Looking for something to do tomorrow night?  How about comedy and watching someone music with a pencil?  Yeah, you read that right.  Tomorrow Danny Dechi^[1] is hosting his weekly comedy show at the Rockit Room^[2] on Clement St.  While I don’t know who the comedians will be I do know that admission is FREE and you’ll probably get to see Danny Dechi play his No. 2 Pencil.  What you don’t believe me?  Watch him play Greensleeves^[3].  Tell me how it goes.

Comedy Blast
Rockit Room
406 Clement St. @ 5th Ave.
[Inner Richmond]
Tuesday 12/22
8pm
FREE

Related posts:

1. FREE Comedy Showcase at Bazaar Cafe Tonight!
   Some people are naturally funny and don’t need extra attention by doing standup and exposing themselves to the criticism of a spiteful, intoxicated audience.  I happen…^[4]
2. What Has Two Thumbs and Loves Comedy Nights?
   Some people just cannot tell a joke.  Case in point: Uncle Jerry. My friend Alice brought her friend Mike to her family reunion.  It was a…^[5]
3. Something free on New Years Eve?
   Haven’t figured out what you’re gonna do yet for NYE in San Francisco?  If you’re poor and wanna see free music and get free champagne, then…^[6]
4. FREE Happy Hour Comedy Show Tonight
   It’s the second Monday of the month again which means that it’s time for the Monday Happy Hour Comedy Show at Cafe Royale.  Cafe Royale…^[7]
5. Comedy Day in Golden Gate Park — 5 hours of FREE SHOWS!
   Comedy shows are expensive. They’re almost not worth it in my opinion. Say you shell out $25 for a ticket to Cobb’s or the Punch…^[8]
6. FREE Standup Comedy at Madrone
   Yeah, I know I talk a lot about Madrone, but that’s because it’s my go-to neighborhood bar and they always keep it fresh with the DJs…^[9]

Tags: comedy, free show, Inner Richmond^[10][11][12]

Read more here:
FREE Comedy and The World's Only Pencil Musician « Broke-Ass …

by Lynne Matthysen

A comedy show at Zula Bar. Photo courtesy Jim Sher^[1]

The final heat for the Graça Comedy Showdown at Zula Bar in Long Street^[2], takes place this evening, starting at 21h00.

Five comedians will each perform a stand-up set. Four judges will score each contestant based on their material, delivery and audience reaction. The two comedians with the top score tonight, will join four other hopefuls in the final round next Monday. Previous heats were held on August 23 and August 30.

The finals will take place in the same format and the winner will be determined by the overall scores of the four judges. That person will get the opportunity to perform at on the the Nando’s Comedy Festival on the main stage of the Baxter Theatre, on September 19.

This annual festival is currently under way and performances from the likes of Trevor Noah, Jonathan Arons, Bobby Lee, Ian Bagg, Orny Adams, Ava Vidal, Mo Mandel and Dave Thornton are keeping audiences well entertained.

For more information about the Nando’s Comedy Festival, see our event entry^[3].

Entrance to Zula Bar tonight is R40 per person. For table bookings call +27 (0)21 424 2442.

Read a Cape Town Tourism review of a Monday night stand-up comedy show at Zula Bar^[4].

Read more here:
Final Zula Bar comedy heats tonight – Cape Town Blog

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Read more here:
Understand SNL's Impact on Comedy Films with Satellite TV | mobile …

SnitchSeeker’s Deathly Hallows Harry Potter “Undesirable No. 1″ T-Shirt contest!^[1]

Video: James & Oliver Phelps talk Harry Potter at Ring*Con panel discussion^[2]

Rupert Grint to guest star on BBC comedy Come Fly With Me^[3]

Bonnie Wright & Jamie Campbell Bower attend Electric Picnic festival in Ireland^[4]

New Deathly Hallows trio at Grimmauld Place, hi-res Ron/Hermione tent photos^[5]

Jessie Cave, Harry Melling, Miriam Margolyes & more to attend Collectormania London^[6]

New hi-res Lucius, Bellatrix, Scabior, Fenrir, Bathilda Deathly Hallows promos^[7]

Hi-res Deathly Hallows I trio, Lupin, Scrimgeour, Harry in Godric’s Hollow promos^[8]

Members in Chat:
Walrus, Nymphadoraliz, HaRoHeGiNeLu

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ[9] by clicking the link above. You may have to register[10] before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Harry Potter News Latest news and rumors about the Harry Potter world!

