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How to Be Funny
No one knows more about comedy than Steve Allen. For more than five decades as a writer, performer, and keen observer of the social scene, he has looked into every aspect of who's funny, what's funny, and why. Allen shares his discoveries in How to Be Funny, the book designed to help everyone develop their special talent for funniness.Now reissued in paperback, How to Be Funny covers all the basics, including joke telling, ad-libbing, writing humorously, performing comedy, emceeing, and much more. Allen takes you inside the world of comedy, from the early writings of Mark Twain, to the more contemporary work of Rodney Dangerfield and Bill Maher. Allen even provides homework assignments for the budding comic!Yet How to Be Funny is far more than just a book for aspiring comedians it will help anyone who wants to be a more amusing conversationalist, a more effective public speaker, and everyone who just wants to be the life of the party.
- GenresHumorComedyNonfiction
290 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
8 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Steve Allen
98 books43 followersStephen Valentine Patrick William "Steve" Allen was an American television personality, musician, actor, comedian, and writer. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best-known for his television career. He first gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. He graduated to become the first host of The Tonight Show, where he was instrumental in innovating the concept of the television talk show. Thereafter, he hosted numerous game and variety shows, including The Steve Allen Show, I've Got a Secret, The New Steve Allen Show, and was a regular panel member on CBS' What's My Line?
Allen was a "creditable" pianist, and a prolific composer, having penned over 14,000 songs, one of which was recorded by Perry Como and Margaret Whiting, others by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Les Brown, and Gloria Lynne. Allen won a Grammy award in 1963 for best jazz composition, with his song The Gravy Waltz. Allen wrote more than 50 books and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Allen was a "creditable" pianist, and a prolific composer, having penned over 14,000 songs, one of which was recorded by Perry Como and Margaret Whiting, others by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Les Brown, and Gloria Lynne. Allen won a Grammy award in 1963 for best jazz composition, with his song The Gravy Waltz. Allen wrote more than 50 books and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 20, 2016
This book is well worth reading, he's a very intelligent and thoughtful man, that's actually a rare combination for most comedians. You can tell he's analyzed and dissected comedy very deeply, I came upon some interesting observations about humor and comedy from this book and learned much about Allen's comedy roots and history. He's pretty much a clean, safe, kinda square comic, not my style, but he knows his craft and was a true pioneer.
March 29, 2020
Well, I didn't think there was a way to make humor un-funny, but it turns out that analyzing the crap out of it is the way to do it. This book was pretty dated, too. I probably would have gotten more out of it if I planned on being a professional comedian.
December 16, 2024
I loved this book!!
June 12, 2019
I've read several books on writing and performing stand-up. I consider this the best.
A section I occasionally reread includes a list of eight standard joke forms. The authors explain that every comedian uses just one or two of the forms, retelling the same joke throughout their act. After reading that statement, I listened to several comedy albums and found it's true. Every comedian used one joke form repeated through the album. Carlin used Exaggeration, for example. Henny Youngman used the Reversal. This made me able to identify the form I'd been using and which I could refer to when writing for myself. It also made me aware to identify another comics' joke forms if writing for them.
A very practical book: Steve Allen uses stories of his own experiences to explain methods. In audience interviews, if an audience member spoke in an earnest, serious tone, Allen would make jokes. But if the interviewee tried to be funny, Allen would respond deadly serious.
After reading this book I wished I could meet Steve Allen and tell him how I enjoyed it and used it. One night, long ago, I was at a party he also attended and - there he was! I could have stepped up and told him but I got shy (introvert that I am) and didn't do it. I regret that now. I wonder if the co-author, Jane Wollman, is still around!
A section I occasionally reread includes a list of eight standard joke forms. The authors explain that every comedian uses just one or two of the forms, retelling the same joke throughout their act. After reading that statement, I listened to several comedy albums and found it's true. Every comedian used one joke form repeated through the album. Carlin used Exaggeration, for example. Henny Youngman used the Reversal. This made me able to identify the form I'd been using and which I could refer to when writing for myself. It also made me aware to identify another comics' joke forms if writing for them.
A very practical book: Steve Allen uses stories of his own experiences to explain methods. In audience interviews, if an audience member spoke in an earnest, serious tone, Allen would make jokes. But if the interviewee tried to be funny, Allen would respond deadly serious.
After reading this book I wished I could meet Steve Allen and tell him how I enjoyed it and used it. One night, long ago, I was at a party he also attended and - there he was! I could have stepped up and told him but I got shy (introvert that I am) and didn't do it. I regret that now. I wonder if the co-author, Jane Wollman, is still around!
October 23, 2020
No one ever laughed at my jokes before, and this book didn't change anything. Terrible waste of time.
May 6, 2010
Author's heyday on the Tonight Show predates me, but I do remember seeing him on TV occasionally as a kid and thinking he was funny. Apparently Letterman is a huge fan and borrowed (with attribution, an important point to the author understandably) some of his antics. Many examples of his skits, jokes, etc. are given, some of which I've heard a million times but did not know originated with Steve Allen (e.g., the "frontal lobtomy/bottle in front of me" thing that must be in the top 10 for frequency of inclusion on men's room stalls).
Some of the analytic parts of the book, such as his comments on TV vs. radio comedy and his thoughts on obscenity in standup routines, are interesting regardless of whether you aspire to be a comedian. Other stuff is a little tedious, incl. breakdowns of various forms of wordplay that one is supposed to practice in order to get better at the trade.
Some of the analytic parts of the book, such as his comments on TV vs. radio comedy and his thoughts on obscenity in standup routines, are interesting regardless of whether you aspire to be a comedian. Other stuff is a little tedious, incl. breakdowns of various forms of wordplay that one is supposed to practice in order to get better at the trade.
March 21, 2017
Steve Allen is a pioneer in the field of comedy (and of course the late-night talk show) and I always enjoy hearing/reading the thoughts of successful people.
The book is set up as transcribed conversations between Steve and Jane Wollman (who actually wrote the book). I guess throughout Steve Allen's career he used to record his thoughts on a tape recorder instead of writing them down. There were also a lot of examples from old monologues and bits that Allen did on various shows. There were some good insights into the methods and techniques Allen used throughout his career; he has clearly spent a lot of time deconstructing comedy in his mind.
Will this book make you funnier? Actually, it might. There's no magic formula but if nothing else, Allen makes you focus on the things you say and how you could potentially inject comedy into your life. Overall, this was a nice read.
The book is set up as transcribed conversations between Steve and Jane Wollman (who actually wrote the book). I guess throughout Steve Allen's career he used to record his thoughts on a tape recorder instead of writing them down. There were also a lot of examples from old monologues and bits that Allen did on various shows. There were some good insights into the methods and techniques Allen used throughout his career; he has clearly spent a lot of time deconstructing comedy in his mind.
Will this book make you funnier? Actually, it might. There's no magic formula but if nothing else, Allen makes you focus on the things you say and how you could potentially inject comedy into your life. Overall, this was a nice read.
June 19, 2014
I read this when it first came out in Hardback, and my review is simple: It does what the title states. Quite admirably, actually.
July 30, 2022
I want to really be funny...
April 10, 2011
An interesting read for those familiar with Steve Allen's style of humor. I found some useful sections about using our language in fun ways.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews