Comedy and stand-up Books

Book SynopsisSir Lenny Henry is one of the country's best-loved comedians with a career spanning over forty years. Here he writes about his youth for the first time.You might think you know Lenny Henry. Think again.'Glorious.' NEIL GAIMAN'Touching and affectionate.' CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS, SUNDAY TIMES'Heartfelt . . . honest.' OBSERVER'Moving, powerful and very funny.' MAIL ON SUNDAYIn 1975, a gangly black sixteen-year-old apprentice factory worker from Dudley appeared on our TV screens for the first time. He had no idea he would go on to become a national treasure. Here at last, Sir Lenny Henry tells the revealing and very funny story of his rise to fame.Surviving a tough family upbringing, along with the trauma of finding out the truth about his father at a young age, Lenny beat the odds. With a riotous warmth and his trademark energy, in Who Am I, Again?<

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Book SynopsisMartha Bayless is Professor of Medieval Studies and director of the Folklore and Public Culture Program at the University of Oregon, USA.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Series Preface Editor’s Acknowledgments Introduction: Comedy in the Middle Ages: Answers and Questions, Martha Bayless (University of Oregon, USA) 1. Form: Its Expressions and Manifestations, Olle Ferm (Stockholm University, Sweden) 2. Theory: Comedy Humbled and Exalted, Johan Verberckmoes (KU Leuven, Belgium) 3. Praxis: The Location and Performance of Comedy, Katherine A. Brown (University of Notre Dame, USA) 4. Identity, John DuVal (University of Arkansas, USA) 5. The Body: Unstable, Gendered, Theorized, Susan Signe Morrison (Texas State University, USA) 6. Politics: Comic Power, Foolish Men, and Holy Women, Max Harris (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA) 7. Laughter: A Comedic Approach, Sebastian Coxon (University College London, UK) 8. Ethics: Ethical Dimensions of Medieval Comedy, Nicolino Applauso (Loyola University Maryland, USA and Morgan State University, USA) Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisOffering for the first time a student introduction to Aristophanes' most explosive political satire, this volume is an essential guide to the context, themes and later reception of Cavalry. The ancient comedy is a fascinating insight into demagoguery and political rhetoric in classical Athens. These are subjects that resonate with a modern audience more now than ever before.Originally performed in 424 BCE, Cavalry was the first play Aristophanes directed himself and it was awarded first prize. It targets the Athenian demagogue, Cleon, who had risen to prominence since the death of Pericles and to pre-eminence after an audacious victory over Sparta in 425 BCE. In Cavalry, Aristophanes attacks Cleon's popularity with the masses, but also criticises the democracy itself as guilty of gullibility, self-interest and political shortsightedness. As the play shows, the only hope of escape from the crisis is for Athens to find a leader even more popular CleTable of ContentsList of Figures Preface A Note on the Spelling of Ancient Greek words in English A Note on the Play’s Title List of Abbreviations 1. Aristophanes and drama in Classical Athens 2. Aristophanes’ Cavalry and Cleon 3. Cavalry 1-302: Prologue scene and parodos 4. Cavalry 303-610: First agon and parabasis 5. Cavalry 611-996: Report of off-stage action and second agon 6. Cavalry 997-1150: Divination contest and ‘duet’ 7. Cavalry 1151-1315: Competition in public service and second parabasis 8. Cavalry 1316-1408: Closing episodes and exodos 9. Modern reception and performance Notes Bibliography Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisDrawing together contributions from scholars in a wide range of fields inside Classics and Drama, this volume traces the development of comedic performance and examines the different characteristics of Greek and Roman comedy. Although the origins of comedy are obscure, this study argues that comedic performances were at the heart of Graeco-Roman culture from around 486 BCE to the mid first century BCE. It explores the range of comedies during this period, which were fictional dramas that engaged with the political and social concerns of ancient society, and also at times with mythology and tragedy.The volume centres largely around the surviving work of Aristophanes and Menander in Athens, and Plautus and Terence in Rome, but authors whose plays survive only in fragments are also discussed. Performances and plays drew on a range of forms, including satire and fantasy, and were designed to entertain and amuse their audiences while also asking them to question issues of moralit

