Comedy Book
The Story of How Comedy Conquered Culture-and the Magic
That Makes It Work
by Jesse David Fox
From a beloved comedy critic, a wisecracking, heartfelt, and overdue
chronicle of comedy's boom - and its magic.
Comedy is king. From multimillion-dollar TV specials to sold-out stand-up
shows and TikTok stardom, comedy has never been more popular,
democratized, or influential. Comedians have become organizing forces
across culture - as trusted as politicians and as fawned-over as celebrities -
yet comedy as an art form has gone under-considered throughout its history,
even as it has ascended as a cultural force.
In Comedy Book, Jesse David Fox - the country's most definitive voice in
comedy criticism and someone who, in his own words, enjoys comedy maybe
more than anyone on this planet" - tackles everything you need to know about
comedy. Weaving together history and analysis, Fox unravels the genre's
political legacy through an ode to Jon Stewart, interrogates the divide between
highbrow and lowbrow via Adam Sandler, and unpacks how marginalized
comics create spaces for their communities. Along the way,Fox covers
everything from comedy in the age of political correctness and Will Smith's
slap to the right wing's relationship with comedy and, for Fox, comedy's ability
to heal personal tragedy.
With memorable cameos from Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney,
Ali Wong, Kate Berlant, and countless others, Comedy Book is an eyeopening education in how to engage with our most omnipresent art form, a
riotous history of American pop culture, and a love letter to laughter.
Jesse David Fox is a Senior Editor at Vulture, where he works as the site's
comedy critic and serves as the Chief Curator of the magazine's event series,
Vulture Festival. He is also the host of the hit podcast Good One, where he
interviews comedians about their process. He lives in Brooklyn.
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
On Sale: Nov 7/23
5.38 x 8.25 • 336 pages
Notes, Index
9780374604714 • $39.00 • CL - With dust jacket
Performing Arts / Comedy