …
113 Best Jokes of All Time | Funny Short Jokes, Dad Joke…
Sep 30, 2024 · Whether you are a fan of a good old-fashioned knock-knock joke or are a connoisseur of anti-humor, there’s something hilarious in here for …
Humour - Wikipedia
Humour (Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The …
10 Funniest Jokes Ever Told - for the Joke of the Day - Hum…
Researchers analyzed over 1000 jokes and 36,000 people voted, so these are the best jokes of the day!
HUMOR | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
HUMOR definition: 1. US spelling of humour 2. the ability to find things funny, the way in which people see that …
HUMOR Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of HUMOR is that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous : a funny or amusing quality. How to use humor in a sentence. Did you know?
113 Best Jokes of All Time | Funny Short Jokes, Dad Jokes & More
Sep 30, 2024 · Whether you are a fan of a good old-fashioned knock-knock joke or are a connoisseur of anti-humor, there’s something hilarious in here for everyone.
Humour - Wikipedia
Humour (Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humoral medicine of the …
10 Funniest Jokes Ever Told - for the Joke of the Day - Humor ...
Researchers analyzed over 1000 jokes and 36,000 people voted, so these are the best jokes of the day!
HUMOR | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
HUMOR definition: 1. US spelling of humour 2. the ability to find things funny, the way in which people see that some…. Learn more.
Humor - Psychology Today
Humor, the capacity to express or perceive what's funny, is both a source of entertainment and a means of coping with difficult or awkward situations and stressful events. Although it provokes...
Humor | Definition, Types, Examples, & Facts | Britannica
May 7, 2025 · humor, communication in which the stimulus produces amusement. In all its many-splendored varieties, humor can be simply defined as a type of stimulation that tends to elicit …
100+ Hilarious Jokes No One Is Too Old to Laugh At - Best Life
Jan 17, 2023 · These funny jokes will help you turn your frown upside-down. There's a time and a place for well-crafted, sophisticated, complex jokes that you have to have a certain level of …
Humor - definition of humor by The Free Dictionary
Define humor. humor synonyms, humor pronunciation, humor translation, English dictionary definition of humor. n. 1. The quality that makes something laughable or amusing; funniness: …
45 Different Types of Humor with Examples in 2025 - HumorNama
Dec 24, 2024 · Let’s have a taste of 45 different types of humor along with their examples, and find out which one tickles your right frontal lobe up there! 1. Physical Humor. At some time in …