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Book SynopsisDrawing together contributions from scholars in a range of fields within 19th- and 20th-century cultural, literary, and theater studies, this volume provides a thorough and varied overview of the many forms comedy took in the 19th century. Given the earth-shattering cultural changes and political events that mark the decades between 1800 and 1920shifting borders, socioeconomic upheaval, scientific and technological innovation, the rise of consumerism and mass culture, unprecedented overseas expansion by European and American imperial powersit is no wonder that people in the Age of Empire turned to comedy in order to make sense of the contradictions that structure modern identity and navigate the sociocultural fault lines within modern life. Comical, humorous, and satirical cultural artifacts from the period capture the anxieties and aspirations, the petty resentments and lofty ideals, of a world buffeted by change. This volume explores the aesthetic, political, and ethical d

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Book SynopsisDrawing together scholars with a wide range of expertise across the early modern period, this volume explores the rich field of early modern comedy in all its variety. It argues that early modern comedy was shaped by a series of cultural transformations that included the emergence of the entertainment industry, the rise of the professional comedian, extended commentaries on the nature of comedy and laughter, and the development of printed jestbooks. It was the prime site from which to satirize a rapidly-changing world and explore the formation of new social relations around questions of gender, authority, identity, and commerce, amongst others. Yet even as it reacted to the novel and the new, comedy also served as a receptacle for the celebration of older social rituals such as May games and seasonal festivities. The result was a complex and contested mix of texts, performances, and concepts providing a deep tradition that abides to this day. Each chapter takes a different

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Book SynopsisComedy and humor flourished in manifold forms in the Middle Ages. This volume, covering the period from 1000 to 1400 CE, examines the themes, practice, and effects of medieval comedy, from the caustic morality of principled satire to the exuberant improprieties of many wildly popular tales of sex and trickery. The analysis includes the most influential authors of the age, such as Chaucer, Boccaccio, Juan Ruiz, and Hrothswitha of Gandersheim, as well as lesser-known works and genres, such as songs of insult, nonsense-texts, satirical church paintings, topical jokes, and obscene pilgrim badges. The analysis touches on most of the literatures of medieval Europe, including a discussion of the formal attitudes toward humor in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic traditions. The volume demonstrates the many ways in which medieval humor could be playful, casual, sophisticated, important, subversive, and even dangerous.Each chapter takes a different theme as its focus: form, theory, praxi

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Book SynopsisDrawing together contributions by scholars from a variety of fields, including theater, film and television, sociology, and visual culture, this volume explores the range and diversity of comedic performance and comic forms in the modern age. It covers a range of forms and examples from 1920 to the present day, including plays, film, television comedy, live comedy, and comedy on social media. It argues that the period covered was marked by an explosion of comic forms and a flowering of comic creativity across a range of media. From the communal watching of silent films at the start of the period, to the use of Twitter and other online platforms to share and comment on comedy, technology has brought about significant changes in its form, consumption, and social effects. As comic forms have shifted and developed, so too have attitudes to what comedy can and cannot do. This study considers its role in entertainment and in provoking consideration of a range of social and political topic

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Book SynopsisThe ULTIMATE unofficial companion to the YouTube superwoman sensation, Lilly Singh.

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Book SynopsisCheech Marin came of age at an interesting time in America and became a self-made counterculture legend with his other half, Tommy Chong. This long-awaited memoir delves into how Cheech dodged the draft, formed one of the most successful comedy duos of all time, became the face of the recreational drug movement with the film Up in Smoke, forged a successful solo career with roles in The Lion King and, more recently, Jane the Virgin, and became the owner of the most renowned collection of Chicano art in the world.Written in Cheech''s uniquely hilarious voice, this memoir will take you to new highs.

