Coinciding with a PBS documentary on the history of funny business is MAKE ‘EM LAUGH: THE FUNNY BUSINESS OF AMERICA, a huge, heavy book by Laurence Maslon and Michael Kantor. While I haven’t seen the doc, I’ll assume it separates all its subjects into the same easily digestible categories.
Silent stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd open the book, followed by parodists, like Will Rogers and the SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE juggernaut. Wiseguys like Eddie Murphy and W.C. Fields are examined, then the nerds and misfits — that’s you, Woody Allen and Cheech & Chong. Home-friendly stars such as Bill Cosby and George Burns comprise the next section, while the final one focuses on the groundbreakers, including the likes of Mae West and George Carlin.
While this celebration of comedians is deep in presentation, not to mention in spine, its treatment of its subjects is rather cursory. This may be design; after all, you can’t cover everybody, and only have so much room. So each chapter is more of an overview of that person or institution, rather than a fully detailed encyclopedia entry or even a rather richly written magazine profile. For instance, you’ll learn nothing about Jim Carrey you haven’t already read since, oh, 1994, but MAKE ‘EM LAUGH appears just to want to place him in its own pantheon.
I understand the authors’ selection of those spotlighted is not a science, but I’d argue that some exclusions hold far more authority on comedy and culture than those who did make the cut. Case in point: MAD magazine. Practically everyone who makes making people laugh their trade has cited it as an influence. But Billy Crystal? Has anyone beyond Crystal himself claimed that guy?
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how’d you enjoy the play? —Rod Lott
Related posts:
- Spy: The Funny Years
- Holy Headshot!: A Celebration of America’s Undiscovered Talent
- Headless Body in Topless Bar: The Best Headlines from America’s Favorite Newspaper
- What’s So Funny?
- Mystery Writers of America Presents In the Shadow of the Master: Classic Tales by Edgar Allan Poe
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As to your comment about MAD–there is an introduction to the Satire chapter that deals quite a bit with MAD, as well as several illustrations from it. I know it’s a thick book, but still….
True, MAD doesn’t go unnoticed, but I meant having its own dedicated chapter.