Sign-In
Cart
Behind the Laughs: Community and Inequality in Comedy
Paperback
Series: Culture and Economic Life
General DramaGeneral Sociology
ISBN13: 9781503602908
Publisher: Stanford Univ Pr
Published: Aug 8 2017
Pages: 240
Weight: 0.68
Height: 0.55 Width: 5.50 Depth: 8.50
Language: English
Comedy is a brutal business. When comedians define success, they don't talk about money--they talk about not quitting. They work in a business where even big names work for free, and the inequalities of race, class, and gender create real barriers. But they also work in a business where people still believe that hard work and talent lead to the big time. How do people working in comedy sustain these contradictions and keep laughing?
In Behind the Laughs, Michael P. Jeffries brings readers into the world of comedy to reveal its dark corners and share its buoyant lifeblood. He draws on conversations with comedians, as well as club owners, bookers, and managers, to show the extraordinary social connections professional humor demands. Not only do comedians have to read their audience night after night, but they must also create lasting bonds across the profession to get gigs in the first place. Comedy is not a meritocracy, and its rewards are not often fame and fortune. Only performers who know the rules of their community are able to make it a career.
Also in
General Drama
Freeing the Natural Voice: Imagery and Art in the Practice of Voice and Language (Revised & Expanded)
Linklater, Kristin
Paperback
Book Meets World: The Definitive Inside Story of the Hit Sitcom Boy Meets World
Strong, Rider
Friedle, Will
Fishel, Danielle
Hardcover
Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever
Singer, Matt
Hardcover
How to Succeed in Musical Theatre Without Really Dying: The Actor's Guide to Booking Work and Building a Career That Lasts
Mendez, Lindsay
Oliver, Ryan Scott
Paperback
The NEW Comedy Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Writing and Performing Stand-Up Comedy
Carter, Judy
Paperback
The Golden Girls Cookbook: More Than 90 Delectable Recipes from Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia
Styler, Christopher
Hardcover
Drama Projects for the Middle School Classroom: A Collection of Theatre Activities for Young Actors
Young, Rebecca
Paperback
Essentials of Screenwriting: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television Writing
Walter, Richard
Paperback
Drama Teacher's Survival Guide--Volume 2: Activities, Exercises, and Techniques for the Theatre Classroom
Johnson, Margaret F.
Paperback
Fawlty Towers: Fawlts and All: A 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Nation's Beloved Sitcom
Cleese, John
Hardcover
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream for Kids: 3 Short Melodramatic Plays for 3 Group Sizes
Kelso, Brendan P.
Paperback
A Century of Music Under the Stars: A History of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and Robin Hood Dell
McCarthy, Jack
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts
Hardcover
Scoundrels, Villains, & Knaves: Disneyland, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Popular Culture
Nolte, Foxx
Paperback
Large Print Dot To Dot Book For Senior: 50 Large Print Easy Dot To Dot Nature Scenes, Flowers, Butterflies &, Animals, dinosaur, .. & Birds And More (
James S Wagner Dot Book House
Paperback
The Cool Ruler-The Incredible Life Story of Gregory Isaacs(Message, Missteps and Mastery of a Musical Maestro)
Price, Peter
Paperback
Drama Teacher's Survival Guide--Volume 1: A Complete Handbook for Play Production
Johnson, Margaret F.
Paperback
The Men Who Would Be King: An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls, Movies, and a Company Called DreamWorks
Laporte, Nicole
Paperback
An Introduction to the Art of Theatre--Student Text: A Comprehensive Text -- Past, Present, and Future
Cassady, Marsh
Paperback
Rhinoceros and Other Plays: Includes: The Leader; The Future Is in Eggs; It Takes All Kinds to Make a World
Ionesco, Eugene
Paperback
Live from New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests
Miller, James Andrew
Shales, Tom
Paperback
The Official Rocky Horror Late Night Double Feature: The 50th Anniversary Two-Volume Collector's Edition
O'Brien, Richard
O'Brien, Linus
Hardcover
The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey: Rare Drawings, Scripts, and Stories
Verburg, Carol
Hardcover
Champions for the Arts: Lessons and Successful Strategies for Engaging Diverse Audiences
Walker-Kuhne, Donna
Paperback
Period Costume for Stage & Screen: Patterns for Women's Dress, Medieval - 1500
Hunnisett, Jean
Paperback