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Book Synopsis'Warm witty and wise.' --RICHARD OSMAN'Hilarious, wise and heart breaking. Like an all-night over-share with your best friend.' --SARA PASCOE'Rachel is one of my favourite comedians. This book is warm, wise and hilarious. It is written in her comic voice - a voice she mainly has used to tell me off, so I am thrilled to see it deployed in this way.' --NISH KUMAR'The most joyful bursts of wisdom from a truly funny soul. I adore this book.' --CARIAD LLOYD'Hilarious, original and wise. This is essential reading.' --ELLIE TAYLOR'Rachel is one of the wisest, funniest people I know. Funny, sad, beautiful and ridiculous, Advice from Strangers has it all.' --PIPPA EVANS'A hilarious, fiery, reassuring hug of a book. Full of laughter, compassion and feminist wisdom.' --FRAN BUSHE'An essential, hilarious handbook for life.' --ATHENA KUGBLENUCOMEDIAN RACHEL PARRIS WAS ASKED TO GIVE AN INSPIRING GRADUATION SPEECH. WHO DID SHE ASK FOR ADVICE? TOTAL STRANGERS...Over the course of a year award-winning comedian Rachel Parris asked members of her live audience for advice. Here she takes those random bits of wisdom - such as 'Be Kind' or 'Never Pass Up the Opportunity for a Wee' - and explores them in ways that are funny and serious, hilarious and heart-breaking. This uplifting feminist manifesto of a book outlines the essentials of living in the modern world; dealing with everything from Tampons to Tories and from #hashtags to Staying Hydrated.Trade ReviewRachel is one of my favourite comedians. This book is warm, wise and hilarious. It is written in her comic voice - a voice she mainly has used to tell me off, so I am thrilled to see it deployed in this way. -- Nish KumarHilarious, wise and heart breaking. Like an all-night over-share with your best friend. -- Sara PascoeWarm witty and wise -- Richard OsmanThe most joyful bursts of wisdom from a truly funny soul. I adore this book. -- Cariad LloydAn essential, hilarious handbook for life. -- Athena KugblenuRachel is one of the wisest, funniest people I know. Funny, sad, beautiful and ridiculous, Advice from Strangers has it all. -- Pippa EvansHilarious, original and wise. This is essential reading. -- Ellie TaylorA hilarious, fiery, reassuring hug of a book. Full of laughter, compassion and feminist wisdom. -- Fran BusheFunny, sad, joyful, and wise, something everyone should have on their bookshelf * funnywomen.com *

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Book SynopsisA TIMES BEST COMEDY BOOK OF 2021 'The funniest man in the world has written the funniest book in the world.' DAVID WALLIAMS'A brilliant insight in to what it takes to go from regular funny bloke to one of the best stand ups I've ever seen.' LEE MACK'Proper laugh-out-loud funny, fascinating, and doubles up as probably the best book of advice on how to be a comedian I've ever read. A must for anyone who's interested in the business of laughter.' JOE LYCETT'The funniest book I've read in years.' ADAM KAYFrom a childhood spent making smoke bombs, killing wasps and carving soap in 70s Kent, Harry Hill then found himself in charge of hundreds of sick people as a junior doctor. Out of his depth and terrified, he chucked it all in to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. Battling his way through the 90s Comedy circuit he quickly rose to become a household name and one of the UK's most celebrated comics, almost making it to the top of the showbiz tree . . .From being chased around a car park by an angry heckler, getting fired from Capital Radio and watching every episode of Freaky Eaters, to a bizarre assassination attempt and cutting up Simon Cowell's trousers, Harry takes an honest and hilarious look at the ups and downs of his life and career through the lens of what didn't go right.He shares his secrets on how to be a great comedian, finding joy in failure and creativity in struggle, whilst never forgetting that life is short . . .What readers are saying about Fight!'Hilarious... recommended unreservedly' *****'Lots of laughs and memories of days gone by' *****'A great book... I could not put it down' *****'Beautifully written and great fun' *****Trade ReviewHarry Hill is one of the funniest, kindest, smartest people I know. This book manages to be proper laugh out loud funny, fascinating AND doubles up as probably the best book of advice on how to be a comedian I've ever read. A must for anyone who's interested in the business of laughter. -- Joe LycettThe funniest man in the world has written the funniest book in the world -- David WalliamsThere's only three things you need to be a brilliant comedian. Funny bones, the ability to write and terrible dress sense. Harry's got the lot. This book is a brilliant insight in to what it takes to go from regular funny bloke to one of the best stand ups I've ever seen -- Lee MackThe funniest book I've read in years - no fight whatsoever -- Adam Kay

