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| mastery of comedy: Comedy Susan Purdie, 1993 |
| mastery of comedy: Comedy Susan Purdie, 1993 From Shakespeare to light-bulb jokes, this book offers a comprehensive analysis of the nature and function of comedy in our society. Drawing on theories of language from Foucault, Levi-Strauss and Lacan, it argues that joking is both a pleasurable and necessary function of using language. |
| mastery of comedy: Mastering Stand-Up Stephen Rosenfield, 2018 This entertaining and sharply written guide--for both beginners breaking into comedy and professionals seeking to improve their sets and advance their careers--examines the work of great comedians such as Louis C.K., Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Izzard, Moms Mabley, Hannibal Buress, Sarah Silverman, Richard Pryor, and more as a means of illustrating the most important techniques of performing and writing stand-up. Here, Stephen Rosenfield lays out a clear plan for achieving success, candidly explaining what works, what doesn't, and why. Including a 12-item Successful Comedian's To-Do List, Rosenfield states, Get undeniably good at each of these and you can kiss your day job good-bye. You will be a pro. The New York Times heralded Stephen Rosenfield as probably the best known comedy teacher in the country. His alumni include some of today's most prominent comedians and comedy writers, such as Lena Dunham, Jim Gaffigan, Eric Slovin, and Jessica Kirson. Rosenfield has directed, coached, and/or written for these and hundreds of other comedians. As a pioneer in the field of teaching comedy, he founded the American Comedy Institute, the premier stand-up comedy school in the United States, in 1989. |
| mastery of comedy: Inside Comedy David Steinberg, 2023-06-06 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. |
| mastery of comedy: The Ten Commandments of Comedy Gene Perret, 2013-01-22 Beginning comedy writers and performers may think funny can't be taught, but legendary comedy writer Gene Perret, winner of three Emmy Awards, tells otherwise in this guide to what makes a good joke work. Outlining the 10 commandments of comedy, the unbreakable rules that every gag must follow in order to be funny, this book liberates readers and allows them to immediately begin writing better and funnier comedy material. By following Perret's commandments, readers will better understand how to write jokes that connect with audiences and discover why unsuccessful material isn't working and how it can be fixed. From the First Commandment (Thou Shalt Surprise) to the Tenth (Thou Shalt Be Clever), this work stands as a fast guide to the essentials of humor that is perfect for business presenters, after-dinner speakers, professional comedians, and anyone who wants to be funny. |
| mastery of comedy: Legacies of the Drunken Master Luke White, 2020-04-30 In 1978 the films Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master, both starring a young Jackie Chan, caused a stir in the Hong Kong cinema industry and changed the landscape of martial arts cinema. Mixing virtuoso displays of acrobatic kung fu with knockabout humor to huge box office success, they broke the mold of the tragic and heroic martial arts film and sparked not only a wave of imitations, but also a much longer trend for kung fu comedies that continues to the present day. Legacies of the Drunken Master—the first book-length analysis of kung fu comedy—interrogates the politics of the films and their representations of the performing body. It draws on an interdisciplinary engagement with popular culture and an interrogation of the critical literature on Hong Kong and martial arts cinema to offer original readings of key films. These readings pursue the genre in terms of its carnival aesthetic, the utopias of the body it envisions, its highly stylized depictions of violence, its images of masculinity, and the registers of its “hysterical” laughter. The book’s analyses are carried out amidst kung fu comedy’s shifting historical contexts, including the aftermath of the 1960s radical youth movements, the rapidly globalizing colonial enclave of Hong Kong and the emerging consciousness of its 1997 handover to China, and the transnationalization of cinema audiences. It argues that through kung fu comedy’s images of the body, the genre articulated in complex and often contradictory ways political realities relevant to late twentieth-century Hong Kong and the wider conditions of globalized capitalism. The kung fu comedy entwines us in a popular cultural history that stretches into the folk past and forward into utopian and dystopian possibilities. Theoretically rich and critical, Legacies of the Drunken Master aims to be at the forefront of scholarship on martial arts cinema. It also addresses readers with a broader interest in Hong Kong culture and politics during the 1970s and 1980s, postcolonialism in East Asia, and action and comedy films in a global context—as well as those fascinated with the performing body in the martial arts. |
| mastery of comedy: Good Morning Boys Ray Seaton, Roy Martin, 1978-01 |
| mastery of comedy: Comedy Rules Jonathan Lynn, 2011-08-18 Jonathan Lynn's credits include creating and co-writing the long-running comedy series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, as well as hit films Clue, My Cousin Vinny, Nuns on the Run and The Whole Nine Yards. With experience as a comedy actor, writer and director, here Jonathan Lynn shares valuable and hilarious lessons in all aspects of creating great comedy, all illustrated with brilliantly insightful and revealing anecdotes about his work and the legedary actors, writers and comedians he's worked alongside. |
| mastery of comedy: The Physical Comedy Handbook Davis Rider Robinson, 1999 The Physical Comedy Handbook is a one-of-a-kind resource for actors, teachers, and directors interested in physical comedy |
| mastery of comedy: Born Standing Up Steve Martin, 2008-09-04 Steve Martin has been an international star for over thirty years. Here, for the first time, he looks back to the beginning of his career and charmingly evokes the young man he once was. Born in Texas but raised in California, Steve was seduced early by the comedy shows that played on the radio when the family travelled back and forth to visit relatives. When Disneyland opened just a couple of miles away from home, an enchanted Steve was given his first chance to learn magic and entertain an audience. He describes how he noted the reaction to each joke in a ledger - 'big laugh' or 'quiet' - and assiduously studied the acts of colleagues, stealing jokes when needed. With superb detail, Steve recreates the world of small, dark clubs and the fear and exhilaration of standing in the spotlight. While a philosophy student at UCLA, he worked hard at local clubs honing his comedy and slowly attracting a following until he was picked up to write for TV. From here on, Steve Martin became an acclaimed comedian, packing out venues nationwide. One night, however, he noticed empty seats and realised he had 'reached the top of the rollercoaster'. BORN STANDING UP is a funny and riveting chronicle of how Steve Martin became the comedy genius we now know and is also a fascinating portrait of an era. |
| mastery of comedy: Comedy Acting for Theatre Sidney Homan, Brian Rhinehart, 2018-02-22 Analysing why we laugh and what we laugh at, and describing how performers can elicit this response from their audience, this book enables actors to create memorable – and hilarious – performances. Rooted in performance and performance criticism, Sidney Homan and Brian Rhinehart provide a detailed explanation of how comedy works, along with advice on how to communicate comedy from the point of view of both the performer and the audience. Combining theory and performance, the authors analyse a variety of plays, both modern and classic. Playwrights featured include Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Christopher Durang, and Michael Frayn. Acting in Shakespeare's comedies is also covered in depth. |
| mastery of comedy: Systems of Life Richard A. Barney, Warren Montag, 2018-11-06 Systems of Life offers a wide-ranging revaluation of the emergence of biopolitics in Europe from the mid– eighteenth to the mid–nineteenth century. In staging an encounter among literature, political economy, and the still emergent sciences of life in that historical moment, the essays collected here reopen the question of how concepts of animal, vegetable, and human life, among other biological registers, had an impact on the Enlightenment project of thinking politics and economics as a joint enterprise. The volume’s contributors consider politics, economics, and the biological as distinct, semi-autonomous spheres whose various combinations required inventive, sometimes incomplete, acts of conceptual mediation, philosophical negotiation, disciplinary intervention, or aesthetic representation. |
| mastery of comedy: The Metamorphoses of Shakespearean Comedy William C. Carroll, 2014-07-14 This book argues that the idea of metamorphosis is central to both the theory and practice of Shakespearean comedy. It offers a synthesis of several major themes of Shakespearean comedy--identity, change, desire, marriage, and comic form--under the master trope of transformation. Originally published in 1985. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. |
| mastery of comedy: Harpo Speaks! Harpo Marx, Rowland Barber, 2017-03-17 First published in 1961, this is the autobiography of Harpo Marx, the silent comedian of The Marx Brothers fame. Writing of his life before, during, and after becoming famous by incorporating lovely and humorous stories and anecdotes, Harp Marx tells of growing up in a rough neighborhood and being poor, being bullied and dropping out of school, teaching himself to read, write, tell time, and to play the piano and harp. He speaks of his close relationships with his family members, particularly his mother and brother Leonard (Chico), who would become his partner-in-crime on screen, and the profound effect that the death of his parents Sam and Minnie had on him. Filled with insider tales of his antics on and off stage, and the hard graft he and his brothers put into reaching their level of success, the reader becomes privy to a rare glimpse into Marx’ thoughts on everything and everyone he had the privilege of working with. The book reveals the friendships he forged and the blows he was dealt in show-business, and of his marriage to his wife, actress Susan Fleming, with whom he adopted four children and built a ranch on which they lived happily ever after, along with numerous animals. A thoroughly enjoyable read. “This is a riotous story which is reasonably mad and as accurate as a Marx brother can make it. Despite only a year and a half of schooling, Harpo, or perhaps his collaborator, is the best writer of the Marx Brother. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal “A funny, affectionate and unpretentious autobiography done with a sharply professional assist from Rowland Barber.”—New York Times Book Review “This is a racy autobiography by the mute Marx Brother with the rolling eyes, oversized pants and red wig who could send a glissando reeling over his harp.[...] It is enjoyable reading and polished writing...”—Kirkus Review |
| mastery of comedy: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing James Mendrinos, Jim Mendrinos, 2004 You've always known writing comedy was about more than just being funny. But how do you create a joke and work it into a script or a stand-up routine? Comedian, writer, and teacher Jim Mendrinos has the answers. In The Complete Idiot s Guide to Comedy Writing, Mendrinos gives readers the principles he teaches in his popular courses, from understanding what funny is and how to find it, to how to actually construct comedy. Working through the basic constructions and forms including premises, points of view, and twists, he shows the variations of written, verbal, and physical comedy. With useful exercises, Mendrinos helps writers refine their writing, appeal to their audience, and even break writer's block by learning techniques for brainstorming, free association, lists, and finding infinite points of view. |
| mastery of comedy: The Spirituality of Comedy Conrad Hyers, 2011-12-31 To understand comedy is to understand humanity, for the comic sense is central to what it means to be human. Nearly all the major issues with which human beings have exercised themselves are touched upon in some manner by the comic spirit. Yet education in the art of comedy and in comic appreciation is given little attention in most societies. The Spirituality of Comedy explores the wisdom of comedy and the comic answer to tragedy (in both popular and classical senses of the term). Tragedy is seen as a fundamental problem of human existence, while comedy is its counterweight and resolution. Conrad Hyers has taken a fresh look at comedy from the standpoint of comparative mythology and religion, and thus comedy's spiritual significance. In his unique study of the comic tradition, Hyers explains the difficulty in pinning down themes, structures, plots, or characters that are common to all comedy. Instead he argues that there is an essence of comedy in the area of pattern. He draws upon the rich historical ensemble of types of comic figures: the humorist, comedian, comic hero, rogue, trickster, clown, fool, underdog, and simpleton. He shows how each type incarnates a comic heroism in its own unique manner, offering a profound wisdom and philosophy of life. The approach of this book is broadly interdisciplinary, with materials and interpretations introduced from the various fields of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences as they illuminate both the tragic and comic sensibilities. The methodological thread that draws this all together is an analysis of the major types of comic figures in terms of the myths and legends associated with them, the rituals they produce and enact, and the symbolism of the comic figures themselves. Written in a very readable literary style, The Spirituality of Comedy will appeal to psychologists, social scientists, clergy, philosophers, and students of literature. |
| mastery of comedy: How to Make People Laugh James W. Williams, 2021-04-30 If you are an extrovert, you have the set of skills to be the life of the party. What you need to do is to learn how to listen. Good improv requires excellent listening skills. |
