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The Comedy Bible: From Stand-up to Sitcom--The Comedy Writer's Ultimate "How To" Guide
Judy Carter, guru to aspiring comedy writers and stand-up comics, tells all about the biz of being funny and writing funny in this bright, entertaining, and totally practical guide on how to draw humor from your life and turn it into a career.
Do you think you’re funny? Do you want to turn your sense of humor into a career? If the answer is yes, then Judy Carter’s The Comedy Bible is for you. The guru to aspiring stand-up comics provides the complete scoop on being—and writing—funny for money.
If you’ve got a sense of humor, you can learn to make a career out of comedy, says Judy Carter. Whether it’s creating a killer stand-up act, writing a spec sitcom, or providing jokes for radio or one-liners for greeting cards, Carter provides step-by-step instructions in The Comedy Bible. She helps readers first determine which genre of comedy writing or performing suits them best and then directs them in developing, refining, and selling their work.
Using the hands-on workbook format that was so effective in her bestselling first book, Stand-Up Comedy: The Book, Carter offers a series of day-by-day exercises that draw on her many years as a successful stand-up comic and the head of a nationally known comedy school. Also included are practical tips and advice from today’s top comedy professionals—from Bernie Brillstein to Christopher Titus to Richard Lewis. She presents the pros and cons of the various comedy fields—stand-up, script, speech and joke writing, one-person shows, humor essays—and shows how to tailor your material for each. She teaches how to find your “authentic” voice—the true source of comedy. And, perhaps most important, Carter explains how to take a finished product to the next level—making money—by pitching it to a buyer and negotiating a contract.
Written in Carter’s unique, take-no-prisoners voice, The Comedy Bible is practical, inspirational, and funny.
Do you think you’re funny? Do you want to turn your sense of humor into a career? If the answer is yes, then Judy Carter’s The Comedy Bible is for you. The guru to aspiring stand-up comics provides the complete scoop on being—and writing—funny for money.
If you’ve got a sense of humor, you can learn to make a career out of comedy, says Judy Carter. Whether it’s creating a killer stand-up act, writing a spec sitcom, or providing jokes for radio or one-liners for greeting cards, Carter provides step-by-step instructions in The Comedy Bible. She helps readers first determine which genre of comedy writing or performing suits them best and then directs them in developing, refining, and selling their work.
Using the hands-on workbook format that was so effective in her bestselling first book, Stand-Up Comedy: The Book, Carter offers a series of day-by-day exercises that draw on her many years as a successful stand-up comic and the head of a nationally known comedy school. Also included are practical tips and advice from today’s top comedy professionals—from Bernie Brillstein to Christopher Titus to Richard Lewis. She presents the pros and cons of the various comedy fields—stand-up, script, speech and joke writing, one-person shows, humor essays—and shows how to tailor your material for each. She teaches how to find your “authentic” voice—the true source of comedy. And, perhaps most important, Carter explains how to take a finished product to the next level—making money—by pitching it to a buyer and negotiating a contract.
Written in Carter’s unique, take-no-prisoners voice, The Comedy Bible is practical, inspirational, and funny.
368 pages, Paperback
First published August 7, 2001
290 people are currently reading
1665 people want to read
About the author
Judy Carter
28 books23 followersJudy Carter is an American comedian, magician, motivational speaker and author of five books on comedy and self-improvement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 10, 2008
I bought this when I first had aspirations to be a stand up comic. I also joined a comedy workshop and began writing jokes on a daily basis and doing the necessary steps on being a comic.
What i learned along the way is that funny is not something that can be taught. You either have chops or you don't. I also realized I had chops and comedic timing and that this book was really a waste of my time.
It is good to help you begin the joke writing process and to get into the mind set of being a comedian but that is about it.
I got more out of reading the newspaper every morning and making jokes out of the headlines to be honest.
Plus if Judy Carter is so damm funny... why is she writing fucking books instead of being an actual comic?
I'd pass
What i learned along the way is that funny is not something that can be taught. You either have chops or you don't. I also realized I had chops and comedic timing and that this book was really a waste of my time.
It is good to help you begin the joke writing process and to get into the mind set of being a comedian but that is about it.
I got more out of reading the newspaper every morning and making jokes out of the headlines to be honest.
Plus if Judy Carter is so damm funny... why is she writing fucking books instead of being an actual comic?
I'd pass
August 23, 2012
This is how-to, written more than ten years ago, has great advice for starting comics. Comedy styles change, and the blueprint might be aging, but it is invaluable help to a comic who wants to become a stage performer after getting laughs from friends and family. It still works to improve a starting comic's material.
There is a formula. Judy Carter explains it, and why it works. She provides examples of work done by well-known comedians that illustrate the formula. She guides you how to find your voice, how to mine your life for comedy and how to get over the hump and get on stage.
I didn't read the part about becoming a comedy writer. I was only interested in improving my stand up material -- and as part of my nearly life-long study of humor and comedy.
There is a formula. Judy Carter explains it, and why it works. She provides examples of work done by well-known comedians that illustrate the formula. She guides you how to find your voice, how to mine your life for comedy and how to get over the hump and get on stage.
I didn't read the part about becoming a comedy writer. I was only interested in improving my stand up material -- and as part of my nearly life-long study of humor and comedy.
January 18, 2020
34 Normal people express their sense of humor by memorizing joke; comics transform their life experiences into punch lines and write their own jokes. […] Most people hide their defects; we comics show them to the world.
Comedy clubs will often set aside one night for amateurs, and many bookstores, bars and colleges have open mikes… They are comedy boot camps—the worse they are, the more seasoned you become.
