Allie Brosh: Stand-Up Comedy in Book Form

As far as blogs go, few have been funnier than Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosh’s autobiographical offering that manages to maintain its overall hilarity despite occasionally dealing with difficult topics like crippling depression. A mix of humorously written posts and intentionally crude drawings, Brosh has amassed legions of fans over the past decade, with her site often being called one of the funniest on the internet and her posts shared widely on social media. Brosh herself has even been called one of the most creative and influential people on the internet, this despite “living like a recluse in her Bend, Oregon, bedroom” as she puts it. In 2013 Brosh sat down with NPR’s Terry Gross for an interview on Fresh Air. Asked about her writing style, here’s what Brosh had to say:

“I would describe it as stand-up comedy in book form. I feel like my writing style is sort of the result of me subconsciously trying to replicate the feel of stand-up comedy. I was very frustrated when I first started writing that there wasn’t that physicality to it. It was more one-dimensional than stand-up comedy, in which you can rely on tone and facial expressions, body posture. And I wanted to find some way to commit that to the page. Drawing fixed all of those problems.”

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Catherine O’Hara’s Remarkable Relationship to an SNL Alum

If she hasn’t done so already, Catherine O’Hara has ensured her place among comedy royalty thanks to her stellar performance in Schitt’s Creek, the recently ended comedy series that was picked up by Netflix in 2017. But O’Hara’s storied career in comedy may have never come were it not thanks to a special relationship with another member of comedy royalty: SNL alum Gilda Radner.

O’Hara’s brother, you see, was dating Radner, and would occasionally bring her over to O’Hara’s home for family dinner.The family loved her, and when Radner came over, said O’Hara in an interview with Vanity Fair, “my mom would definitely break out the good plates.”

Radner had recently been accepted into the original Toronto cast of the musical Godspell, and feeling inspired, O’Hara auditioned as well. While O’Hara didn’t land a role (“That’s okay, it’s fine, still bitter!” she joked.) it didn’t stop her from pursuing more roles, ultimately embarking on a career that’s seemingly at its height right now.

But O’Hara’s relationship with Radner went beyond influencing her career, Radner became like a sister to young O’Hara. “She had me sleep over one night and then in the morning, we sat there at her little kitchen table with a pretty cloth,” says O’Hara. “We had tea and pumpernickel bread with cream cheese and cucumbers. You come from the suburbs—something like that is so cool and chic and exotic.” The story is one of many O’Hara fondly shared throughout the interview, a heartwarming tale of friendship and inspiration among comedy legends.

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Lucille Ball: Forever Changing Comedy

What would the modern sitcom be without someone like Lucille Ball? Alongside her then-husband Desi Arnaz, Ball became a household name when it came to comedy thanks to I Love Lucy, which ran from 1951 to 1957 and remains a favorite among many to this very day. In addition to the show being nothing short of hilarious, it was also revolutionary for a number of reasons. For starters, it was the first sitcom to be filmed before a live studio audience, allowing the audience to react to such memorable moments as the candy conveyor belt or the grape-squashing scene. I Love Lucy was also the first show of its kind to use a three-camera setup, allowing for a seamless flow from scene to scene.

Thanks to syndication (and we should mention that I Love Lucy was also one of the first TV shows ever to be sold into syndication) the show can still be enjoyed to this very day thanks to reruns, and back in 2012 CBS was reported to still be making as much as $20 million a year from I Love Lucy syndication deals. While it’s true that not all the credit for the show’s success can go to Ball herself, what could the show have ever been without its shining star? And how different would the world of comedy have been were it not for the invaluable contribution Lucille Ball made?

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Funny Christmas Reads

The holidays are just around the corner, but you know what? Sometimes they can be downright stressful. Holiday dinners, Christmas shopping, and let’s not forget the weather… Wouldn’t it be nice to unwind and relax? Yes, it would be, and just in time for the holidays here are three Christmas books that’ll give you a good laugh.