| mastery of comedy: Comedy and Distinction Sam Friedman, 2014-04-24 This book was shortlisted for the 2015 BSA Philip Abrams Memorial Prize. Comedy is currently enjoying unprecedented growth within the British culture industries. Defying the recent economic downturn, it has exploded into a booming billion-pound industry both on TV and on the live circuit. Despite this, academia has either ignored comedy or focused solely on analysing comedians or comic texts. This scholarship tends to assume that through analysing an artist’s intentions or techniques, we can somehow understand what is and what isn’t funny. But this poses a fundamental question – funny to whom? How can we definitively discern how audiences react to comedy? Comedy and Distinction shifts the focus to provide the first ever empirical examination of British comedy taste. Drawing on a large-scale survey and in-depth interviews carried out at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the book explores what types of comedy people like (and dislike), what their preferences reveal about their sense of humour, how comedy taste lubricates everyday interaction, and how issues of social class, gender, ethnicity and geographical location interact with patterns of comic taste. Friedman asks: Are some types of comedy valued higher than others in British society? Does more ‘legitimate’ comedy taste act as a tangible resource in social life – a form of cultural capital? What role does humour play in policing class boundaries in contemporary Britain? This book will be of interest to students and scholars of sociology, social class, social theory, cultural studies and comedy studies. |
| mastery of comedy: Funny Thing about Minnesota... Patrick Strait, 2021-02-02 An insiders' look at the land of 10,000 laughs--how Minneapolis became a hotspot for comedy. It is a lively look back at the wild '80s scene and the creative legacy it wrought. |
| mastery of comedy: Is He Dead? Mark Twain, Shelley Fisher Fishkin, Bancroft Library. Mark Twain Project, 2003-10-17 A group of impoverished artists living in France stage the death of a friend to increase the value of his paintings and then must engage in cross-dressing, deception, and romantic intrigue in order to make their plot succeed. |
| mastery of comedy: 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 ). |
| mastery of comedy: Acting Comedy Christopher Olsen, 2015-08-27 Despite being roundly cited as much harder to perform than its dramatic counterpart, comic acting is traditionally seen as a performance genre that can’t be taught. At best it is often described as a skill that can only be learned on the job through years of practice, or given to a performer through natural talent. Acting Comedy is an effort to examine this idea more rigorously by looking at different aspects of the comic actor’s craft. Each chapter is written by an expert in a particular form—from actors and directors to teachers and standup comedians. Topics covered include: how performers work with audiences how comic texts can be enhanced through word and musical rhythm analysis how physical movements can generate comic moments and build character. This book is an invaluable resource for any performer focusing on the minute details of comic acting, even down to exactly how one delivers a joke on stage. Christopher Olsen’s unique collection of comic voices will prove essential reading for students and professionals alike. |
| mastery of comedy: Master Class Universal America Enter or Reinvent Your Modeling or Acting Comedy Career Kevin Lee America King, 2019-06-13 Master Class is written and annotated by Kevin Lee A.n.a Yusef and Lloydbeen of Turks and Caicos his private island Salt cay . He is the founder ownerof Universal music group , films / studios the conglomerate . He has anotherbook Hip Hop the last religion insight on entering the music industry &building business . His experience comes from working decades Incommercial entertainment hands on song writing for artist like Ella FitzgeraldJay-z , Dullah Trey Songs (Jupiter Love & Never Enough) , Alicia Keys (I needyou) , 50 Cent (First album) Vado (only first verse on Mo Harlem) Beyonce(Schoolin Life) movies like Love & Basketball , Fallen starring Denzel |
| mastery of comedy: Micromastery Robert Twigger, 2018-03-06 Want to be a lifelong learner? Think small. Forget spending 10,000 hours in the pursuit of perfecting just one thing. The true path to success and achievement lies in the pursuit of perfecting lots and lots of small things--for a big payoff. Combining positive psychology, neuroscience, self-help and more, this delightfully illuminating book encourages us to circumvent all the reasons we can't learn and grow (we're too busy, it's too complicated, we're not experts, we didn't start when we were young) -- by tackling small, satisfying skills. Wish you were a seasoned chef? Learn to make a perfect omelette. Dream of being a racecar driver? Perfect a handbrake turn. Wish you could draw? Make Zen circles your first challenge. These small, doable tasks offer a big payoff -- and motivate us to keep learning and growing, with payoffs that include a boost in optimism, confidence, memory, cognitive skills, and more. Filled with surprising insights and even a compendium of micromastery skills to try yourself, this engaging and inspiring guide reminds us of the simple joy of learning -- and opens the door to limitless, lifelong achievement, one small step at a time. Micromasteries presented in the book (with illustrations) include: Learn How to Climb a Rope, Surf Standing Up, Talk for Fifteen Minutes about Any Subject, Bake Artisan Bread, Juggle Four Balls, Learn to Read Japanese in Three Hours, and more. |