It is being reported that actor Rupert Grint will guest star alongside well-known British comedians David Walliams and Matt Lucas (of Little Britain fame), in their upcoming BBC programme Come Fly With Me. The show centres around a busy airport, and will feature a host of characters, including Rupert. The BBC One programme will begin airing this winter. We’ll have more on this soon, hopefully including proper confirmation, so stay tuned. [11][12]

Today, 02:37 AM	#2 (permalink[13])
Skrewt   Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: With One Night Only Posts: 1,394 Hogwarts RPG Name: Adam Burn First Year Ministry RPG Name: Nils King Ministry Security

Today, 03:53 AM	#4 (permalink[14])
Dragon   Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 20,653 Hogwarts RPG Name: Ginevra ‘Ginny’ Francesca Weasley Third Year Ministry RPG Name: Marie Bonnie Potter Magical Games & Sports	‘First to Post’ Police | ♫ Music Girl ♫ | ♥ True Bonnie, Justin and Cody Fan! ♥

Today, 05:20 AM	#7 (permalink[15])
Skrewt   Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Black Lake GM+10 Posts: 1,446 Hogwarts RPG Name: Patroclus Hudson Fourth Year Ministry RPG Name: Prometheus Hudson Magical Law Enforcement	Professional Twirler That is perfection! Now all they need is Catherine Tate, and it will be the best BBC comedy ever! __________________ ……………………………..Put out the fire boys, don’t stop, don’t stop

Today, 06:26 AM	#8 (permalink[16])
Skrewt   Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: On Earth! Posts: 1,352 Hogwarts RPG Name: Lara Black First Year	To be or not to be

Today, 06:46 AM	#9 (permalink[17])
Puffskein   Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Sweden Posts: 150	really cool =p

Today, 09:23 AM	#11 (permalink[18])
Ramora   Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Haguenau, France Posts: 378 Hogwarts RPG Name: Emma Granger First Year	It will be really funny!!!

Today, 12:43 PM	#12 (permalink[19])
Faerie   Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Subconscious Mind. Posts: 4,327 Hogwarts RPG Name: Dianna Lyra Malfoy Second Year Ministry RPG Name: Brooklyn Eloise Clark Magical Transportation

Today, 03:58 PM	#17 (permalink[20])
Faerie   Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Underwater (: Posts: 3,921 Hogwarts RPG Name: Jennifer Greene Fifth Year Ministry RPG Name: Camila Ausent International Cooperation	Heart keeper ♥ // domestïc Әquïne ll

Today, 04:09 PM	#19 (permalink[21])
Skrewt   Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sunny Scotland! lol Posts: 1,454 Hogwarts RPG Name: Nathan Campbell Fifth Year Ministry RPG Name: Desmond Campbell Magical Law Enforcement

Today, 04:40 PM	#20 (permalink[22])
Niffler   Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: GMT+1 baby Posts: 2,984 Hogwarts RPG Name: Amelia ‘Amy’ Rose Samson Second Year Ministry RPG Name: Ramona Marqueen Magical Law Enforcement	Sooooo Normal….sorta ¬_¬ ….. Team Gene Hunt!

All times are GMT. The time now is 06:40 PM.

Read more here:
Rupert Grint to guest star on BBC comedy Come Fly With Me …

Jason Stutter – the Comedy of Murder

Posted on 6 September 2010

Credits: Direction and Interview – Ian Pryor; Camera and Editing – Alex Backhouse

Jason Stutter^[2] – director of Ronald Hugh Morrieson adaptation Predicament^[3] – has a talent for going for the jugular, yet doing it in style. In Stutter’s movies, the camera plunges headfirst into haunted hospitals, dodgy smalltown dealings, and fight scenes with Pacific Island Ninjas whose parents were unexpectedly half-gobbled by fish.

