Tag Archives: humor

BOOK: “Wisecracks” by David Shoemaker

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Wisecracks: Humor and Morality in Everyday LifeWisecracks: Humor and Morality in Everyday Life by David Shoemaker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Publisher Site — U of Chicago Press

In this book, a Cornell University philosopher considers questions at the intersection of morality and humor, particularly with respect to digs, burns, and other forms of wisecracking humor. Shoemaker’s view is that generally these forms of humor are not morally questionable, but even where they are they can serve a social function. The book reflects in depth upon what might make a joke morally questionable and why it is unreasonable to accept the tautological argument that wisecracks are morally wrong because they poke fun at others. In addition, the book delves into what service wisecracking humor provides as well as investigating how the pros may outweigh the cons.

I suspect most readers will not expect a laugh riot from a book put out by a philosopher, and — in this case — they would be particularly right to not do so. The book repeatedly draws on a few examples, examples which are often of the inside joke variety (i.e. not hilarious to third parties.) But if you’re reading a philosophy book to laugh, you’re in the wrong place. One would also be wrong to think one has a minefield map, showing when, where, and how to safely wisecrack, by the book’s end. The author clearly recognizes the challenge of attempts to clarify the landscape. Whether he thinks he’s succeeded in doing so, I couldn’t say, but the landscape remained messy to my mind, even having completed the book.

I found the book to present some thought-provoking ideas. My interest did wane in the book’s second half as it came to feel a bit more muddled and repetitive, but all-in-all I thought it was a book worth reading — if you’re interested in philosophy, morality, and ethics.


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BOOK: “The Answer Is No” by Fredrik Backman

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The Answer Is NoThe Answer Is No by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher Site -Amazon

This short story / novella is hilarious. It’s the tale of a happily asocial protagonist, Lucas, who wants nothing more than to live a solitary apartment-dwelling existence, but who is pulled ever deeper into social interaction through an absurd series of events in his apartment complex. The story mixes a heavy dose of bureaucratic absurdism into this plot of curmudgeon interrupted.

I’d highly recommend this book for readers of humorous fiction.

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PROMPT: Billboard

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Daily writing prompt
If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?
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“Eyes Front, Jackass!“

Alternatively, “There’s a pit viper under your seat.”

PROMPT: Challenges

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Daily writing prompt
What are your biggest challenges?
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Finding the humor in the collapse of Western civilization.

PROMPT: Sports Team

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Daily writing prompt
If you started a sports team, what would the colors and mascot be?
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The Chiaroscuro Churros. The colors would be black and white, and the mascot would be Jaime the Angry Churro, a ten foot high tasty Mexican dessert with rage issues.

PROMPT: Creative

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Daily writing prompt
How are you creative?
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The answer depends upon stress.

If it’s, “How are YOU creative?” then I think the question is a little insulting and I wouldn’t dignify it with a response.

If: “How are you CREATIVE?” (then it’s missing a comma before the last word, but) I’ll just say, “Very well, thanks for asking.”

If: “How ARE you creative?” Then I’ll assume it’s as opposed to how I was creative in the past, and would reply, “Better, thanks for asking.”

If: “HOW are you creative?” The answer is, of course, “practice!”

PROMPT: People Say

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Daily writing prompt
Tell us one thing you hope people say about you.
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I hope they say, “He was kind of loud, never kept to himself, and we always thought he might be a serial killer.”

PROMPT: Five Things

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Daily writing prompt
Share five things you’re good at.
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1.) Remaining incognito. (I conceal my identity by being no one of interest.)

2.) Calling animals. (They do not come, but I maintain that I'm effective at getting their attention. They give perplexed looks and seem to be thinking, "Why is that dumb-ass human making strange noises?") 

3.) Slipping on ice. (It's effortless to me.)

4.) Conveying an air of indifference. (At any given moment, you'd probably conclude that I don't give a shit.)

5.) Eating rotisserie chicken. (It's not pleasant to watch, but I leave not a scrap of meat. It's like a sun-bleached skeleton when I'm done with it.)

PROMPT: Pet Peeves

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Daily writing prompt
Name your top three pet peeves.
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In no particular order: farting on the escalator, eating rotisserie chicken during the opera, and the shouting of “fire” during a flash flood.

BOOKS: “Funny Stuff” ed. by Laura LaPlaca and Ryan Lintelman

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Funny Stuff: How Comedy Shaped American HistoryFunny Stuff: How Comedy Shaped American History by Laura LaPlaca
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Publisher Site — Rutgers University Press

Release Date: May 12, 2026

As the subtitle suggests, this book explores the nexus between American History and comedy across many, varied media (i.e. writing, theater, standup, improv, radio, television, movies, etc.) It’s an interesting book, but I don’t know that it has the right title. Considering the title, a reader might expect a fuller coverage of American History, drawing on whatever humorous outlets existed at the time (e.g. op-eds and satirical articles.) This book is more of a history of comedic content in the US with a substantial discussion of how comedy addressed / participated in changing views on sex, race, and sexuality and with occasional mention of how comedy was involved in other social issues, such as changing views on free speech and expression. You’re not going to learn how comedic writers addressed Smoot-Hawley or the Sinking of the Maine. (i.e. The book leads with comedic content and leans the discussion toward societal influence [rarely toward policy influence.] It does not lead with historical events and draw on appropriate comedic content.)

The book covers a lot of the same ground as Kliph Nesteroff’s The Comedians, though with quite different emphases. Nesteroff focuses on the gritty underside of comedy and the oft unseen dark side of comedians, while this book focuses on comedy as a factor in changing views on race and sex [as well as on the changing technological outlets for comedy.] Funny Stuff does spend a little more time on pre-20th century America than does Nesteroff, but not much more. Both books are heavily weighted toward the late 20th century to present. To be fair, there is much more volume of comedic output in this period. (That said, there were artists I expected coverage of, e.g. Josh Billings, that weren’t included. That’s where the book seems more like a history of comedy and its varied outlets.)

If you’re interested in the development of comedy in America, and its influence on social issues — most extensively attitudes towards race — I’d recommend this book.

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