| mastery of comedy: Off the Mic Deborah Frances-White, Marsha Shandur, 2015-08-27 What is it to be a stand-up comedian? To be funny, solo? You have no character-role, no double-act partner, and nowhere to look but out into the darkness, with just a microphone, an audience and your imagination. This is a job without an annual appraisal; a job where you are publicly appraised every ten seconds. The results are harsh and obvious: if the audience isn't laughing, you 'died'; if they can't stop, you 'killed'. Deborah Frances-White and Marsha Shandur unpack the inner-workings of the minds of comics, sharing their secrets, insecurities and successes; their bêtes noires and their biggest fears. Featuring interviews with a host of comedians including Eddie Izzard, Moshe Kasher, Sarah Millican, Jim Jeffries, Stewart Lee, Lewis Black, Jenny Eclair, Todd Barry, Richard Herring, Marc Maron, Stephen K Amos, Rich Hall, Zoe Lyons, Marcus Brigstocke, Phill Jupitus, Gary Delaney, Mark Watson, Greg Davies and many more, this excellent book lets you in to the hearts and minds of celebrated comedians, away from the stage and off the mic. |
| mastery of comedy: The Comedy of Charlie Chaplin Dan Kamin, 2008-09-05 This excursion into the enchanted comic world of Charlie Chaplin will appeal not just to Chaplin fans but to anyone who loves comedy. Dan Kamin brings a unique insider’s perspective to the subject. An internationally acclaimed comic performing artist himself, he trained Robert Downey, Jr. for his Oscar-nominated portrayal in Chaplin, and created Johnny Depp’s physical comedy scenes in Benny and Joon. The Comedy of Charlie Chaplin: Artistry in Motion reveals the inner workings of Chaplin’s mesmerizing art as never before. Kamin illuminates the comedian's incredibly sophisticated visual comedy in disarmingly direct prose, providing new insights into how Chaplin achieved his legendary rapport with audiences and demonstrating why comedy created nearly a century ago remains fresh today. He then presents provocative new interpretations of each of the comedian’s sound films, showing how Chaplin remained true to his silent comedy roots even as he kept reinventing his art for changing times. The book is lavishly illustrated with many never-before-published images of the comedian. |
| mastery of comedy: The Silent Sidekick: Unmasking the Enigma of Stan Laurel Pasquale De Marco, Stan Laurel, one-half of the legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, was a master of physical comedy, a gifted actor, and a beloved entertainer. His unique brand of humor, characterized by his deadpan delivery, impeccable timing, and mastery of physical gags, has left an enduring legacy in the world of comedy. In this comprehensive biography, we delve into the life and career of Stan Laurel, exploring his early years, his rise to fame, and his lasting impact on the entertainment industry. From his humble beginnings in England to his Hollywood heyday, Laurel's journey is a testament to his determination, creativity, and unwavering passion for making people laugh. Laurel's partnership with Oliver Hardy was one of the most successful and iconic in the history of comedy. Their on-screen chemistry was undeniable, and their films continue to entertain audiences of all ages. Laurel's unique comedic style, with its emphasis on physical humor and deadpan delivery, perfectly complemented Hardy's more boisterous and expressive persona. Together, they created a body of work that has stood the test of time and continues to be enjoyed by generations of fans. Beyond his work with Hardy, Laurel also had a successful solo career, both in films and television. He demonstrated his versatility as an actor, taking on a wide range of roles, from lovable buffoons to cunning schemers. Laurel's solo work showcased his comedic genius and his ability to carry a film on his own. Laurel's influence on comedy is immeasurable. He inspired countless comedians, both during his lifetime and in the decades that followed. His unique brand of humor, his mastery of physical comedy, and his impeccable timing have left a lasting mark on the world of entertainment. Laurel's legacy continues to live on, as his films and television shows continue to be enjoyed by audiences around the globe. This biography is a celebration of Stan Laurel's life and career. It is a tribute to his comedic genius, his unwavering dedication to his craft, and his enduring legacy as one of the greatest comedians of all time. Through a combination of archival research, interviews with Laurel's friends and colleagues, and an analysis of his films and television shows, this biography provides a comprehensive and insightful look at the man behind the laughter. If you like this book, write a review! |
