50 Years Of American Comedy PDF Download

Excerpt from 50 Years of American Comedy It has been said time and time again that there are two things people must do. One is cry, the other, laugh. But it is much harder to laugh than it is to cry; and that is the greatest excuse for come dians. Yet per capita we have fewer comedians today - when we need them most - than members of any other professional group. People during the last few years have been inclined to retreat more and more into themselves because of the many problems and frustrations of present-day living. Psychiatrists can tell you the worth of a bellylaugh, a relieving chuckle, a smile. The hardest thing for a man to do today is to relax. Every one is under pressure. Modern society has put man in a position where he must be informed of many subjects; and one craving that pops up is for comedy, even to the point of slapstick. You have probably noticed slapstick scenes in current movies, and the wide appeal they have. Audience reaction often borders on the hysterical. Television programs, too, have turned to this form of comedy. Yet, like the American buffalo, the art of great comedy faces extinction from the face of the earth. Unless the training of young and upcoming funnymen is put on a par with education for other arts and professions, we may find the American stage, airwaves, and television screens of tomorrow completely devoid of comedians. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.