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Book SynopsisHope’s leaving her home town up north for the bright lights of London. It’s going to be mind-blowing. Attractive Hinge dates, mature new friends… A job at a dinosaur-themed bar? Hell. Yes. Several months in things are looking slightly less rosy. Her housemate seems to hate her and her manager’s a creep… But we don’t need to talk about that. Do we? Almost Adult is a brilliantly funny play that lays bare the darker side of slick modern workplaces and the underhand employment practices that police them – or fail to – with stunning lightness of touch.Trade Review'Tilley’s energy while performing is so infectious and endearing… we honestly couldn’t fault this production.' (Theatre and Other Things); 'Delights and disturbs in equal measure' (Everything Theatre); 'Blisteringly funny and deeply emotional. (The Indiependent)

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Book SynopsisUp-and-coming comics Alex and Ben have been booked in the warm-up spot for a beloved but fading double act's comeback tour. Neither is delighted to be playing to a sparse crowd in a sleepy seaside town – but when it's revealed that a Hollywood director is in the audience, both acts glimpse a final chance for their big break. Cue sabotage, mistaken identity and full-on farcical mayhem, as the performance descends into a desperate battle for the limelight. With the action alternating between offstage and on, and the tone between Noises Off and Morecambe and Wise's old-school charm, The Comeback is a heart-warming exploration of bittersweet nostalgia and the enduring power of friendship. It is the joyful and dazzlingly funny debut play by The Pin's award-winning Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen – 'destined to become one of the great comedy duos' (Radio Times). It opened at the West End's Noël Coward Theatre in December 2020.Trade Review'A bulletproof nugget of comic theatre' * Guardian *'A neat conceit, played to the hilt of escalating, exhausting buffoonery… an uproarious, gag-a-minute triumph' * Telegraph *'Has plenty of charm… a high-energy meta-comedy' * The Times *'Hugely enjoyable… a complicated, fast-paced farce' * The Arts Desk *'Has everything you'd want in a comedy show… The Comeback is jam-packed with gags; from throwaway one-liners to clever call-backs which only get funnier and never lose speed or outstay their welcome. But what makes it so clever is how emotional moments are brought in and out throughout the show; you aren't just watching farcical situations, there are real moments of emotion too… an unmissable show full of heart and hysterical chaos that will leave you smiling for days' * Broadway World *'Surreal, silly and very, very funny... will simply make you laugh your socks off’ * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisAbove a pub in North London, Phil is drinking and fighting off mild panic about his comeback gig. His manager's already dumped him and he's worried about finding a place to stay for the night too. As he laments his dwindling career, his supporters gather to wish him well. Craving success and celebrity too, Josh suspects his father of behaving very badly. With the time of the performance fast approaching, guilty secrets emerge that split the family wide apart. Tonight, Phil's career might not be the only thing in tatters. Comic and moving, Broken Lad is a subtle examination of masculinity in distress.Trade Review"The most powerful element of Hooper's script is looking at how a life of disappointment is compounded by one's peers doing well. A lot of Phil's bitterness comes because his contemporaries broke into television and earned enough to have comfortable lives." - Reviews Hub; "It is important to show a huge demographic of the British public (fifty-something white men, but not those running things) on the stage and we get a glimpse of their ugly self-pity and the loneliness that provokes it..." - Broadway World; 'Set in the upstairs of a traditional English pub, the play is an analytical living room drama: different friends and family members of Phil dip in and out of dialogue with him and each other. It all begins playfully with an affable and cultivated relationship between a comedian and his gay friend, only to demonstrate as the drama continues how very un-jovial this is in actuality. As the play develops, we see the consequences of a man slowly unravelling, and the cracks of a dysfunctional family starting to show.' - Everything Theatre; 'Comic and moving, Broken Lad is a subtle examination of masculinity and virility in distress.' - London Theatre;

