Behind the Laughter: History, Writing, and the Production of American Comedy

About the Author 
Introduction 

HISTORY 
From Lyceum to Likes: How Technology Shaped American Comedy 

ANCIENT AND CLASSICAL COMEDY 
Aristotelian Echoes: Imagining the Lost Foundations of Comedy 
Dissecting the Dynamics of Humor and Comedy 
The Enduring Subversion of Ancient Comedy 
Comedy as a Public Act: The Technology of Gathering 
From Divine Comedy to Democratic Laughter: The Shifting Definition of Comedy 
The Theater as a Technology of Access 
The Resilient Bard: Shakespeare’s Comedy 
Renaissance Comedy: Shakespeare and the Social Mirror 

SATIRE AND THE RISE OF PRINT CULTURE 
Satire and the Evolution of Comedic Critique 
Comedy’s Expanding Role in Social Commentary 
The Power of the Pamphlet: Satire and Social Commentary in Print 
More than Mirth: The Court Jester as Social and Political Satirist 
The Farting Privilege: Roland le Pettour and the Democratization of Laughter 
Will Sommers: The Jester as Counselor and Critic 
Stańczyk: The Jester as National Conscience 
From the Court Jester to the Late-Night Monologue 
Freud, Bergson, and the Societal Role of Comedy 
Bergson: Comedy as Social Correction 
Animal Humor: The Primal Instincts of Comedy 
Child Humor: The Comedy of Emotional Overreaction 
Machine Humor: Deadpan Delivery and Emotional Absence 
Freud: Comedy as Psychological Release 
Translating These Theories to American Comedy 
Mark Twain: Humor as Social Critique 
Beyond Twain: The Expanding Landscape of American Humor 

VAUDEVILLE, EARLY FILM, AND THE RISE OF MASS ENTERTAINMENT 24 
The Rise of Vaudeville and the Power of the Stage 
Minstrelsy and the Segregation of Humor 
Technology, Circuits, and Expanding Access  
The Decline of Vaudeville and the Rise of Recorded Comedy Beyond Vaudeville: The Overlooked Stages of American Comedy  
Early 20th Century: Early Cinema and the Evolution of Comedy Distribution 
Comedy Comes Home: Radio’s Role in Democratizing Humor 
Comedy versus Censorship: Mae West and the Hays Code’s Stranglehold on Hollywood 
From the Stage to the Silver Screen: Vaudeville’s Influence on Film Comedy 
Comedy as Cultural Translation: The Marx Brothers and the Humor of Immigration 
Comedy as a Space for Resistance: Moms Mabley and the Chitlin’ Circuit 
Redd Foxx: Bringing Raw Black Comedy to Mainstream America 
Richard Pryor: Comedy as a Weapon against Injustice 
Flip Wilson: The First Black Comedy Superstar on Network TV 
Dick Gregory: Comedy as Activism 
Records as a Conduit for New, Unconventional Comedy 
Charlie Hill: Bringing Native American Comedy to the National Stage 
Rusty Warren: The “Mother of the Sexual Revolution” in Comedy 
LaWanda Page: From “Party Records” to Prime Time 
Records as a Tool for Unfiltered Comedy  
The Television Boom 
Lucille Ball and the Power of the Sitcom 
Television versus Cinema: The Shift in Power

THE RISE OF TELEVISION AND COMEDY’S POLITICAL POWER 
Your Show of Shows: Comedy for an Educated America  
The 1960s: Comedy as Political Disruption  
Carol Burnett and the Expansion of Women in Comedy  
The Rebels Who Set the Stage for the Cable Revolution 
Lenny Bruce: Comedy as Rebellion  
George Carlin: Taking the Fight to a Bigger Stage 
Richard Pryor: Bringing Personal and Racial Honesty to Comedy  
The Playboy Clubs: A Safe Haven for Edgy Comedy  
The Rise of Print Comedy: Publishing as Another Avenue for Humor 
The Impact of Underground Comics  
Anti-Humor and the Legacy of Andy Kaufman: Comedy as a Confrontation 
The Structure of Anti-humor: The Joke That Never Arrives 
From Kaufman to Adult Swim: Anti-humor’s Legacy in Modern Comedy  
The Cable Revolution: How Technology Unshackled Comedy 
HBO and the Birth of Unfiltered Stand-Up 
The Comedy Store and the Club Scene as a Pipeline for Power 
From Second City to SNL: The Comedy Pipeline 