In this ScreenTalk interview, Stutter talks about

• why he makes films
• his many projects featuring Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement^[4]
• falling in love with the dialogue in Ronald Hugh Morrieson’s novel Predicament^[5]
• the lessons that can be learnt from Morrieson’s career
• the bravery of comedians, and why he loves giving them acting roles in his movies
• the genesis of Tongan Ninja^[6], Stutter’s no-budget, three years in the making feature debut
• the unusual way haunted hospital tale Diagnosis: Death was funded
• the importance of staying loyal to the original text

This video is available on YouTube^[7] to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence^[8].

Read more here:
Jason Stutter – the Comedy of Murder – ScreenTalk | NZ On Screen

Published: Sunday, September 05, 2010, 2:12 PM     Updated: Sunday, September 05, 2010, 9:56 PM

Let’s not even get into the whole Anton Chekhov comedy conundrum.  

Pretty? Not so much.

Prettiness walks hand in hand with propriety, so sometimes you just have to show both of them the door.

But Sweat isn’t out to shock or offend, by any means, and beyond the Smile Train sketch there’s nothing more than a few ethnic voice characterizations that might ruffle the feathers of the sensitive. 

The accents are the point in a bit where a group of Japanese men talk about what celebrities they find sexy. Elsewhere, the voices are an incidental framing device, such as in a bit about Russian mobsters as record producers. The humor is centered in semi-obscure observations about music marketing cliches and sound technology, and it’s sharp in that regard. But then they add grim countenances and borscht-thick accents to lines such as, “You use a tube mic with no wind screen; sound will hit you like feral cat in crotch.”

And finally, funny is funny (whatever that means to you). That is, you might not be able to tell tears of laughter from drops of Sweat.

Read more here:
Debut of new Portland comedy troupe Sweat drips with funny stuff …

Jason Winfield – Chase Thompson in Chase Thompson A Film by Chase Thompson Dir Vincent Lin 2010 Best Comedy Winner IP Short Film Contest

Joseph Callari – Best Comedy ip short film contest 2010 – Chase Thompson a Film by Chase Thompson – dir Vincent Lin

the idea girl says

Congrats to our 8th Annual Indie Producer Short Film Contest Winner – 2010!

Best Comedy IP Short Film Contest Winner – Chase Thompson, a film by Chase Thompson – Director Vincent Lin

I could only find two photos on IMBD

Movie Directors and Producers please update all your IMBD sites for us bloggers LOL

I can’t figure out who Vincent Lin is no photo’s for him either!

the film on imbd

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1592846/^[1]

on set photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mintsintin/sets/72157622209693759/^[2]

mintsintin^[3] youtube movie channel

When up and coming filmmaker Chase Thompson is hired to direct a lackluster romance film, the foolhardy director takes it as an opportunity to fire the crew and turn the film into his own zombie slaying masterpiece, starring himself.

http://www.chasethompsonmovie.com/^[4]

Writer/Director: Vincent Lin
Producers: Caleb Medders, Matthew D’Amato, Vincent Lin
Starring: Jason Winfield, Patricia Frost
Music: Rogier Van Gaal, Cliff Lin

2010 Mints in Tin Pictures

Patricia Frost – Rachel – best comedy ip short film contest 2010 – Chase Thompson a film by Chase Thompson

I hope this is the right girl, she looks the same had to google the name

Read more here:
Best Comedy IP Short Film Contest Winner 2010 – Chase Thompson, a …

Justin Long and Drew Barrymore may be the stars of the new movie ‘Going the Distance,’ but everyone is talking about the actors who play Long’s wisecracking buddies: Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day. They wouldn’t be the first costars to steal an entire move out from under the lead actors — now-household name Seth Rogen did that in ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’ just as Steve Carell had in ‘Bruce Almighty.’ Here are some of our other favorite scene-stealing sidekicks:

Thelma Ritter in ‘Pillow Talk’^[4] (1959)
Doris Day’s hard-drinking maid Alma is a colorful character — she braces herself for each daily elevator ride, calling the elevator operator “Hot-rodder!” But our favorite scene is when Rock Hudson tries to get her drunk in order to pump her for information about Day — but we get a clue that he’s in over his head when he suggests a bar and she pulls him in the other direction saying, “I know a better one.”