289 A good class offers a safe place to fall flat on your face, a chance to work on something risky rather than settle for the easy, hack joke. Classes give you a weekly structure, forcing you to show up and come up with new material. Audit the class first.
Comedy supplies: pen, pocket notebook, large binder, 100 index cards, voice recorder/phone.
37 Keeping an Idea Book
64 A joke has a setup, turn and a tag.
69 Read all joke examples out loud. Jokes are broken down into five parts: Attitude, topic, premise, act-out, mix, act-out. The attitude, topic and premise (setup) is serious. The act-out and mix is the funny bit.
71 What the joke is about is called the topic. It has one of four basic attitudes: weird, scary, hard, stupid. “You know what’s weird/scary/hard/stupid about ______?
74 A premise is also called an opinion, a point of view. It must clearly and precisely answer the question of the attitude+topic. It’s usually more insightful than funny. I good premise is also an original observation.
78 I, me or my in the premise, it’s too self-absorbed and won’t interest the audience. Once the audience is interested, you can bring in specific personal elements. But don’t make it into a story about “you.” Comedy writing is an intense investigation into what it means to be a human being—not what it means to be you.
79 A premise is not a description of what happened (not a story). It’s a cut-to-the-chase, get-to-the-point, original observation.
88 A joke starts out general so everyone can relate, and after the premise is the time to bring in the specifics about you.
95 Mixes generally start with “What if,” and are most always followed by another act-out.
108 Almost everything (and anything) in your life can be turned into a comedy topic if you care about it enough. The more painful or humiliating something is, the more likely it is to make an audience laugh. It’s kind of a trade-off: bad for your life equates to good for your act.
Chris Titus, “When I was being a happy comic, it was a lie. I found that my anger would work onstage and started experimenting with it. Then as much as the happy guy thing was bullshit, so was the angry thing. I finally found a place where I could just be myself and realized that I could do anything onstage—if it’s funny.
Watch your favorite comic and write a few of their jokes and answers to these questions:
1. Is their attitude stated or implied? What is it?
2. Is there an act-out? A mix?
3. Where do they get the most laughs?
4. What personal details did you learn about the comic’s life?
5. What did they do to get the laughs?
6. What topics did they use in their act?
7. What are their signature topics?
If you watch enough comics you might get depressed, because it will seem like every topic has been done. Well, yes, they have. Except for one, that is: your life.
112 What are your authentic (signature) topics? Be sincere instead of funny.
114 Excise: Childhood Writing
127 All topics need to be relatable.
133 Make sure you are in fact doing an act-out and not explaining. Become the type of person you are joking about rather than describing.
134 Mixes—comparison jokes: you can compare any two things—“president of the United States” and “your grandfather”.
135 Another way to do a mix is to change the environment. For instance, if the topic is “your self-absorbed mother,’ put her in a different occupation like a suicide hot line.
138 There is no need for anything in between jokes. If a sentence is not part of a joke, then it’s part of a problem. If you feel the need to use words in between jokes, then use an attitude word to segue: “And you know what else is stupid … ?” (Insert new topic.) Or “Another weird thing is …” (Insert new topic.)
140 Open with something that is obvious about the room. Whatever you decide, be willing to toss it off if it conflicts with the mood of the room. Get on the same wavelength as the audience. If every comic before you opened with, “How are you all doing?”—start with a joke about that. If there is something really obvious about the audience, do a joke about that.
141 Audiences take time to warm up to someone.
142 Make sure your opening sets a tone that you can sustain. And don’t assume the audience is interested in you. They’re not.
144 Even if your jokes are rehearsed, they have to sound spontaneous to sound real.
145 Make sure all your jokes are in the present tense: “I am” rather than “I was.”
147 Greg Proops: “You have to be sincere and talk about what’s real for you. Don’t be sexy and then talk about how you’re not getting dates. Or if you seem smart, don’t talk about nonsense. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you really think.”
148 The best person to poke fun at is you. That’s how you get the audience’s sympathy, rapport.
149 Tom Dreeson: “There’s no such thing as a victimless joke. Each joke has a target and you have to make sure that whoever or whatever that target is—they deserve it.”
151 “What about using props?” Props aren’t worth the schlep and can ruin your timing when you go looking for them. They also create a disconnection from the audience. Rather than showing the audience the big stupid hat your mother wore, describe and mime it. You’ll most likely get a bigger laugh if you leave the prop to the audience’s imagination.
154 “How do I memorize my act?” Break it into chunks that make sense, such as four categories—special challenges, childhood, current issue, and relationship.
163 “How do I stop from being so nervous?” Change your attitude about it. Being nervous can be funny, while being calm, together, confident, and perfect can be a bore.
172 How to pick a current-event topic (1) don’t pick one because you think is funny. There is no such thing as a funny topic. There are no funny ideas. It’s what you do with an idea that makes it funny. (2) Don’t pick weird topics, but rather have unique opinions about ordinary topics.
176 Another way to come up with your premise is to react to other people’s opinions. Repeat what you read or heard, then give your hit on it. Steve Marmel current event exercise: Read USA Today. Pick one story and break it down into bullet points. Take each point, turn it into a premise and create a playoff.
185 Creating great material is all about rewriting, cutting and pruning.
186 A callback is when you call back, or mention again, something you brought up earlier.
187 List of three: set up a pattern on the first two ideas and then turn it on the third: “Bears, beats, Battlestar Galactica.” The first two set up a pattern of expectancy and the third is a surprise.