THE DIGITAL AGE, STAND-UP REVIVALS, AND ALTERNATIVE COMEDY 
The VCR and the Birth of Rewatchable Comedy 
From Private Clubs to Public Takedowns: The Evolution of Roast Comedy 
Dean Martin and the Birth of the Televised Roast 
Cable, Comedy Central, and the Revival of the Roast 
Comedy Clubs as Gateways to Television: A New Talent Pipeline 
Freddie Prinze and the Carson Pipeline 
Other Carson-Era Breakouts 
The Late-Night Wars: A Battle for Influence and the Changing Face of Comedy 
The Battle for the Tonight Show: Letterman versus Leno 
The Rise and Fall of Arsenio Hall: A New Space for Comedy 
The Expansion of Late-Night: Cable, Satire, and a Shift in Power 
Comedians at the Center of Sitcom Success: The 1980s and Early 1990s 
Ellen DeGeneres and the Historic Shift in LGBTQ+ Representation 
How This Changed Television History 
The Alt-Comedy Boom of the 1990s: Breaking Stand-Up’s Mold 
Fox’s Evolution: From Boundary-Pushing to Mainstream Appeal 
In Living Color: A Revolution in Sketch Comedy on TV 
MADtv: The Underground Alternative to SNL 
Why Did Fox Move Away from Its Groundbreaking Programming? 
The Rise of “Mainstream” Shows 
The NFL Deal (1994) and the Shift toward “Middle America”
The Declining Support for Black-Led Shows 
Rupert Murdoch’s Political Influence and the Rise of Fox News 
All That!—The Birth of Kids’ Sketch Comedy 
The Digital Revolution: Breaking Comedy’s Traditional Barriers 
Comedy in the Obama Era: Race, Satire, and Political Commentary 
The Streaming Revolution: How Netflix Redefined Comedy The
Meme-ification of Conspiracy Culture 
The Decline of Theatrical Comedy: Where Did Mainstream Comedies Go? 
The Social Media Comedy Boom: How Short-Form Platforms Reshaped Humor 
Trolling as a Cultural Force: Elon Musk and the Evolution of Online Influence 
Elon Musk’s Trolling as a Corporate and Political Strategy 
From Trolling to Power: Musk, Trump, and the Politics of Influence 
The Corporate Stranglehold on Comedy: 
Who Gets Heard and Who Gets Sidelined 
Comedy’s Dual Future in the Post-Digital Era:  
What Does History Tell Us about What Is Next? 
Punching Up, Punching Down, and the Co-opting of Internet Comedy by the Far Right 
Image Resources 
INTERVIEW | FAHIM ANWAR: Stand-Up, Digital Media, and Having a POV 

WRITING 
Punchlines and Platforms: How Comedy Writing Adapts to Its Medium

JOKE STRUCTURE  
Before you start reading this chapter 
Start a Joke Journal  
Consistency and Habit 
Why Does This Matter? 
Framing American Comedy: A Distinct Voice, a Complicated Legacy 
What Makes American Comedy Different? 
Comedy’s Double-Edged Nature: The Comedian as Both Critic and Problem

HOW DO YOU STRUCTURE A JOKE? 
The Distinction Between Humor and Comedy  
The Ethics of Comedy: Punching Up Versus Punching Down 
Punching Up: The Appeal and the Risk  
Punching Down: The Danger and the Purpose  
Why Neither Should Be the Focus  
Common Myths About Comedy and Making People Laugh 
Why Does This Myth-Busting Matter? 
What Makes People Laugh?  
Why Do People Laugh At All? 
The Joke Map: The Architecture of a Joke  
But What Makes that Surprise Work? Assumptions 
Quick Disclaimer: This Joke Might Not Be Funny—and That’s Okay 
Considering Alternative Approaches 
Bringing It All Together: The Joke Map in Action 
Deconstructing the Joke Map: Using Real-Life Moments to Build Jokes 
Using This Process in Everyday Life 

TEMPLATE  
Joke Map  
A Guide to Crafting Your Joke  
Bits Versus Jokes: What’s the Difference? 
What Is a Joke?  
What Is a Bit? 
The Relationship Between Jokes and Bits  
How This Helps You Write Better Comedy 