---

Bill Murray in ‘Tootsie’ (1982)

Murray was at his deadpan best as super-serious playwright Jeff Slater, whose lifelong goal is to stage a play about the Love Canal disaster. Highlight: “I don’t like it when people come up to me and say, ‘I really dug your play, man — I cried.’ I like it when they come up to me the next day and say, ‘What happened?’” The killer scene: when a crazed costar kisses Dustin Hoffman in drag (thinking she’s a woman), and is awkwardly interrupted by Jeff’s well-timed appearance. The suitor gone, Jeff delivers a priceless one-word line: “Slut.”

---

Jon Cryer in ‘Pretty in Pink’ (1986)

Who can forget dapper Ducky, the Molly Ringwald-lovin’ teen who would burst into song, start a fight, or even — gasp — attend the prom for her? The film’s original ending had her dancing with him, not Blaine (Andrew McCarthy). As much as we might have crushed on McCarthy ourselves, Ducky getting his girl, and not some random blonde, seems a lot more fitting.

---

---

Mandy Patinkin and Andre the Giant in ‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)

It’s pretty hard to single out just one thing we love from this cult classic, so we decided on two: vengeance-bent Inigo Montoya and amiable giant Fezzik. Westley’s (Cary Elwes) noble quest to save Buttercup is hilariously aided by these two droll sidemen, who rival any comedy team in history.

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com
^[8]

---

Arsenio Hall in ‘Coming to America’ (1988)

Every African king looking for a bride both beautiful and intelligent needs a loyal servant who will make the journey with him, adopt the bizarre native dress, and wire daddy for money when the funds are depleted. Good thing Akeem (Eddie Murphy) has the sensible Semmi (Arsenio Hall) by his side to aid in his search.

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com^[10]

---

Joan Cusack in ‘Working Girl’ (1988)

Melanie Griffith’s big-haired friend Cyn (who unironically asks Harrison Ford, “Coffee? Tea? Or Me?”) rightly earned Cusack her first Best Supporting Actress nomination.

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com^[12]

---

Rachel Griffiths in ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ (1994)

We love underdog Muriel (Toni Collette), but we kinda love Rhonda, her fierce BFF even more. The scene where she delivers a long overdue putdown to the high school bitches who tormented her and Muriel is priceless: “I would rather swallow razorblades than drink with you. Oh, by the way, I’m not alone. I’m with Muriel,” she says triumphantly. (NSFW language)

---

Rupert Everett in ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ (1997)

He gets our vote for the most witty, dashing gay BFF ever: No wonder Julia Roberts, when she’s in a pinch, decides to introduce him to love-of-her-life Dermot Mulroney as her fiancé. We love him for being there for Julia, especially in the film’s bittersweet ending when he waltzes to her rescue, yet again.

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com^[16]

---

Rhys Ifans in ‘Notting Hill’ (1999)

How on earth did posh bookseller William (Hugh Grant) end up with a shaggy, crude, clearly unsanitary roommate like Spike (Rhys Ifans)? It defies logic, but we savor those over-the-top moments when Spike’s unconventional approach to clothing — and everything else — has us in stitches.

---

Jack Black in ‘High Fidelity’ (2000)

Black’s permanently buzzed record store clerk Barry doesn’t just steal this movie, he hijacks it, ties it up, and demands a ransom. Take this scene, where he interrupts a mope-rock session at John Cusack’s store with the high-energy ‘Walking on Sunshine.’ (And this from a man who refuses to sell a customer ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You.’) Even more shocking, when Barry performs at films’ end, it’s not as his ‘Sonic Death Monkeys’ persona, but as a smooth crooner who belts out ‘Let’s Get It On.’

---

Judy Greer in ’27 Dresses’ (2008)

Can we just hand Judy Greer the “professional scene-stealer” title right now? Name a movie she’s been in that she hasn’t stolen, from her hysterical breakdown over being rejected by Joaquin Phoenix in ‘The Village’ to her bitchy best friend in ’13 Going on 30.’ Or how about ’27 Dresses,’ where she literally slaps some sense into Katherine Heigl?

