Good Comedy

“Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.”

I just got back from Chicago and after a week of inundating myself with professional improv, I can’t stop thinking about it. The main conclusion of all this thinking is that good comedy is hard work. I’ve seen a lot of improv over the last 4 years, some good, and some bad. The main difference in the two qualities, is that the good performers practice well and often. Comedy is fun, but it can also do things other art forms can't, if you'll let it.

This radio clip describes the process The Onion writers go through to publish and shows just how gruelling comedy can be.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=348
*skip to 4 min 29 seconds