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Book Synopsis'Warning: so funny, even the strongest pelvic floors will be tested' - Net Mums'A very funny, honest look at the ups and downs of parenting. I absolutely loved it.' - Emily Dean, host of Walking the Dog'Lucy, a favourite comic of mine, manages to shed new light on something so universal. Her reaction to parenting is ridiculously refreshing and loaded with guilty laugh out loud honesty. After the school run, I implore you to pick a page, any page, then realise you're not alone. A gentle funny stroke of parenting genius' - Johnny Vegas'As a mum of two girls, I was nodding, laughing and emotional. I recognised so much of Lucy's journey in my own... I really loved it.' YolanDa Brown, BBC Loose EndsFrom TV's award-winning comedy mum and the writer of Hullraisers, Lucy Beaumont, comes her hilarious debut on the trials and tribulations of motherhood.Known for her sharp, witty and surreal view on everyday life, Lucy shares the unpredictable craziness of being a mum in this brilliant and laugh-out-loud 'mumoir'. Mums everywhere will recognise the madness of it all. Like when Lucy was hospitalised during her third trimester with chest pains but it turned out to be a burrito. Or when she was so tired at the park she forgot her own child's name. Heart-warming and laugh-out-loud funny, Drinking Custard also captures Lucy's marriage to comedian Jon Richardson, as they navigate Lucy's raging pregnancy hormones and balk at pram prices together.Get ready to make room on mum's bookshelf for Drinking Custard to sit alongside other mum classics such as Why Mummy Drinks, Hurrah For Gin! and The Unmumsy Mum.

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Book SynopsisStephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, and Jimmy Kimmelthese comedians are household names whose satirical takes on politics, the news, and current events receive some of the highest ratings on television. In this book, James E. Caron examines these and other satirists through the lenses of humor studies, cultural theory, and rhetorical and social philosophy, arriving at a new definition of the comic art form. Tracing the history of modern satire from its roots in the Enlightenment values of rational debate, evidence, facts, accountability, and transparency, Caron identifies a new genre: truthiness satire. He shows how satirists such as Colbert, Bee, Oliver, and Kimmelalong with writers like Charles Pierce and Jack Shaferrely on shared values and on the postmodern aesthetics of irony and affect to foster engagement within the comic public sphere that satire creates. Using case studies of bits, parodies, and routines, Caron reveals a remarkable process: when evidence-based news repTrade Review“Those engaged in research and thinking on “the comic” will find this book a valuable aid.”—J. C. Jaffe Choice“Should endure as an important, discerning account of the paradoxical nature of satire, especially in our postmodern media environment.”—Brian P. O’Sullivan Studies in American Humor“The book is masterful at bringing together a wide range of thinkers and using their insights to construct an account of satire that allows us to see its new roles and, as Bill Maher might put it, its new rules.”—Steven Gimbel Philosophy of Humor Yearbook“Any scholar or student interested in the roles of comic and satiric discourse in twenty-first-century culture will benefit from reading this book. In my own engagements with satire, I will turn to this book first as an authoritative sorting-out of where we are and where we are going.”—Bruce Michelson,author of Mark Twain on the Loose: A Comic Writer and the American Self