---

Rob Corddry in ‘What Happens in Vegas’ (2008)

Here’s another repeat offender when it comes to stealing scenes: Admit it, the scenes you remember most from ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ are all the ones he’s in (like this one where he tries to commit suicide via alcohol, car, and Motley Crue), but we’re going to put him down for his role as Hater, Ashton Kutcher’s best friend who is a little too happy to beat him up to help him get that much-needed divorce from Cameron Diaz.

---

Thomas Lennon in ’17 Again’ (2009)

Leave it to Lennon to introduce us to “peacocking,” in which a male lays on ridiculous amounts of bling to catch a female. While it doesn’t immediately work on the hot high school principal, you try looking at someone else when Lennon is in a scene.
^{[1][2][3][5][6][7][9][11][13][14][15][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]}

Read more here:
Our Favorite Romantic-Comedy Scene Stealers | Inside Movies

« Assorted links | Main | Might we get a cut in the payroll tax? (Department of !) »^[1][2][3]

Comedy recommendations

Steve Hely writes to me:

I’m a real admirer of your blog.  You offer such great recommendations.  But it seems you rarely recommend any comedy.  Are there any books, TV shows, movies, etc. that have made you laugh in recent years?

It’s well-known that comedy hits don’t usually export well to other countries, because comedy is so culturally specific and also so subjective.  So these are not recommendations.  What I find funny is this:

1. On TV: Curb Your Enthusiasm and the better ensemble pieces of Seinfeld and also The Ali G Show.  The best Monty Python skits are very funny to me, although I find their movies too long and labored.  I find stand-up comics funny only when I am there in person.

2. Movies: The last funny movie I saw was I Love You, Man^[4].  I like most classic comedies^[5], though without necessarily finding them very funny.  Danny Kaye’s The Court Jester is a good comedy which most people don’t watch any more.  I enjoy the chaotic side of W.C. Fields in short doses.  Jerry Lewis is funny sometimes, plus there is Pillow Talk.  I like the first forty minutes or so of Ferris Bueller.  Stardust Memories is my favorite Woody Allen film, though I like many of them.

3. Books: I don’t find books of fiction funny, blame it on me.  I do find David Hume, and other classic non-fiction authors, to be at times hilarious.

On YouTube, I find the economics comic Yoram Bauman funny.  Colbert can be very funny.

I wonder how many dimensions are required to explain or predict a person’s taste in comedy?

Posted by Tyler Cowen on September 2, 2010 at 02:44 PM in Film, Television | Permalink^[6][7][8]

Comments

I break into giggles over CSPAN and gales of laughter over Sunday talking head tv.

Tyler have you had a chance to watch Big Bang Theory?

Posted by: The Other Eric at Sep 2, 2010 2:59:30 PM

“I wonder how many dimensions are required to explain or predict a person’s taste in comedy?”

One required dimension is definitely stand up comics. That’s pretty much distilled comedy. Which ones do you like?

Posted by: Brian Moore^[9] at Sep 2, 2010 3:00:10 PM

“I wonder how many dimensions are required to explain or predict a person’s taste in comedy?”

Probably a few dozen factors. Several hundred is sufficient for a person’s writings.

Posted by: David Riffer at Sep 2, 2010 3:17:51 PM

Louie is the best comedy on TV right now. He is also the best current stand up.

Posted by: Dirk^[10] at Sep 2, 2010 3:20:05 PM

I like satire that is funny to the degree it is accurate and vice versa, probable due to my intense preference for realism.

Posted by: Andrew at Sep 2, 2010 3:28:20 PM

You don’t find books funny? What about P.G. Wodehouse?

Posted by: Fred at Sep 2, 2010 3:29:43 PM

“I don’t find books funny, blame it on me.”

I’m wondering how someone who doesn’t find books funny could possibly understand literature.

Posted by: Dirk^[11] at Sep 2, 2010 3:31:00 PM

Have you not read “How I Became a Famous Novelist” by Steve Hely?

Posted by: DRDR at Sep 2, 2010 3:35:06 PM

On TV – I liked ABC’s “Better off Ted” before it got cancelled. It had a very Arrested Development feel to it.

“Louie” is great – I second Dirk.