189 A runner is a catchphrase that runs through your stint.
194 Timing, not something you can learn from a book, try to do right, or even think about. In fact, if you are thinking about your timing, you can be sure it’s off. Attitude creates timing. Here’s a tip: Don’t talk while the audience is laughing.
Stand-up is not a monologue—it’s a dialogue with the audience. You talk, then the audience talks (by laughing, hopefully), and then you respond to the audience.
195 You never just stand there—always convey an attitude. While they laugh, you add a tag to the joke by repeating the attitude. There should never be even one moment when you’re onstage and attitude free. It’s the kiss of death because audiences respond to emotions, not words.
208 In the morning, spend ten minutes writing stream of consciousness—whatever comes into your head—ignore all rules of grammar, spelling and even logic.
209 Write ten “what if’s.”
209 Pick at least two current-events topics and write ten opinions about each of them.
209 Record yourself ranting for ten minutes about one topic. Do not stop talking.
213 What is the difference with a one-person show?
> Don’t have to make the audience laugh the whole time
> Tell a dramatic story, using humor
> Audience doesn’t have to be included
A person doing a solo show takes the audience on a journey.
214 One reason to do a one-person show—you have a burning desire to tell a particular story.
272 In a speech, end your talk with a “heart story.” This is something that will move them emotionally.
291 Goal sheet, this week I will
- write for ________ minutes each morning
- create ________ pages/minutes of new material
- perform ________ times
- try out ________ new jokes
- call at least ________ new people to help my career
My ultimate career goals are
___
___
___
___
___
In order to achieve these, the actions I need to take are
___
___
___
___
___
Get a mentor. Seek them out. Buy them lunch. Tell them specifically what you like about their…
Do not ask them to do something for you. Only if you get a return email. Also, just ask for honest feedback.
Comedy clubs will often set aside one night for amateurs, and many bookstores, bars and colleges have open mikes… They are comedy boot camps—the worse they are, the more seasoned you become.
289 A good class offers a safe place to fall flat on your face, a chance to work on something risky rather than settle for the easy, hack joke. Classes give you a weekly structure, forcing you to show up and come up with new material. Audit the class first.
Comedy supplies: pen, pocket notebook, large binder, 100 index cards, voice recorder/phone.
37 Keeping an Idea Book
64 A joke has a setup, turn and a tag.
69 Read all joke examples out loud. Jokes are broken down into five parts: Attitude, topic, premise, act-out, mix, act-out. The attitude, topic and premise (setup) is serious. The act-out and mix is the funny bit.
71 What the joke is about is called the topic. It has one of four basic attitudes: weird, scary, hard, stupid. “You know what’s weird/scary/hard/stupid about ______?
74 A premise is also called an opinion, a point of view. It must clearly and precisely answer the question of the attitude+topic. It’s usually more insightful than funny. I good premise is also an original observation.
78 I, me or my in the premise, it’s too self-absorbed and won’t interest the audience. Once the audience is interested, you can bring in specific personal elements. But don’t make it into a story about “you.” Comedy writing is an intense investigation into what it means to be a human being—not what it means to be you.
79 A premise is not a description of what happened (not a story). It’s a cut-to-the-chase, get-to-the-point, original observation.
88 A joke starts out general so everyone can relate, and after the premise is the time to bring in the specifics about you.
95 Mixes generally start with “What if,” and are most always followed by another act-out.
108 Almost everything (and anything) in your life can be turned into a comedy topic if you care about it enough. The more painful or humiliating something is, the more likely it is to make an audience laugh. It’s kind of a trade-off: bad for your life equates to good for your act.
Chris Titus, “When I was being a happy comic, it was a lie. I found that my anger would work onstage and started experimenting with it. Then as much as the happy guy thing was bullshit, so was the angry thing. I finally found a place where I could just be myself and realized that I could do anything onstage—if it’s funny.
Watch your favorite comic and write a few of their jokes and answers to these questions:
1. Is their attitude stated or implied? What is it?
2. Is there an act-out? A mix?
3. Where do they get the most laughs?
4. What personal details did you learn about the comic’s life?
5. What did they do to get the laughs?
6. What topics did they use in their act?
7. What are their signature topics?
If you watch enough comics you might get depressed, because it will seem like every topic has been done. Well, yes, they have. Except for one, that is: your life.
112 What are your authentic (signature) topics? Be sincere instead of funny.
114 Excise: Childhood Writing
127 All topics need to be relatable.
133 Make sure you are in fact doing an act-out and not explaining. Become the type of person you are joking about rather than describing.
134 Mixes—comparison jokes: you can compare any two things—“president of the United States” and “your grandfather”.
135 Another way to do a mix is to change the environment. For instance, if the topic is “your self-absorbed mother,’ put her in a different occupation like a suicide hot line.
138 There is no need for anything in between jokes. If a sentence is not part of a joke, then it’s part of a problem. If you feel the need to use words in between jokes, then use an attitude word to segue: “And you know what else is stupid … ?” (Insert new topic.) Or “Another weird thing is …” (Insert new topic.)
140 Open with something that is obvious about the room. Whatever you decide, be willing to toss it off if it conflicts with the mood of the room. Get on the same wavelength as the audience. If every comic before you opened with, “How are you all doing?”—start with a joke about that. If there is something really obvious about the audience, do a joke about that.
141 Audiences take time to warm up to someone.
142 Make sure your opening sets a tone that you can sustain. And don’t assume the audience is interested in you. They’re not.
