Showing results for "History" in Performing Arts

In his fascinating and hilarious BBC Radio 4 stand up show, comedian and quizzer Paul Sinha shines a light on the important historical moments that you never got taught at school, and explains why so much of what you did learn is wrong. There will also, as ever, be puns. He explains how...

Saturday Night is the intimate, original history of Saturday Night Live, from its beginnings as an outlaw program produced by an unruly band of renegades from the comedy underground to a TV institution that made stars of John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris, Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy. This is the book that revealed to the world what really happened behind the scenes during the first ten years of this groundbreaking program, from the battles SNL fought with NBC to the battles fought within the show itself.

In a major work of scholarship both erudite and very funny, Jeremy Dauber traces the origins of Jewish comedy and its development from Biblical times to the age of Twitter. Organizing his book thematically into what he calls the seven strands of Jewish comedy - including the satirical, the witty, and the vulgar - Dauber explores the ways Jewish comedy has dealt with persecution, assimilation, and diaspora through the ages. He explains the rise and fall of popular comic archetypes such as the Jewish mother, the JAP, and the schlemiel and schlimazel.

In 1963, 30-year-old Friedman - who had recently quit his job as a Boston advertising executive and returned to his hometown of New York to become a theatrical producer - opened a coffee house for Broadway performers called the Improvisation. His goal? Simply to make a living, and if all went according to plan, to also make enough professional contacts to be able to mount his first Broadway show within a year's time. Later shortened to the Improv, its first West 44th Street location was in a seedy section of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen.

Kevin Hart highlights the fascinating contributions of black history's unsung heroes in this entertaining - and educational - comedy special.

Uncover the hilarious evolution of humor and see how ancient jokes drove human survival in this witty cultural history. Whether you need a lighthearted escape during your daily commute or want to unwind with fascinating anthropology before sleep, this journey offers the perfect blend of...

Uncover the fascinating history of comedy and how laughter evolved as a vital survival tool for social bonding. Whether you are commuting or unwinding, this thought-provoking deep dive reveals why a perfectly timed punchline is actually our greatest evolutionary advantage. Travel from ancient...

Comedian and professor Wayne Federman has spent his life studying the art and history of standup comedy. Join him and fellow student, Andrew Steven, as they look back at some of standup’s most interesting moments, places, and people.