Movies – I saw “The Other Guys”. Funniest Will Ferrell movie in years. I understand many people have gotten tired of him, but Mark Wahlberg makes this movie feel different.

Posted by: J. Daniel Wright^[12] at Sep 2, 2010 3:37:25 PM

“I’m wondering how someone who doesn’t find books funny could possibly understand literature.”

Seconded. Read A Confederacy of Dunces.

Posted by: ignatius at Sep 2, 2010 3:39:21 PM

On comedy books: while I usually read non-fiction, I recently re-read the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I had forgotten how funny it was.

Posted by: libert at Sep 2, 2010 3:40:35 PM

This is thin gruel, Tyler. Surely there is much more comedy than this that you would enjoy. How about “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me”?

Posted by: Johnny A at Sep 2, 2010 3:41:57 PM

“The Tetherballs of Bougainville” by Mark Leyner. Fantastically funny novel.

Posted by: Mase at Sep 2, 2010 3:43:01 PM

There is no standup performing today who is in the same league as Patton Oswalt.

If you have not heard his two most recent albums you are really really missing out. He is so good that I am not worried about spoiling him by over-promising in this comment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfan5MacmsI

Posted by: Andrew Edwards at Sep 2, 2010 3:51:07 PM

Hi Tyler,
you should read some P.G. Wodehouse. His books are quite funny.

Posted by: JM at Sep 2, 2010 3:53:51 PM

Some of the suggestions here sort of prove the point of the post for me. I have never laughed at Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me. I like A Confederacy of Dunces, and I do find it funny, but not to the point of laughter. And I find Big Bang Theory formulaic and nearly unwatchable. That’s not to say any of you are “wrong” to find these things funny, but humor is very subjective.

I laugh hardest at things like Futurama, South Park, the Daily Show, and a handful of standup comics. My favorite comedy film is Dr. Strangelove, but the one I laughed hardest at was Anchorman. Curb Your Enthusiasm is funny but the situations make me so uncomfortable I frequently can’t stand to watch an entire episode without leaving the room at least once. (Somehow the same is not true of South Park.)

Posted by: Nate at Sep 2, 2010 3:55:18 PM

Tyler, how could you forget Bill Simmons???

I know you love his columns as well as “The Book of Basketball.”

He’s undeniably funny.

Posted by: Andrew at Sep 2, 2010 4:01:49 PM

Big Bang Theory. Coupling( the british version).Becker. Abbot and Cosrtello
Movies The Thrill of It All. When Harry met Sally.A Song Is Born .The Three Musketeers (Richard Lester)
Books: Justine By Sade.Zadig by Voltaire. Pantaleón y las Visitadoras By Mario Vargas Llosa. Tartufe. Don Quijote. Tom Jones.Bosi´s saga. A House for Mr Biswas by VS Naipaul. Black Mischief by Vaugn. The tame of the shrew. Tom Sawyer. .Asinaria. Dog´s heart. Don Juan ( Byron´s). Horace and Juvenal. Madame Bovary, the scene on the barn has no parallel in the art
It’s well-known that comedy hits don’t usually export well to other countries,well, two and a half men in in first place in every latiamerican country. Nobody but the elites like boring stuff as curb or arrested development

Posted by: bel at Sep 2, 2010 4:09:00 PM

I second the indication of P.G Wodehouse. Jeeves and Blandings Castle don’t appeal to you?

Posted by: Diogo at Sep 2, 2010 4:23:41 PM

TV: I don’t watch much comedy on TV anymore, but I enjoed the Red Green show when I did.

Movies: I liked Life is Beautiful, Anchorman, Tropic Thunder

Books: I can’t believe you don’t list P.J. O’Rourke. How about Bill Bryson or David Sedaris?

Blogs: Scott Adams, Stuff White People Like. Krugman’s blog is always a howler.

Comic strips: Sinfest, The Least I Could Do

Posted by: Six Ounces at Sep 2, 2010 4:27:49 PM

Predictive readers usually don’t find books funny for three reasons: 1) what makes one giggle is usually not essential to the plot so they skip it; 2) if they can predict it, they won’t find it funny; 3) they read so fast and there is no time to giggle.

Posted by: Yan at Sep 2, 2010 4:28:17 PM

I’m kind of surprised that no one has mentioned Terry Pratchett. His audio book, especially the one’s read by Nigel Planer, are really very good.

Posted by: A Leap at the Wheel at Sep 2, 2010 4:33:12 PM

I’m willing to bet that one’s taste in comedy is no more difficult to describe to an another person than is one’s taste in pizza. And one’s taste in pizza (Is there anything comparable to a Pizza Margherita with rocket and buffalo mozzarella enjoyed at a table outside a cafe across from the Pantheon?) is no more difficult to describe than one’s taste in movies (City of God anyone?).

Posted by: FrankR at Sep 2, 2010 4:43:04 PM

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is very funny (TV show, FX network I think)

Posted by: Kid Dynamite^[13] at Sep 2, 2010 4:45:36 PM

it is now completely understandable why you’ve never recommended any comedy.

Posted by: matt at Sep 2, 2010 4:48:47 PM

I don’t find much book-length fiction to be funny, but a series of exceptions is Bill James’ Harpur & Iles mysteries, especially the more recent ones (“Pix,” especially, though this may not be the best place for a reader to begin the series.) The dialogue is wonderful. The secret may be that they don’t try to be funny on every page. Basically British police-procedural novels with very funny things now and then. Sort of like life.

Posted by: Alan Gunn at Sep 2, 2010 4:51:26 PM

Tyler,

Louis CK is a “comic’s comic” and has a new, at times surreal, show on FX – *Louie*. He negotiated for himself tremendous latitude from the network – he writes, produces and directs it, and they have very little input in the process. The result is a unique – if at times uneven – show, one that doesn’t conform to generic formulae. It’s thoughtful, cerebral, and funny. I think you might like it.

Posted by: Sunset Shazz at Sep 2, 2010 4:54:40 PM

Rabelais?

Cervantes?

Three Stooges?

Goldmember?

Posted by: Daniel Klein^[14] at Sep 2, 2010 5:01:42 PM

No books? Really? Not even Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy??

Posted by: Noah Yetter at Sep 2, 2010 5:04:25 PM

Arrested Development is boring? Ya wanna know what’s really boring? Do ya? Huh?

97% of all blogs–not this one (fcbmb)– are tear-inducingly-boring. No. I take that back. The phrase “tear-inducingly-boring” is cringe-inducingly-trite.* No! Wait! The phrase “cringe-inducingly-trite” is tear- inducingly-trite.* OK. Got it.

I think it’s safe to say that 97% of all blogs are tear-inducingly-trite. The message has changed a bit, but at least it’s not trite

* based on quick, obligatory Google searches

Posted by: FrankR at Sep 2, 2010 5:10:47 PM

I loved the first 3 seasons of The Office (does a great job at picking up all the awkward aspects of office life). Parks and Recreation is a copy of The Office, but still funny. Modern Family is solid. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is great.

It is striking that the past decade as witnessed better TV dramas than comedies.

IMHO, Airplane is the best comedy.

Posted by: thehova at Sep 2, 2010 5:18:19 PM

I wonder how many dimensions are required to explain or predict a person’s taste in comedy?

I like the three variable funny test myself:

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=17565214125862764376

Measures your sense of humor on three axes: clean<->vulgar, light<->dark, complex<->spontaneous

(clean, dark, and complex here)

Posted by: Stormy Dragon^[15] at Sep 2, 2010 5:20:45 PM

Bill Simmons recently had a post in a reader mailbag with a list of Comedy MVPs by year going back to 1975. It’s a good read.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100722/mailbag2

Posted by: Ben at Sep 2, 2010 5:46:48 PM

I wonder if you are familiar with improv comedy. iO and Second City in Chicago are famous for it, but maybe you’ve seen the widely popular Who’s Line is it Anyway.

If you’re ever in the Raleigh/Durham area again, I’d love to have you be my guest to the comedy theater where I perform:
http://www.dsicomedytheater.com/

Just let me know.

Posted by: Harrison Brookie^[16] at Sep 2, 2010 5:49:14 PM

That misses the primary dimension of comedy tastes — sneering at The Other vs. laughing at ourselves.