144 Even if your jokes are rehearsed, they have to sound spontaneous to sound real.
145 Make sure all your jokes are in the present tense: “I am” rather than “I was.”
147 Greg Proops: “You have to be sincere and talk about what’s real for you. Don’t be sexy and then talk about how you’re not getting dates. Or if you seem smart, don’t talk about nonsense. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you really think.”
148 The best person to poke fun at is you. That’s how you get the audience’s sympathy, rapport.
149 Tom Dreeson: “There’s no such thing as a victimless joke. Each joke has a target and you have to make sure that whoever or whatever that target is—they deserve it.”
151 “What about using props?” Props aren’t worth the schlep and can ruin your timing when you go looking for them. They also create a disconnection from the audience. Rather than showing the audience the big stupid hat your mother wore, describe and mime it. You’ll most likely get a bigger laugh if you leave the prop to the audience’s imagination.
154 “How do I memorize my act?” Break it into chunks that make sense, such as four categories—special challenges, childhood, current issue, and relationship.
163 “How do I stop from being so nervous?” Change your attitude about it. Being nervous can be funny, while being calm, together, confident, and perfect can be a bore.
172 How to pick a current-event topic (1) don’t pick one because you think is funny. There is no such thing as a funny topic. There are no funny ideas. It’s what you do with an idea that makes it funny. (2) Don’t pick weird topics, but rather have unique opinions about ordinary topics.
176 Another way to come up with your premise is to react to other people’s opinions. Repeat what you read or heard, then give your hit on it. Steve Marmel current event exercise: Read USA Today. Pick one story and break it down into bullet points. Take each point, turn it into a premise and create a playoff.
185 Creating great material is all about rewriting, cutting and pruning.
186 A callback is when you call back, or mention again, something you brought up earlier.
187 List of three: set up a pattern on the first two ideas and then turn it on the third: “Bears, beats, Battlestar Galactica.” The first two set up a pattern of expectancy and the third is a surprise.
189 A runner is a catchphrase that runs through your stint.
194 Timing, not something you can learn from a book, try to do right, or even think about. In fact, if you are thinking about your timing, you can be sure it’s off. Attitude creates timing. Here’s a tip: Don’t talk while the audience is laughing.
Stand-up is not a monologue—it’s a dialogue with the audience. You talk, then the audience talks (by laughing, hopefully), and then you respond to the audience.
195 You never just stand there—always convey an attitude. While they laugh, you add a tag to the joke by repeating the attitude. There should never be even one moment when you’re onstage and attitude free. It’s the kiss of death because audiences respond to emotions, not words.
208 In the morning, spend ten minutes writing stream of consciousness—whatever comes into your head—ignore all rules of grammar, spelling and even logic.
209 Write ten “what if’s.”
209 Pick at least two current-events topics and write ten opinions about each of them.
209 Record yourself ranting for ten minutes about one topic. Do not stop talking.
213 What is the difference with a one-person show?
> Don’t have to make the audience laugh the whole time
> Tell a dramatic story, using humor
> Audience doesn’t have to be included
A person doing a solo show takes the audience on a journey.
214 One reason to do a one-person show—you have a burning desire to tell a particular story.
272 In a speech, end your talk with a “heart story.” This is something that will move them emotionally.
291 Goal sheet, this week I will
- write for ________ minutes each morning
- create ________ pages/minutes of new material
- perform ________ times
- try out ________ new jokes
- call at least ________ new people to help my career
My ultimate career goals are
___
___
___
___
___
In order to achieve these, the actions I need to take are
___
___
___
___
___
Get a mentor. Seek them out. Buy them lunch. Tell them specifically what you like about their…
Do not ask them to do something for you. Only if you get a return email. Also, just ask for honest feedback.
April 18, 2011
While I can certainly respect Ms Carters success as a writer and teacher of comedy, her how-to guide is scattered and self-conflicting. Her focus seems to be cleaning up and dumbing down, rather than developing a unique creative voice. I'll pass.
November 17, 2021
I quite liked it! Judy Carter's workbook for comedy really helped take apart the elements of comedy for me, even as an audience member. I've suffered through bad comedy, both in "specials" and amateur nights, without knowing exactly what made me hate it. Now I know! I also appreciate that Judy draws the line at gross-out humor, nay-says blue routines, and calls out hack jokes for what they are. I already know that some people will get Miffy at her for that, but honestly! Compare the great, truly funny sitcoms of the fifties, sixties and seventies to what gradually happens when your standards decline...you end up with unfunny lines punctuated by canned laughs. Most of the time they're just saying mean things! And then compare the hilarious lesser-knowns of Dry Bar Comedy to the average potty-mouthed "Netflix specialist". Frankly, if you make me too embarrassed to laugh I'm not enjoying myself.
June 28, 2023
Great 101 book on standup and comedy writing. Some things are dated that relate to advances in technology in last 22 years most of the principles hold up. Good to reread too as you progress in your career
March 7, 2017
Я подходил к этой книге с такими странными ощущениями. С одной стороны – ныне отношение к стэндапу оно такое, немного странное. В первую очередь это слово ассоциируется с каналом ТНТ и «Камеди-клубом», который, как вы понимаете, уже не тот. Тем более, что стоит только посмотреть на различные выступления российских стэндаперов, как вскоре на��инаешь понимать, что у этих шуток, слишком уж много общего. С другой стороны – ведь всегда интересно, прочитать, что на эту тему думают наши «зарубежные товарищи». Тем более, что у них-то это направление развито гораздо сильнее, чем в наших широтах. Вдруг узнаю что-то новое, пойму, как все это развивалось, откуда все это пошло и как оно было связано.
