Beloved teacher, Socrates won each debate with great ease. The first of his winning suggestions? Ask [don't answer] all the questions.
Socratic Method [Clerihew]
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Category Archives: humor
BOOK REVIEW: Comedy: A Very Short Introduction by Matthew Bevis
Comedy: A Very Short Introduction by Matthew BevisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amazon.in Page
This introductory guide examines comedy in a broad fashion, covering literary, historical, philosophical, and – to a limited degree – its psychological dimensions. The book investigates the shifting meaning of the word “comedy” and the changes in media and mechanisms through which it’s been conveyed. So, if you’re concerned (or hoping) that this book is simply an accounting of comedy as the literary genre counter to tragedy, that’s not the case. It discusses not only literature and drama, but also standup comedy and other devices by which humor is conveyed, and it uses “The Simpsons” as well as “Candide” and “Don Quixote” as examples to get points across.
This VSI guide does have a little bit of overlap with the “Humour: VSI,” but where that book focuses heavily on the theory of what makes something humorous, this book addresses that subject in a much more superficial way. On the other hand, this book spends more time looking at comedy from ancient times onward and how its ways have changed since the age of the classics. This guide also peers more beyond the cognitive and philosophical aspects of humor to how elements such as physicality, persona, and even death play into comedy.
It is a scholarly introduction, so one shouldn’t expect a laugh riot, but it is a more entertaining read than if it only looked at comedy as the literary mode opposed to tragedy. If you wish to develop further insight into the many facets of comedy, it’s worth checking out.
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Beerplugs [Limerick]
There was a man with a fondness for beer. There was nothing else that he held so dear. Beer-goggles were his Cupid, & beerplugs muted his stupid: though it remained for the plugless to hear.
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Four on the Floor [Limerick]
A girl got herself an intrepid beau, but she'd long owned a vibrating dildo. "That thing has three speeds to exceed her base needs I'll need four, none too quick nor too slow."
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Mocking Monkey [Common Meter]
One day I passed a gray monkey, and something made me turn. I caught the primate in the act of issuing a burn. Its eyes were closed; its tongue stuck out. Its head twisted to tease. And when it saw me seeing it, for a sec, it did freeze. As if not a thing had happened, and it was not to blame. Before I could make my rebuke it multiplied my shame. by blowing me a raspberry followed by a big smirk. Then it scrambled away before I went truly berserk.
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BOOK REVIEW: Funny on Purpose by Joe Randazzo
Funny on Purpose: The Definitive Guide to an Unpredictable Career in Comedy: Standup + Improv + Sketch + TV + Writing + Directing + YouTube by Joe RandazzoMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amazon.in Page
Get Speechify to make any book an audiobook
Former editor of the hilarious faux-newspaper, The Onion, (Joe Randazzo) provides a broad overview of the humor creation industry, and the many jobs, therein. Whether you’re interested in scriptwriting, performing stand-up, or starting a YouTube channel that provides color commentary of crippling skateboarding accidents, this book has tips and insight into how said job works, how to do the job, and how to avoid the pitfalls. And, as expected, the book offers humor throughout. That said, the first priority is educational, so one shouldn’t expect a laugh-a-minute humor extravaganza.
The book is divided into five parts. The first four parts delved into the various humor content creation jobs (writing, performing, making pictures, and making internet content,) and the last part is about the common business aspects like understanding intellectual property rights, knowing the difference between an agent and a manager, and learning how to get people to give you money for a product you don’t yet have.
One nice feature the book offers is brief interviews with various experts such as Judd Apatow, Weird Al, Joan Rivers, many people you’ve never heard of but I’m sure are good at what they do, and a few that you will have heard of if you have obsessive niche tastes in humor. The interviews are short, but it does help to have insight from someone whose life has largely focused on a particular dimension of humor creation. Randazzo has a diverse background, including writing, performing, and television and internet work, but there are fine insights to be gained from a specialist.
I got a lot out of this book and would recommend it for those interested in the humor content creation industrial complex.
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A Sign from Above [Limerick]
There was a resplendent Portuguese church with plenty of places for pigeons to perch, Parishioners went to mass, moving quite fast, to keep clothes -- not repute -- un-besmirched.
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ESSAY REVIEW: The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved by Hunter S. Thompson
The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved by Hunter S. ThompsonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Online Available Free: Grantland
Available within the collection: The Great Shark Hunt
This story is cited as the first work of gonzo journalism, a highly entertaining style of immersion journalism which takes liberties with objectivity and factual detail for comedic effect or heightened narrative impact. The Kentucky Derby is more setting than subject of the story. It’s Thompson attempting to throw together coverage of the horse race at the last minute for Scanlan’s Monthly, a magazine that existed less than a year. So, the story is as much Thompson racing around trying to con his way into some press passes as he and the graphic artist sent by the magazine go on a booze-fueled junket on and around the race track grounds.
The story is laugh-out-loud funny in places, and features Thompson’s irreverent and fast-paced style throughout. It really was something new. Thompson, apparently, thought he’d failed completely when he sent in the story, but the response indicated that – rather – he’d invented something new, something for which there would be a huge market.
It’s definitely worth reading this story, just don’t expect deep insight into the horse racing tradition of Kentucky.
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Zoo Overkill [Limerick]
There was a Zoo where the creatures were plastic. Said the new guy, "I don't mean to be drastic, but since our beasts aren't real, let's lose the cages of steel, we'll have the first petting zoo lion -- it'll be fantastic!"
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Customer Service Limerick
There once was a customer service rep
who spoke with a smile and great pep.
“That’s not my department,
but prepare for bombardment:
Your refund in twenty-six random steps.”
Tiger Riding for Beginners 