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Be Funny or Die

How Comedy Works and Why It Matters

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About this listen

Comedy can soothe our pain, vent our anger, make us feel less alone, and provide the answer to life’s most difficult questions, such as What do you call a man with a seagull on his head?* It’s a social glue, but it can also be divisive, and the joke is on us if we don’t understand how it works.

So what are the rules? How does comedy do its magic, and why does it matter? Join professional comedy writer Joel Morris on a hilarious journey into the hidden world of shared laughter, where he reveals the mechanisms that make jokes work and what comedy can teach us about ourselves. Offering astute analysis of everything from stand-up to slapstick and sitcom to spoof, Morris examines comedic patterns, rhythms, and dynamics to uncover the algorithms that secretly underpin comedy.

Packed with gags and examples of comedy at its best—plus some invaluable tips on how to master that b’dum tish timing—Be Funny or Die is a fascinating investigation into how our species has developed and mastered this essential art form where laughter is the universal language and only the funniest survive.

*Cliff.

©2024 Joel Morris (P)2024 Dreamscape Media Anthropology Media Studies Performing Arts Social Sciences Comedy Funny Witty Thought-Provoking
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Hugely interesting, clever, thoughtful and generous - a book full of good ideas, confidently read by a skilled communicator. I’ll no doubt listen to it again in the future

The best book on comedy I’ve read

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An excellent listen - engaging and entertaining, very well thought through and researched! Fascinating. Joel is an authority in this space and a pleasure to listen too!

Very thoughtful and entertaining!

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Incredible.
As a writer of novels that blend crime and comedy I've done my fair share of reading of books on plot and writing theory but have always found that books on comedy weren't really about comedy. They tended to be about how to become a standup.
As a result it was refreshing to read something from someone who, like me, professes no desire to do that. Safe behind our keyboards we want to see how the story works and how the comedy works and make it better.
Joel Morris has written one of the only two books I've ever read on the subject of comedy that actually nailed down how comedy works and why it works (and sometimes doesn't). He covers the neuroscience of comedy, reveals why (as I've always said) comedy is more difficult to write than any other genre and, crucially, how to make it less difficult.
I backed the crowdfund for the book so have been looking forward to getting it in my hands for a long time and it was entirely worth the wait, a genuine treasure-trove of advice that comes from having actually done it that is constructed in a way that renders it a) impossible not to laugh at the book and b) impossible not to constantly take away actual examples of how to make your comedy writing better no matter what type of comedy you write.
Whether you are someone who is curious how comedy works or a seasoned writer, this book will fascinate and entertain you.

Whether you are someone who is curious how comedy works or a seasoned writer, this book will fascinate and entertain you.

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Good for comedy fans and comedy writers alike. Even has references so you know where the jokes are from even if you don’t get the jokes.

Works as an explainer and a guide

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A great book on the structure of creating comedy and why it's funny! A must for comedy lovers

superb

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