И получилось, на мой взгляд – достойно. Я бы даже сказал, что очень познавательно. Сразу скажу, что в некоторых местах, я все-таки не всегда был согласен с автором. Например, относительно всех этих банальных подходов к созданию шуток с помощью «знаете, что глупого в…» или «знаете, что странно в…». Да, я понимаю, что подобная методика может неплохо помочь в структурировании своих мыслей и создании простых и не особо ёмких шуток. Или способствует сортировке свои мыслей для начала, чтобы понять, над чем предстоит работать. Ведь всегда нужно с чего-то начинать, и лучше с чего-то простого и логичного. Но вот, опять же – слишком уж часто сейчас можно встретить эти самые «знаете, что меня бесит…». Буквально у каждого второго опытного и у каждого первого начинающего стэндапера.
С другой стороны – в этой книге довольно много упражнений, которые будут полезны скорее тем, кто еще не задумывался о карьере стэндапера. Как мне кажется, для тех, кто хотя бы думал об этом и внимательно изучал выступления различных мэтров – все это будет не особо полезно. Они через это прошли, и осознали сами. Да, подобным людям книгу прочитать можно, но каких-то откровений в ней не будет. Но вот мне, как человеку, который об подобной карьере вообще не задумывался, но по мере возможностей активно интересовался этой тематикой – было любопытно. Теперь, по крайней мере мне стало понятно, откуда берутся все эти довольно распространенные фишки во многих выступлениях.
Нет, правда, даже человеку, который не хочет заниматься чем-то подобным, все описанные здесь упражнения в чем-то могут быть полезными. Иногда здесь ощущаешь себя чуть ли не на психологическом тренинге. Тут предлагают вспомнить все не самые приятные вещи, покрутить их, повертеть, и решить, как бы из них сделать что-то смешное, что-то забавное. А от этого, до переосмысления своей жизни – всего один шаг. Да, все 26 дней упражнений – это как-то на мой взгляд чересчур, но может быть, кто-то чем-то подобным занимался. Я даже где-то надеюсь на это. Ведь курс выглядит вполне себе расписанным и достаточно интересным. Иногда ловил себя на мысли, что самому бы хотелось пройти какие-нибудь упражнения, просто чтобы попробовать, посмотреть на мир таким, каким его представляет автор книги.
Кстати, не думайте, что здесь есть только упражнения и задания. Нет, в общем-то здесь еще полно забавных шуток, от различных стэндаперов. И зачастую они вполне себе вписываются во всю атмосферу этой книги. Правда, на мой взгляд, шутки самой авторши, здесь кажутся не особо удачными. Ну, на фоне всего остального. Зато радует её оптимизм и прочие мотивирующие рассказы. По крайней мере, читать эту книгу было легко.
Ну и да, понятно, что какая-то часть этой книги неплохо так устарела, какая-то не особо применима к нашей реальности. Все-таки не в Америке живем, где в каждом райцентре есть свой клуб для комедиантов и желающих пообщаться. Но вот все, что касается того, как посмотреть на этот мир по-новому, как переосмыслить свой собственный опыт, как превратить свою жизнь в шутку – это очень даже неплохо.
И получилось, на мой взгляд – достойно. Я бы даже сказал, что очень познавательно. Сразу скажу, что в некоторых местах, я все-таки не всегда был согласен с автором. Например, относительно всех этих банальных подходов к созданию шуток с помощью «знаете, что глупого в…» или «знаете, что странно в…». Да, я понимаю, что подобная методика может неплохо помочь в структурировании своих мыслей и создании простых и не особо ёмких шуток. Или способствует сортировке свои мыслей для начала, чтобы понять, над чем предстоит работать. Ведь всегда нужно с чего-то начинать, и лучше с чего-то простого и логичного. Но вот, опять же – слишком уж часто сейчас можно встретить эти самые «знаете, что меня бесит…». Буквально у каждого второго опытного и у каждого первого начинающего стэндапера.
С другой стороны – в этой книге довольно много упражнений, которые будут полезны скорее тем, кто еще не задумывался о карьере стэндапера. Как мне кажется, для тех, кто хотя бы думал об этом и внимательно изучал выступления различных мэтров – все это будет не особо полезно. Они через это прошли, и осознали сами. Да, подобным людям книгу прочитать можно, но каких-то откровений в ней не будет. Но вот мне, как человеку, который об подобной карьере вообще не задумывался, но по мере возможностей активно интересовался этой тематикой – было любопытно. Теперь, по крайней мере мне стало понятно, откуда берутся все эти довольно распространенные фишки во многих выступлениях.
Нет, правда, даже человеку, который не хочет заниматься чем-то подобным, все описанные здесь упражнения в чем-то могут быть полезными. Иногда здесь ощущаешь себя чуть ли не на психологическом тренинге. Тут предлагают вспомнить все не самые приятные вещи, покрутить их, повертеть, и решить, как бы из них сделать что-то смешное, что-то забавное. А от этого, до переосмысления своей жизни – всего один шаг. Да, все 26 дней упражнений – это как-то на мой взгляд чересчур, но может быть, кто-то чем-то подобным занимался. Я даже где-то надеюсь на это. Ведь курс выглядит вполне себе расписанным и достаточно интересным. Иногда ловил себя на мысли, что самому бы хотелось пройти какие-нибудь упражнения, просто чтобы попробовать, посмотреть на мир таким, каким его представляет автор книги.