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Book SynopsisA 2022Best Comedy Book,VultureA rousing call for liberals and progressives to pay attention to the emergence of right-wing comedy and the political power of humor. Why do conservatives hate comedy? Why is there no right-wing Jon Stewart? These sorts of questions launch a million tweets, a thousand op-eds, and more than a few scholarly analyses. That's Not Funny argues that it is both an intellectual and politically strategic mistake to assume that comedy has a liberal bias. Matt Sienkiewicz and Nick Marx take readersparticularly self-described liberalson a tour of contemporary conservative comedy and the right-wing comedy complex. In That's Not Funny, complex takes on an important double meaning. On the one hand, liberals have developed a social-psychological complexit feels difficult, even dangerous, to acknowledge that their political opposition can produce comedy. At the same time, the right has been slowly building up a comedy-industrial complex, utilizing the humorous, irony-lTrade Review"Provocative. . . . Progressives will want to take notice." * Publishers Weekly *"Astute and accessible. . . . As Sienkiewicz and Marx convincingly argue, comedy’s power can be used to shift the ideological and political needle in any direction depending on who is telling the jokes. We should be paying attention lest we ignore an entire ecosystem working to accumulate not just fans but political power." * New Review of Film and Television Studies *"Sienkiewicz & Marx have produced a very significant book that will shift the view of the relationships between humor, comedy, the media (including especially new media), and the political landscape. Their book is easy to read, devoid of jargon, and very clearly presented." * Humor *"The most fascinating and haunting comedic book of an academic nature in years." * Vulture *"A timely examination of an important contemporary cultural phenomenon…certainly likely to encourage class discussion." * Studies in American Humor *"That’s Not Funny is a fast, informative read and approaches political and cultural questions with curiosity and aplomb. . . .A great introductory text for researchers looking to delve into the alt-right underground, particularly to understand its connections to other demographics and the mainstream itself." * U.S. Studies Online *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Right-Wing Comedy 1. Fox News and Mainstream Right-Wing Comedy 2. Making Comedy Great Again: Paleocomedy 3. Religio-Rational Satire: Owning the Libs One Faulty Syllogism at a Time 4. The Legions of Libertarian Podcasters 5. Trolling the Depths of the Right-Wing Comedy Complex Conclusion: Performing Right and Left Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIdeal for classroom use, this anthology of original essays by the leading authorities on women's comedy surveys the disorderly, subversive, and unruly performances of women comics from silent film to contemporary multimediaTrade ReviewHere to meet all your funny female deep-read needs . . . a juicy read for those who love the many ways female comics use their art to question the patriarchy. * BUST *Hysterical! is and will be of benefit to any scholar studying women and humour and especially for star studies scholars that focus on funny women. * Aigne *Hysterical! is wide-ranging, well-researched, and clearly written, making it accessible to both academic and general audiences…an invaluable collection and a great read." * Journal of Popular Culture *Together, Mizejewski and Sturtevant create a collection which thoroughly explores aspects of the body, gender, and sexuality in American women’s comedy, shedding light on the fact that, to appear funny to men, women often find themselves making fun of their own bodies and sexual experiences in a way most male comics do not...Hysterical! is a thorough collection of essays on the works of women in American comedy, focusing on themes relating to the body, sexuality, and expectations of women in society. * Popular Culture Studies Journal *Table of Contents Foreword (Kathleen Rowe Karlyn) Acknowledgments Introduction (Linda Mizejewski and Victoria Sturtevant) 1. Mabel Normand: New Woman in the Flapper Age (Kristine Brunovska Karnick ) 2. Fay Tincher: Female Rowdiness and Social Change (Joanna E. Rapf ) 3. Mae West: The Constant Sinner (Kristen Hatch) 4. Fanny Brice’s New Nose: Beauty, Ethnicity, and Liminality (Kristen Anderson Wagner) 5. Lucille Ball and the Lucy Character: Familiarity, Female Friendship, and the Anxiety of Competence (Lori Landay) 6. Carol Burnett: Home, Horror, and Hilarity on The Carol Burnett Show (Linda Mizejewski) 7. Lily Tomlin: Queer Sensibilities, Funny Feminism, and Multimedia Stardom (Suzanne Leonard) 8. Moms Mabley and Wanda Sykes: “I’ma Be Me” (Bambi Haggins) 9. Roseanne Barr: Remembering Roseanne (Rosie White ) 10. Whoopi Goldberg in Hollywood: Queering Comic Genre Genealogies (Rebecca Wanzo) 11. Margaret Cho’s Army: “We Are the Baddest Motherfuckers on the Block” (Rebecca Krefting) 12. Ellen DeGeneres’s Incorporate Body: The Politics of Authenticity (Brenda R. Weber and Joselyn K. Leimbach) 13. Sarah Silverman: Cuteness as Subversion (Anthony P. McIntyre ) 14. Tina Fey: “Quality” Comedy and the Body of the Female Comedy Author (Julia Havas) 15. Lena Dunham: Cringe Comedy and Body Politics (Maria Sulimma ) Works Cited Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisIdeal for classroom use, this anthology of original essays by the leading authorities on women's comedy surveys the disorderly, subversive, and unruly performances of women comics from silent film to contemporary multimediaTrade ReviewHere to meet all your funny female deep-read needs . . . a juicy read for those who love the many ways female comics use their art to question the patriarchy. * BUST *Hysterical! is and will be of benefit to any scholar studying women and humour and especially for star studies scholars that focus on funny women. * Aigne *Hysterical! is wide-ranging, well-researched, and clearly written, making it accessible to both academic and general audiences…an invaluable collection and a great read." * Journal of Popular Culture *Together, Mizejewski and Sturtevant create a collection which thoroughly explores aspects of the body, gender, and sexuality in American women’s comedy, shedding light on the fact that, to appear funny to men, women often find themselves making fun of their own bodies and sexual experiences in a way most male comics do not...Hysterical! is a thorough collection of essays on the works of women in American comedy, focusing on themes relating to the body, sexuality, and expectations of women in society. * Popular Culture Studies Journal *Table of Contents Foreword (Kathleen Rowe Karlyn) Acknowledgments Introduction (Linda Mizejewski and Victoria Sturtevant) 1. Mabel Normand: New Woman in the Flapper Age (Kristine Brunovska Karnick ) 2. Fay Tincher: Female Rowdiness and Social Change (Joanna E. Rapf ) 3. Mae West: The Constant Sinner (Kristen Hatch) 4. Fanny Brice’s New Nose: Beauty, Ethnicity, and Liminality (Kristen Anderson Wagner) 5. Lucille Ball and the Lucy Character: Familiarity, Female Friendship, and the Anxiety of Competence (Lori Landay) 6. Carol Burnett: Home, Horror, and Hilarity on The Carol Burnett Show (Linda Mizejewski) 7. Lily Tomlin: Queer Sensibilities, Funny Feminism, and Multimedia Stardom (Suzanne Leonard) 8. Moms Mabley and Wanda Sykes: “I’ma Be Me” (Bambi Haggins) 9. Roseanne Barr: Remembering Roseanne (Rosie White ) 10. Whoopi Goldberg in Hollywood: Queering Comic Genre Genealogies (Rebecca Wanzo) 11. Margaret Cho’s Army: “We Are the Baddest Motherfuckers on the Block” (Rebecca Krefting) 12. Ellen DeGeneres’s Incorporate Body: The Politics of Authenticity (Brenda R. Weber and Joselyn K. Leimbach) 13. Sarah Silverman: Cuteness as Subversion (Anthony P. McIntyre ) 14. Tina Fey: “Quality” Comedy and the Body of the Female Comedy Author (Julia Havas) 15. Lena Dunham: Cringe Comedy and Body Politics (Maria Sulimma ) Works Cited Contributors Index

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