Posted by: agnostic^[17] at Sep 2, 2010 5:58:23 PM

It occurs to me that perhaps Tyler doesn’t find books funny because he reads so fast. You have to hear the words to find them funny. If you are a sheer visual reader, as most speed-readers are, you will miss a lot of the humor.

Posted by: Dirk^[18] at Sep 2, 2010 6:01:26 PM

There seems to be a connection between sense of humor and taste in music. Not in a “Dvorak fans tend to like Steve Martin” way, but I bet if you grouped people by the degree of intersection of their favorite musical works, the fuzzy sets of their favorite comedy would highly correlate.

Posted by: Dirk^[19] at Sep 2, 2010 6:59:38 PM

If you have not seen Arrested Development, please try. Season 1 is free on hulu.com

Posted by: dontknow at Sep 2, 2010 7:35:33 PM

I enthusiastically recommend the stand up of Louis CK and his show Louie. He is the best stand up and a lot of his newer stuff is particularly Hansonian.

Posted by: Michael Foody at Sep 2, 2010 8:20:00 PM

Kingsley Amis (if I didn’t reread Lucky Jim annually I wouldn’t have survived so long), Tom Sharpe (evil funny academic comedy), Thomas Mann (Felix Krull, Memoirs of a Confidence Man – win the Nobel and publish what you like), Flannery O’Connor (there’s at least one laugh out loud line in every story!), Charles Portis (True Grit is a 1st person comedy!), and E.F.Benson (all BBC Brit Com is descended from Benson or Wodehouse – and the smarter ones are Bensonspawn).

That’s some books in sight. I could walk out into the hall if you want more recommendations.

Posted by: Michael Tinkler^[20] at Sep 2, 2010 8:33:32 PM

Michael Frayn’s novel, Downfall, is funny.

Posted by: karl^[21] at Sep 2, 2010 8:38:48 PM

I agree with Tyler when it comes to comedic literature.

Tyler: you say that Stardust Memories is your favourite Woody Allen film (decent choice). I remember that, some time ago, you disparaged either Allen in general or Manhattan in particular. Could you give us a Woody Allen post some time, just to clear things up? This is important.

Also, I’m with you on Curb. What about Bob Hope films? Eddie Izzard? The dark/surreal strain of recent British comedy [The Mighty Boosh, The League of Gentlemen, Chris Morris/Brass Eye/Blue Jam]?

Posted by: ricardo at Sep 2, 2010 8:45:57 PM

Faulkner and Twain are hilarious. Garcia Marquez can be as well.

Posted by: ebh at Sep 2, 2010 8:51:12 PM

Good God! Michael Frayn’s novel, Headlong, is funny. The poor man never wrote anything called “Downfall.” now that you know I’m an idiot you won’t read the funny book. Damn.

Posted by: karl^[22] at Sep 2, 2010 9:11:55 PM

Compared to other Tyler Cowen culture recommendations, these are actually somewhat uninspired recommendations.

Posted by: M at Sep 2, 2010 9:26:17 PM

“I wonder how many dimensions are required to explain or predict a person’s taste in comedy?”

This is probably why Hume is hilarious to you while Shakespeare leaves you cold. You’re taking all the fun out of reading literature.

If you don’t think Twain, Aristophanes, Oscar Wilde, and Shakespeare aren’t funny, you’re missing out on a unique aspect of enjoying the written word. Humor is in the eye of the beholder, obviously, but it is surprising to me that out of all of history, there are no works of fiction that make you laugh.

Posted by: Marius at Sep 2, 2010 9:40:26 PM

Season 2 of Jersey Shore. Really.

Posted by: Andrew at Sep 2, 2010 10:38:58 PM

“Archer”, the animated spy series on FX. Very strong.

Posted by: Rob at Sep 2, 2010 11:01:57 PM

I find spambots mildly amusing….

Posted by: Bernard Guerrero at Sep 2, 2010 11:16:26 PM

Howza ’bout…
Buster Keaton?
Ovid? (particularly enjoyable as Metro reading)
Ambrose Bierce?
Mencken?

Just for starters…

Posted by: Ned at Sep 2, 2010 11:31:57 PM

Post a comment

Read more here:
Marginal Revolution: Comedy recommendations