Кстати, не думайте, что здесь есть только упражнения и задания. Нет, в общем-то здесь еще полно забавных шуток, от различных стэндаперов. И зачастую они вполне себе вписываются во всю атмосферу этой книги. Правда, на мой взгляд, шутки самой авторши, здесь кажутся не особо удачными. Ну, на фоне всего остального. Зато радует её оптимизм и прочие мотивирующие рассказы. По крайней мере, читать эту книгу было легко.
Ну и да, понятно, что какая-то часть этой книги неплохо так устарела, какая-то не особо применима к нашей реальности. Все-таки не в Америке живем, где в каждом райцентре есть свой клуб для комедиантов и желающих пообщаться. Но вот все, что касается того, как посмотреть на этот мир по-новому, как переосмыслить свой собственный опыт, как превратить свою жизнь в шутку – это очень даже неплохо.
August 9, 2016
This is a very thorough book and I really enjoyed her previous book, "Standup Comedy: the Book". Author Judy Carter urges aspiring comics to mine their own views and experiences and strive to be genuine, rather than pandering to what they think an audience will like. I think that's great advice, echoed by such greats as Jerry Seinfeld and Woody Allen.
I found some of her other advice contradictory. She wants us to speak from our own lives, but she also offers a very broad definition of what constitutes "hack" material, insists that comics not tell stories and urges us to check all material to ensure it is "relatable" for audiences.
She is right that telling long, rambling stories on stage is likely to generate inadequate laughs per minute in a short set, but anybody who has seen, for example, Jeremy Hotz do his bit on gas permeable contact lenses, or Tig Notaro talk about repeatedly meeting Taylor Dayne, knows that if properly handled, stories can make great standup.
As for "relatability", that's a tradeoff with "hack" risk. Surely the universal topics that are the most "relatable" have also largely been done to death by generations of other comics. The challenge for comics is find a way to make the personal relatable, in an original way that's also funny. Not easy.
It's hard to speak from life without ever telling a story. It's also hard to be personal without risking a loss of relatability. Standup is a balancing act.
Judy Carter has done us a service by providing useful exercises. She quotes fine examples from great comedians, but I think following her rules to the letter would be too restrictive, creating more of the unoriginal comedy she rightly deplores.
I found some of her other advice contradictory. She wants us to speak from our own lives, but she also offers a very broad definition of what constitutes "hack" material, insists that comics not tell stories and urges us to check all material to ensure it is "relatable" for audiences.
She is right that telling long, rambling stories on stage is likely to generate inadequate laughs per minute in a short set, but anybody who has seen, for example, Jeremy Hotz do his bit on gas permeable contact lenses, or Tig Notaro talk about repeatedly meeting Taylor Dayne, knows that if properly handled, stories can make great standup.
As for "relatability", that's a tradeoff with "hack" risk. Surely the universal topics that are the most "relatable" have also largely been done to death by generations of other comics. The challenge for comics is find a way to make the personal relatable, in an original way that's also funny. Not easy.
It's hard to speak from life without ever telling a story. It's also hard to be personal without risking a loss of relatability. Standup is a balancing act.
Judy Carter has done us a service by providing useful exercises. She quotes fine examples from great comedians, but I think following her rules to the letter would be too restrictive, creating more of the unoriginal comedy she rightly deplores.
April 24, 2020
I have recently started writing Comedy myself and wanted to study the art a bit more to ensure some sort of success and really just evaluate my work so far, oddly enough I learned a lot, but not much exactly from the book. While Judy Carter seems to be a very fun person with great stories and advices to build a career, the book seemed to lack actual comedy analysis and the idea of building an own personal voice. The book taught me however how subjective Comedy can be, and it’s just one of those thing you either can do or can’t do. The entertainment market is very diverse and success can be achieved in completely different ways, there is no way to truly teach comedy. The book was helpful from a business point and Judy is a very good comedian, her many anecdotes throughout the book, kept me on the edge of my seat, specially the “BSD Speech”. I enjoyed the read, just not exactly what I was expecting.
July 16, 2008
I read this book before I started stand-up and I really only got one good tip from it: Start doing stand-up. I followed the exercises, writing jokes on index cards, etc, but never used them. To this day I don't think I have used any of the jokes I came up with from that book. This book might be useful to some people, but I guess my 'comedy style' is different. I think this book glosses over some of the unpleasant things a new comic can expect to encounter on their comedy experience.
March 10, 2018
Solid book on preparing jokes for a stand up comedy set. 70% of the book was irrelevant to me but the 30% I was after did the job and I got what I was hoping to get out of it.
May 6, 2025
Overall a very good craft book about stand-up comedy and funnymaking in general.
I didn't read the new edition b/c this one was way cheaper, so I can't speak to whether the examples were updated. As it is, it uses a very oldschool, boomer-coded collection of jokes to illustrate points, which can be kind of off-putting if you have a terminally-online sense of humor.
That said, the theory and processes presented have good foundations and are largely timeless. Just don't get hung up on the eyeroll-inducing writing style or the grandpa comedy examples. It's from a different time. A more innocent time when a lot of the structure of humor wasn't so -- for lack of a better word -- implied.
Going to a comedy club in the 90s was very different from modern memes and videos, which so heavily rely on shared culture and understanding that they largely jump over the setup and present a ridiculous punchline that stands on its own. People who make things like Beanut Putter or the Markiplier-Farquaad "E" meme or "Coffee, Cheetos, Chicken" are coming from a radically-different place than Judy Carty was. She doesn't get down on absurdity, which is fine, because this is mostly about standup, and standup has to make sense to an audience of real, live normies.