| mastery of comedy: The Quarry Master Amanda Milo, 2020-07-25 BASH: I dislike people.I despise humans.A cruel mandate from one of my region's rulers has saddled me with a slew of little alien humans: I'm to put them to work.One problem?I run a rock quarry, where humans' thin skin is a detriment to productivity. Overseeing these humans is like trying to herd yanaks. If I don't burn, beat, or strangle them to death by the day's end, it will be a miracle.ISLA: I can tell the boss likes me, because I'm not dead. Bash is abrasive and acerbic, like some sort of alien love child between Michael Caine and Miss Hannigan. And maybe Ebenezer Scrooge. Bash is a little... anti-human race. But he's not all bad. Sure, he's a little growly and he sets things on fire when he gets mad, but even villains need a friend. And here? Bash is everybody's villain.Everybody's but mine.Warning: This book is the slowest of slow burns. It's a 127K story with the personal puzzle parts not snapping together until the last stretch of the book. If you want to sink your teeth into a romance that hits the fireworks level fast, skip on this one. But if you want a sweet slow burn, then this one might be the book for you. (Especially if you love super grouchy heroes with big horns and bigger attitudes.) |
| mastery of comedy: The Comedy of Errors William Shakespeare, 1868 |
| mastery of comedy: Stand-up Comedy in Theory, or, Abjection in America John Limon, 2000-06-23 Stand-Up Comedy in Theory, or, Abjection in America is the first study of stand-up comedy as a form of art. John Limon appreciates and analyzes the specific practice of stand-up itself, moving beyond theories of the joke, of the comic, and of comedy in general to read stand-up through the lens of literary and cultural theory. Limon argues that stand-up is an artform best defined by its fascination with the abject, Julia Kristeva’s term for those aspects of oneself that are obnoxious to one’s sense of identity but that are nevertheless—like blood, feces, or urine—impossible to jettison once and for all. All of a comedian’s life, Limon asserts, is abject in this sense. Limon begins with stand-up comics in the 1950s and 1960s—Lenny Bruce, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, Elaine May—when the norm of the profession was the Jewish, male, heterosexual comedian. He then moves toward the present with analyses of David Letterman, Richard Pryor, Ellen DeGeneres, and Paula Poundstone. Limon incorporates feminist, race, and queer theories to argue that the “comedification” of America—stand-up comedy’s escape from its narrow origins—involves the repossession by black, female, queer, and Protestant comedians of what was black, female, queer, yet suburbanizing in Jewish, male, heterosexual comedy. Limon’s formal definition of stand-up as abject art thus hinges on his claim that the great American comedians of the 1950s and 1960s located their comedy at the place (which would have been conceived in 1960 as a location between New York City or Chicago and their suburbs) where body is thrown off for the mind and materiality is thrown off for abstraction—at the place, that is, where American abjection has always found its home. |
| mastery of comedy: 20 Master Plots Ronald B. Tobias, 2012-01-12 Give your story a solid foundation—a plot that engages readers from start to finish! The best stories linger in the hearts and minds of readers for decades. These tales gain their power through plots that connect with the audience on both an emotional and intellectual level. Inside Ronald B. Tobias details these 20 time-tested plots. Each is discussed and analyzed, illustrating how a successful plot integrates all the elements of a story. Tobias then shows you how to use these plots effectively in your own work. Tobias then goes to the next level, showing you how to choose and develop plot in fiction. He shows you how to craft plot for any subject matter, so that you develop your work evenly and effectively. As a result, your fiction will be more cohesive and convincing, making your story unforgettable for readers everywhere. Plot isn't an accessory that conveniently organizes your material according to some ritualistic magic. You don't just plug in plot like a household appliance and expect it to do its job. Plot is organic. It takes hold of the writer and the work from the beginning. —Ronald Tobias |
