This volume presents seventeen of the funniest people of the 20th Century talking about how they make people laugh.
Each engaging interview was painstakingly elicited by the author, who spent years researching, collecting the material and recording these intimate one-on-one conversations.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Gift:
I can't really review this book as I gave it as a gift to my son-in-law. I think he's really enjoying it - he's planning on trying a little stand up soon.
A somewhat dubious sit- down comedian responds:
Almost all the reviews on Amazon are by stand- up comics who claim that this book has been a great resource in teaching them how to 'get em' and 'leave em' laughing.
I am not a stand- up comedian and perhaps not even a sit- down one.
But many of the people interviewed here have given me, people I have known and millions of others a lot of laughs, and a lot of happy moments. I think of how much Jack Benny meant in the old days to my parents. And how when we were growing up Tuesday night had to... more info
As interesting as you expect... but more frustrating...:
There is very little to dislike in the content of the book. He interviews some of the great comics,comedians,funnymen of the 20th century about craft. The candidness of each interviewee is what struck me upon first reading. It often seems that comics can be quite elusive when it comes to discussing their craft. The general consensus among the subjects is that one has some innate funniness present that he can hone and sharpen in order to become a truly great comic. Wilde asks some very poignant questions... more info
Still Invaluable:
I first read "Great Comedians" in 1972 when I was starting out as a comedian. I found it to be just what I needed as a young aspiring comedian. The interviews of Woody Allen, Shelley Berman, Jack Benny, and Phillis Diller resonated with me and helped me immensely in my standup comedy development. It also inspired me to write my own book probing the methods of my generations great comedians ("Comic Insights") in order to help today's young comedians get a better idea of what it takes to do quality standup. I... more info