The last third of the book is about shopping spec scripts for sitcoms and starting your own management agency, and as such, have fallen so far behind the culture that it's mostly useless. The internet has changed too much about how communication and networking function to be sending envelopes and tapes. The appendix would have been useful around the time the PS2 came out, but search engines have nuked any utility it once had.
Overall, a worthy read for understanding some of the basics of how jokes work. Provides a foolproof set of exercises and a regimented timeline that will result in enough material to do a set of standup if you're persistent. Less useful if you want to punch up your content writing for the internet (unless you're writing oldschool sketches, which have their own charm), but still useful in getting started if you're not sure why your humor is hit-and-miss.
Easy recommend. Might be worth getting the newer edition.
I didn't read the new edition b/c this one was way cheaper, so I can't speak to whether the examples were updated. As it is, it uses a very oldschool, boomer-coded collection of jokes to illustrate points, which can be kind of off-putting if you have a terminally-online sense of humor.
That said, the theory and processes presented have good foundations and are largely timeless. Just don't get hung up on the eyeroll-inducing writing style or the grandpa comedy examples. It's from a different time. A more innocent time when a lot of the structure of humor wasn't so -- for lack of a better word -- implied.
Going to a comedy club in the 90s was very different from modern memes and videos, which so heavily rely on shared culture and understanding that they largely jump over the setup and present a ridiculous punchline that stands on its own. People who make things like Beanut Putter or the Markiplier-Farquaad "E" meme or "Coffee, Cheetos, Chicken" are coming from a radically-different place than Judy Carty was. She doesn't get down on absurdity, which is fine, because this is mostly about standup, and standup has to make sense to an audience of real, live normies.
The last third of the book is about shopping spec scripts for sitcoms and starting your own management agency, and as such, have fallen so far behind the culture that it's mostly useless. The internet has changed too much about how communication and networking function to be sending envelopes and tapes. The appendix would have been useful around the time the PS2 came out, but search engines have nuked any utility it once had.
Overall, a worthy read for understanding some of the basics of how jokes work. Provides a foolproof set of exercises and a regimented timeline that will result in enough material to do a set of standup if you're persistent. Less useful if you want to punch up your content writing for the internet (unless you're writing oldschool sketches, which have their own charm), but still useful in getting started if you're not sure why your humor is hit-and-miss.
Easy recommend. Might be worth getting the newer edition.
January 13, 2024
Disclaimer: I am not looking to break into a career in comedy. I always enjoyed stand-up and watched shows like Comedy Central and Saturday Night Live (SNL) as a kid, etc. I picked up "The Comedy Bible" by Judy Carter for entertainment and insights into something I've always enjoyed.
Carter's informative yet humor-infused writing style made the learning process thoroughly enjoyable. The book, covering everything from stand-up routines to sitcoms, provides a comprehensive overview of humor crafting across various formats. A standout feature is its practical approach, offering exercises and real-world examples for aspiring comedians and writers. Carter's use of anecdotes from herself and other famous comedians/writers creates a conversational tone, making the book feel like a chat with a seasoned mentor.
"The Comedy Bible" demystifies comedy, breaking down humor elements, exploring timing, and sharing insights on audience connection. Beyond comedy careers, I found the tips applicable to everyday life, from overcoming writer's block to refining communication skills. Even though this book was published back in the day (2001), I enjoyed the nostalgia and found that the tips could translate well into how we operate in today's world.
The book is a treasure trove of wisdom for comedy enthusiasts, recommended for its valuable insights, and entertaining style.
Carter's informative yet humor-infused writing style made the learning process thoroughly enjoyable. The book, covering everything from stand-up routines to sitcoms, provides a comprehensive overview of humor crafting across various formats. A standout feature is its practical approach, offering exercises and real-world examples for aspiring comedians and writers. Carter's use of anecdotes from herself and other famous comedians/writers creates a conversational tone, making the book feel like a chat with a seasoned mentor.
"The Comedy Bible" demystifies comedy, breaking down humor elements, exploring timing, and sharing insights on audience connection. Beyond comedy careers, I found the tips applicable to everyday life, from overcoming writer's block to refining communication skills. Even though this book was published back in the day (2001), I enjoyed the nostalgia and found that the tips could translate well into how we operate in today's world.
The book is a treasure trove of wisdom for comedy enthusiasts, recommended for its valuable insights, and entertaining style.
June 6, 2023
Butuh waktu satu tahun bagi saya untuk menyelesaikan buku ini. Seperti judulnya 'The Comedy Bible' Judy Carter benar-benar menulis metodologi struktur penulisan komedi seperti kitab suci. Metode penulisan komedi di buku ini tidak hanya diperuntukkan untuk kamu yang ingin terjun di dunia Standup Comedy, lebih dari itu buku ini adalah 'resep rahasia' pembuatan bumbu komedi yang bisa kamu taburkan diberbagai medium seperti film, skenario, buku, cerita dan pidato.
Ibarat sebuah produk, materi buku ini berangkat dari bagaimana kita mencari bahan mentah 'ide'. Ide yang sudah terkumpul kemudian dipilah lalu diracik menjadi sebuah bumbu. Setelah siap, bumbu ini bisa 'ditaburkan' ke berbagai produk pengkaryaan.
Ketika produkmu sudah ditambah dengan bumbu komedi dengan matang, Judy Carter juga sedikit membocorkan bagaimana mendistribusikan bumbu komedi tersebut sehingga menjadi produk yang siap jual. Semua metode diuraikan pelan-pelan disertai dengan praktik hari demi hari.