| mastery of comedy: The Mind of the Master Class Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Eugene D. Genovese, 2005-10-17 The Mind of the Master Class tells of America's greatest historical tragedy. It presents the slaveholders as men and women, a great many of whom were intelligent, honorable, and pious. It asks how people who were admirable in so many ways could have presided over a social system that proved itself an enormity and inflicted horrors on their slaves. The South had formidable proslavery intellectuals who participated fully in transatlantic debates and boldly challenged an ascendant capitalist ('free-labor') society. Blending classical and Christian traditions, they forged a moral and political philosophy designed to sustain conservative principles in history, political economy, social theory, and theology, while translating them into political action. Even those who judge their way of life most harshly have much to learn from their probing moral and political reflections on their times - and ours - beginning with the virtues and failings of their own society and culture. |
| mastery of comedy: Bring the Funny Greg DePaul, 2016-07-15 A sharp, funny book about comedy screenwriting from a successful screenwriter that uses recent – as in this century – movies you've actually seen as examples. Greg DePaul (Screenwriter, Bride Wars, Saving Silverman) has sold scripts to Miramax, Fox, Disney, New Line, Sony, MGM and Village Roadshow. He's worked with comedy stars like Jack Black, Kate Hudson, Jason Biggs and Amanda Peet. Now Greg takes everything he knows about writing comedy and breaking into the biz, tosses it into a blender and serves up this tasty, fat-free smoothie of a book that’s easy to read, brutally honest, and straight from the heart ... of Hollywood. Bring the Funny is chock full o' tricks, strategies and insider terms used by successful comedy screenwriters, including: Comic Justice Wrylies Genre-Bending Shadow Characters The BDR's The Two-Hander The Conceit Comedic Escalation Gapping A.I.C. Fish Outta Water The Idea Factory Really Important Comedy Screenwriting Rules Number 99 and 100 If you're looking to write funnier and better screenplays, you want this book. But if you're ready to pack up your car, drive out to L.A., and dive into a career as a comedy screenwriter, you need this book. Now. Buy it, jam it into your pocket, and hit the gas. Greg's got your back. |
| mastery of comedy: Border-Crossing and Comedy at the Théâtre Italien, 1716–1723 Matthew J. McMahan, 2021-03-30 How do nationalized stereotypes inform the reception and content of the migrant comedian’s work? How do performers adapt? What gets lost (and found) in translation? Border-Crossing and Comedy at the Théâtre Italien, 1716-1723 explores these questions in an early modern context. When a troupe of commedia dell’arte actors were invited by the French crown to establish a theatre in Paris, they found their transition was anything but easy. They had to learn a new language and adjust to French expectations and demands. This study presents their story as a dynamic model of coping with the challenges of migration, whereby the actors made their transnational identity a central focus of their comedy. Relating their work to popular twenty-first century comedians, this book also discusses the tools and ideas that contextualize the border-crossing comedian’s work—including diplomacy, translation, improvisation, and parody—across time. |
| mastery of comedy: Isn’t that Clever Steven Gimbel, 2017-06-26 Isn’t That Clever provides a new account of the nature of humor – the cleverness account – according to which humor is intentional conspicuous acts of playful cleverness. This volume asks whether there are limits to what can be said in dealing with a heckler and how do we determine whether one comedian has stolen jokes from another. |
| mastery of comedy: How to be a Working Comic Dave Schwensen, 1998 Provides advice to would-be comedians on preparing a funny act, finding audiences, promotion, managers and agents, performance techniques, and related topics, and offers observations on the comic's life from Drew Carey, Tommy Smothers, and others |
| mastery of comedy: The Psychology of Comedy G Neil Martin, 2021-08-17 What makes us laugh? Why is comedy so important? How does comedy affect our behaviour? The Psychology of Comedy provides a unique insight into the role of laughter and humour in our lives. From the mechanics of comedy and what makes a good joke, to the health benefits of laughter, the book delves into different types of comedy, from slapstick to complex puns, and the physiological response it provokes. The dark side of comedy is also considered, confronting the idea that what is funny to some can be offensive to others, making this universal experience also highly subjective. In a time when comedy continues to be one of the most popular and enduring forms of art, The Psychology of Comedy reminds us that laughter really is good for the soul. |