EXPANDING YOUR JOKE INTO A SET  
The Importance of Categorizing Jokes  
Where Do I Pull Inspiration for Jokes and How Do I Expand Them into Longer Sets?  
Build a System for Capturing Ideas  
Expanding to Physical Comedy  
Choosing a Joke 
Imagining the Scene  
Planning the Routine  
Adding Layers  
Integrating Physical Comedy into a Performance 
Creating and Performing 
Common Stand-Up Set Lengths for Clubs and TV Specials  
The Importance of Sticking to Your Assigned Time Limit  
The Rule of Three: Building Momentum Through Repetition How to Use the Rule of Three in Your Own Writing  
Expanding a Single Joke into a 90-Second Story–Form Joke 
Expanding into a 3-Minute Story–Form Joke  
Expanding into an 8-Minute Story–Form Joke  
Expanding into a 15-Minute Story–Form Joke 
How to Write Your Own 15-Minute Story-Form Joke 

EXPANDING A STAND-UP COMEDY SET 
Techniques for Building, Layering, and Keeping the Momentum Going  
From Open Mic to Full Set: Expanding Your Best Material  
Let’s Break It Down  
Here’s Are Some Additional Techniques to Try Out  
Snowballing: Letting a Premise Grow Until It Rolls You Over  
Storytelling Expansion: When the Setup Is the Joke 
Expanding a Non-Story Stand-Up Set: Building Momentum Without Narrative 
Using Point of View (POV) to Expand Sets and Build Comedy  
Establishing the Narrator’s POV 
Just Because You Find Something Funny Doesn’t Mean It Should Be in Your Set 

TEMPLATE  
Rehearsal Process  
A Guide to Perfecting Your Routine  

TECHNIQUES ON STAGE  
The Art of Openings and Closings in Stand-Up Comedy  

CRAFTING A SKETCH AND COMEDIC SHORT  
From Stand-Up to Screenplay: Expanding Your Comedy into a Skit, Sketch, or Short Film 
Skit Versus Sketch: Breaking Down the Essentials 
What Is a Skit?  
Improvisation, Skits, and Sketch Comedy: A Different Approach Where to Start with Improv  
A Note on Skit and Sketch Writing  
From Skit to Sketch: Expanding the Premise 
What Is a Sketch?  
Why Do These Distinctions Matter? 
Heighten the Absurdity  
How to Structure a Parody Sketch

TEMPLATE 
Writing a Comedy Sketch (Satire or Parody Included)  
Social Media Sketch Structure  
Writing a Comedy Short Film  

WRITING A SCREENPLAY 
Why Proper Screenplay Formatting Matters  
HOW DO I GET MY FUNNY THOUGHTS ON THE PAGE? 
Formatting Screenplays: Structure and Function  
INTERVIEW | JAY LIGHT: Writing, Roasting, and Comedy in Today’s Climate

PRODUCTION  
From Table Read to Final Cut The Mechanics of Making Comedy Work Onscreen 

PREPRODUCTION 
Laying the Foundation for Comedy  
How to Run a Comedy Table Read  
The Importance of the Table Read: Refining the Comedy Before Production  
From Table Read to Film Festival Submissions 
Choosing a Comic Style and Tone 
Understanding Different Comedy Styles and Their Production Implications 
Production Considerations

CASTING FOR TIMING AND CHEMISTRY  
Key Considerations for Casting Comedy  

REHEARSALS: REFINING THE TIMING  
Why Comedy Needs Rehearsal  

LOCATION AND PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR COMEDY 
How Locations Contribute to Comedy 
Building a Production Schedule with Improvisation in Mind 
Balancing Structure and Spontaneity 

COMEDY JOURNAL EXERCISE: FINDING YOUR COMEDIC PRODUCTION STYLE  

DIRECTING COMEDY  
Framing the Joke 
Blocking and Performance: Staging for Maximum Impact 
Camera Work and Comedy 
The Director as the Leader of the Comedic Vision 
Creating an Environment for Improvisation on Set 

SCHEDULING FOR IMPROVISATION  
How Directors and 1st ADs Can Make Room for Spontaneity 
Director and Cinematography 

CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR COMEDY TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Lighting and Comedy: Setting the Tone 
Cinematography 101: How Camera and Lighting Work Together in Comedy 
Essential Lighting Concepts for Comedy 
Quick Lighting Cheats for a More Professional Look 
Why Lighting Choices Matter in Comedy 
When to Break the Rules: Using Lighting for Comedic Contrast 
How Lighting Teams Should Approach a Comedy Script 
Frames Per Second: The Overlooked Secret to Comedy Timing 
Choosing the Right Frame Rate for Comedy 
Frame Rate and Shutter Speed: Avoiding an Unprofessional Look Why Does This Matter 

EDITING AND SOUND 
The Final Layer of Comedy 
Key Production Postproduction Roles in Comedy Editing and Sound 

SOUND DESIGN AND MUSIC IN COMEDY 
Best Audio Levels for Film Production: A Quick Guide 
Dialogue Mixing for Clarity: Ensuring Jokes Are Heard 
Key Sound Recording Terms and Concepts 
Microphone Types for Recording Clear Comedy Dialogue 
Essential Equipment for High-Quality Comedy Sound Recording 
Best Practices for Recording Clear Dialogue in Comedy Scenes 
Mixing Multicharacter Comedy Scenes: Overlapping Dialogue and Balance 
Audio Filters and Recording Best Practices for Clean Sound 
Recording Party Scenes and Loud Environments: Capturing Dialogue in Chaos 
The Best Approach: Capture Dialogue Clean and Add Sound in Post 
Postproduction Tips for Realistic Party Sound 
Avoiding Automated Dialogue Replacement Unless Absolutely Necessary 
Exaggerated Sound Effects: Making Small Moments Bigger

DRAMATIC SCORES FOR CONTRAST 
Using Music as a Joke 
The Ironic Use of Music in Awkward Situations 
Serious Orchestral Scores in Ridiculous Movies 
Sound and Music as Comedy’s Hidden Tools 
Key Editing Strategies for Comedy: Techniques, Tools, and Workflow Essentials 
Fundamental Editing Terms and Techniques for Comedy Common Editing Software 

BACKUP AND WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT 
Protecting Your Comedy in Postproduction 
Phases of the Comedy Editing Process 
• Phase 1: Assembly Cut—Organizing Footage and Building the First Draft 
• Phase 2: Rough Cut—Refining Comedic Timing and Structure • Phase 3: Fine Cut—Adding Sound, Music, and Visual Refinements 257 
• Phase 4: Final Cut and Color Grading—The Locked Version for Release 

COLOR GRADING AND VISUAL STYLE  
Setting the Mood for Comedy 
Breakdown of the Color Wheel and Basic Color Theory 
Color Harmonies 
Color Correction versus Color Grading 
Common Color Grading Styles in Comedy  
Exporting Your Comedy Film: Best Codecs and Formats  
Best Formats for Festivals and Theater Projection  
Platform-Specific Music Use and Copyright Risks  
Using Music in Comedy Projects: Royalty-Free Options and Social Media Restrictions 
Where to Find Royalty-Free and Licensed Music for Comedy Films  
Royalty-Free and Licensed Music Libraries  
Free and Creative Commons Music Sources  
Social Media Music Policies: What You Can and Can’t Use  
YouTube: Strict Copyright System  
Instagram Reels & TikTok: Easy to Use, Not Meant for Commercial Work 
Facebook: Uses the Facebook Sound Collection 
Twitch: Extremely Strict Due to DMCA  
Bottom Line: Protect the Comedy Before You Post It

FINALIZING AND DISTRIBUTING  
A Comedy 
Maximizing Visibility and Audience Engagement  
Essential Marketing Materials for a Comedy Film  
Online Distribution: Where to Release Your Comedy Film  
Comedy-Friendly Film Festivals (Comedy Films and Sketches)  
Comedy-Specific Live Performance Festivals  
Online Distribution for Short-Form Comedy Content (Monetized and Nonmonetized) 
Monetized Platforms  
Ad Revenue and Partner Programs  
Nonmonetized Platforms (Exposure and Portfolio Building) 
Blending Festival and Online Strategies for Maximum Exposure 

THE FUTURE OF COMEDY AND WHY IT MATTERS 
INTERVIEW | Michelle Leibel: Writing, Production, and Navigating the Industry