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. The 20th book in his Discworld series, Pratchett tells the tale of the mythical creature known as the Hogfather, who bears striking semblance to our very own Father Christmas. That is, Pratchett tells the tale of the Hogfather’s absence… With nobody to grant children’s wishes and bring them presents on Hogswatchnight (December 32), Death attempts to fill in for the missing Hogfather while Susan Sto Helit, his granddaughter, attempts to find and rescue him.

Snark! The Herald Angels Sing: Sarcasm, Bitterness and the Holiday Season by Lawrence Dorfman. Filled with hilarious Christmas quotes, not to mention plenty to cover other holidays, Dorman manages to channel anything but the holiday spirit… Take for example one of the many pearls of wisdom found in the book: “Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year.”—Victor Borge.

You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas by Augusten Burroughs. The author of Running With Scissors returns to bring us a collection of stories highlighting the best and worst Christmases ever, and how they bring out the best in us. Or the worst. Mostly the worst.

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Tips For Writing Comedy

We all love to have a good laugh but coming up with the right jokes isn’t always an easy task. Here are four tips for writing comedy that just might help!

Work with a partner. You may be at your best when you’re alone, but more often than not brainstorming and bouncing ideas is the best way to get the creative juices flowing. Find a partner and start cranking out the comedy!

Test your material time and time again. Humor is subjective, and what’s funny to you may not necessarily be funny to others. Test your material, test it often, and test it on different audiences, only then will you know what works and what doesn’t.

Read everything you can get your hands on, humorous or otherwise. The more stuff you know, the more material you have to make fun of. Humor doesn’t necessarily have to be 100% accurate all the time, but the right head scratching fact may just be good for a laugh.

Write often, even when you don’t want to. Putting pen to paper when inspiration strikes is all well and good, but sometimes the key to quality is through quantity, revising what’s worth keeping and discarding the rest. Making a habit of writing, even when you don’t want to, is the best way to ensure that material keeps coming.

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How to be Funnier

It’s no crime, some of us just want to make people laugh! But not everyone is born with the natural charm and charisma of a stand up comic, and not everyone can pull out the perfect punchline on demand. For those looking to be just a little bit funnier, here are four tips on how to become a little funnier every day.

Take in stand up shows. A little inspiration never hurt anyone, and stand up shows are not just a great way to get in a few good laughs, they’re a fantastic place to take notes on how to be funny.

Read a lot of jokes. Delivery is essential, but you need the right material to deliver. The internet is packed to the brim with jokes of all kind, but for a more curated collection a better bet may be a well-reviewed book from the library.

Practice in front of the mirror. Fine tune your performance before taking it on the road by practicing your jokes in front of the mirror. From facial expressions to intonation, the slightest switch can have a big impact on the hilarity of your joke.

Don’t try too hard. If it’s forced it won’t feel right, take it slow and let things come naturally. Comedians take years to hone their craft, after all.

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How to make each other laugh in hard times

Life doesn’t always go to plan and unfortunate things can happen to all of us when we least expect it. However, even in the hardest of times, a laugh can solve anything. Laughter really is the best medicine, and if you’re struggling, here are some ways to make each other laugh.

Plan a comedy movie night – There are thousands of comedy movies available and if you’re in need of a pick me up, watch them one after the other. You can plan a full movie night in with a long list of must-see movies and mountain of snacks. Can you really beat a movie night to make you smile?

Go to a comedy show – Alternatively, you can buy tickets to a comedy night. There are plenty on wherever you may live; at bars, theaters, and festivals. Research what is on in your local area and get yourself some good tickets – you’ll be guaranteed to laugh for hours.

Play a prank –You can’t get a better stomach laugh than playing a prank on one another. If you’re not creative, research pranks online as there are plenty out there, and I’m sure you’ll find one that’ll make your other half or family members laugh.

Make some terrible jokes– The silly jokes are sometimes the best. Create a few of those and you’ll be laughing for hours.

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