| mastery of comedy: Popular Film and Television Comedy Frank Krutnik, Steve Neale, 2006-10-19 Steve Neale and Frank Krutnik take as their starting point the remarkable diversity of comedy's forms and modes - feature-length narratives, sketches and shorts, sit-com and variety, slapstick and romance. Relating this diversity to the variety of comedy's basic conventions - from happy endings to the presence of gags and the involvement of humour and laughter - they seek both to explain the nature of these forms and conventions and to relate them to their institutional contexts. They propose that all forms and modes of the comic involve deviations from aesthetic and cultural conventions and norms, and, to demonstrate this, they discuss a wide range of programmes and films, from Blackadder to Bringing up Baby, from City Limits to Blind Date, from the Roadrunner cartoons to Bless this House and The Two Ronnies. Comedies looked at in particular detail include: the classic slapstick films of Keaton, Lloyd, and Chaplin; Hollywood's 'screwball' comedies of the 1930s and 1940s; Monty Python, Hancock, and Steptoe and Son. The authors also relate their discussion to radio comedy. |
| mastery of comedy: Comedy Writing Secrets Melvin Helitzer, 1992 A comprehensive guide to writing, selling and performing all types of comedy. Includes comments, advice, gags and routines from top comics. |
| mastery of comedy: 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. |
MASTERY Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of MASTERY is the authority of a master : dominion. How to use mastery in a sentence.
Mastery (book) - Wikipedia
Mastery is the fifth book by the American author Robert Greene. [1] The book examines the lives of historical figures such as Charles Darwin and Henry Ford, as well as the lives of …
MASTERY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
MASTERY definition: 1. complete control of something: 2. If someone has a mastery of something, they are extremely…. Learn more.
Mastery by Robert Greene | Goodreads
Nov 1, 2012 · By analyzing the lives of such past masters as Charles Darwin, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Leonard da Vinci, as well as by interviewing nine contemporary masters, …
Mastery: Greene, Robert: 9780143124177: Amazon.com: Books
Oct 29, 2013 · His highly anticipated fifth book, Mastery, examines the lives of great historical figures such as Charles Darwin, Mozart, Paul Graham and Henry Ford and distills the traits …
Mastery - definition of mastery by The Free Dictionary
1. Possession of consummate skill. 2. The status of master or ruler; control: mastery of the seas. 3. Full command of a subject of study: Her mastery of economic theory impressed the professors.
mastery noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage …
[uncountable, singular] mastery (of something) great knowledge about or understanding of a particular thing synonym command. She has mastery of several languages. The orchestra is …
Mastery Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary
MASTERY meaning: 1 : knowledge and skill that allows you to do, use, or understand something very well command usually + of; 2 : complete control of something
MASTERY definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
If you show mastery of a particular skill or language, you show that you have learned or understood it completely and have no difficulty using it. He demonstrated his mastery of …
Mastery learning - Wikipedia
Mastery learning is an instructional strategy and educational philosophy that emphasizes the importance of students achieving a high level of competence (e.g., 90% accuracy) in …
MASTERY Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of MASTERY is the authority of a master : dominion. How to use mastery in a sentence.
Mastery (book) - Wikipedia
Mastery is the fifth book by the American author Robert Greene. [1] The book examines the lives of historical figures such as Charles Darwin and Henry Ford, as well as the lives of …
MASTERY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
MASTERY definition: 1. complete control of something: 2. If someone has a mastery of something, they are …
Mastery by Robert Greene | Goodreads
Nov 1, 2012 · By analyzing the lives of such past masters as Charles Darwin, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Leonard da Vinci, as well as by interviewing nine contemporary …
Mastery: Greene, Robert: 9780143124177: Amazon.com…
Oct 29, 2013 · His highly anticipated fifth book, Mastery, examines the lives of great historical figures such as Charles Darwin, Mozart, Paul Graham and Henry Ford and distills the traits …