Btw, ini adalah buku penulisan komedi kedua yang sudah saya baca setelah buku Step by Step Comedy Writing-nya Greg Dean. Walaupun memiliki tema yang sama, kedua buku ini memiliki teknik yang berbeda. Salah satu buku yang wajib dibaca bagi kamu yang ingin berkarir sebagai komedian.
Ibarat sebuah produk, materi buku ini berangkat dari bagaimana kita mencari bahan mentah 'ide'. Ide yang sudah terkumpul kemudian dipilah lalu diracik menjadi sebuah bumbu. Setelah siap, bumbu ini bisa 'ditaburkan' ke berbagai produk pengkaryaan.
Ketika produkmu sudah ditambah dengan bumbu komedi dengan matang, Judy Carter juga sedikit membocorkan bagaimana mendistribusikan bumbu komedi tersebut sehingga menjadi produk yang siap jual. Semua metode diuraikan pelan-pelan disertai dengan praktik hari demi hari.
Btw, ini adalah buku penulisan komedi kedua yang sudah saya baca setelah buku Step by Step Comedy Writing-nya Greg Dean. Walaupun memiliki tema yang sama, kedua buku ini memiliki teknik yang berbeda. Salah satu buku yang wajib dibaca bagi kamu yang ingin berkarir sebagai komedian.
January 28, 2019
"Stand-up. Библия комедии" - это пример того как нужно писать учебные пособия для новичков. Минимум воды, личных рефлексий автора, огромных отступлений в историю юмора в целом. Вместо этого пошаговая инструкция, которая ставит читателю конкретные цели - выступить публично, написать сценарий, правильно подать себя публике и продюсеру.
Первую половину книга как поводырь ведет под руку по четкому маршруту дней-задач и лишь потом отпускает в самостоятельное плавание. При этом она не старается умничать, не пускает пыль в глаза, нет. Она говорит - "вот твое задание на сегодня, бери и делай его". Иногда при этом неплохо шутит, иногда - подкидывает хорошие примеры.
Еще в "Stand-up. Библия комедии" большое количество роскошных инструментов, шаблонов и идей, которые применимы далеко за пределами юмора. Да, некоторые советы выглядят анахронически, но с точки зрения базы - это потрясающий самоучитель для тех кто хочет стать профессиональным комиком или просто понять структуру юмора.
Первую половину книга как поводырь ведет под руку по четкому маршруту дней-задач и лишь потом отпускает в самостоятельное плавание. При этом она не старается умничать, не пускает пыль в глаза, нет. Она говорит - "вот твое задание на сегодня, бери и делай его". Иногда при этом неплохо шутит, иногда - подкидывает хорошие примеры.
Еще в "Stand-up. Библия комедии" большое количество роскошных инструментов, шаблонов и идей, которые применимы далеко за пределами юмора. Да, некоторые советы выглядят анахронически, но с точки зрения базы - это потрясающий самоучитель для тех кто хочет стать профессиональным комиком или просто понять структуру юмора.
November 21, 2024
It's a good book, if you want to be a stand up comedian, some of the advice I believe work universally no matter the time, for stand up and related field towards it, a more comedic writing intend in more rigif form such as for novels and movies failed to be uphold.
But, it was clear that some of the more industry and marketing advice have been made in times before the digital age or the use of smartphone became more prevalent, so I doubt it would hold a candle nowadays.
If you desire an advice to how to write a comedic story writing, this will not be it, however if you want some advice for how to do stand up this will work, be aware that some of the advice for the industries likely to be outdated by the time of this writing took hold.
But, it was clear that some of the more industry and marketing advice have been made in times before the digital age or the use of smartphone became more prevalent, so I doubt it would hold a candle nowadays.
If you desire an advice to how to write a comedic story writing, this will not be it, however if you want some advice for how to do stand up this will work, be aware that some of the advice for the industries likely to be outdated by the time of this writing took hold.
January 28, 2025
This took me forever to get through but I am so happy I did! A lot of comedians say that this is the classic comedy book that everyone should read and I definitely see the value. It might be a little outdated, but a lot of the messaging and advice still resonates. I also love that this was written but a successful female comic in the early 2000s! It’s hard to make it as a female comedian today let alone then!
I definitely did not make it though every single exercise but it’s nice have to have a physical copy to go back and reference it I ever choose to use them in my writing. I’m happy resources like this exist and I’ve seen that Judy Carter has since released an updated Comedy Bible! I am very much so looking forward to checking it out 🎭
I definitely did not make it though every single exercise but it’s nice have to have a physical copy to go back and reference it I ever choose to use them in my writing. I’m happy resources like this exist and I’ve seen that Judy Carter has since released an updated Comedy Bible! I am very much so looking forward to checking it out 🎭
August 9, 2017
A little good advice in here. For example, I now carry a physical notebook in my pocket instead of just using my phone for notes, which helps my brain to always be thinking up material.
But also, some terrible advice in here. There were a lot of examples of this, but the biggest was by far the section on spec scripts, where the entire thing is on crafting a spec script based for an existing TV show. But 99% of people in the "industry" will tell you that it is far better to write something original for a spec. The terrible advice goes far beyond that, but considering the example I just mentioned takes up 40 pages of the book, it feels like the most egregious.
But also, some terrible advice in here. There were a lot of examples of this, but the biggest was by far the section on spec scripts, where the entire thing is on crafting a spec script based for an existing TV show. But 99% of people in the "industry" will tell you that it is far better to write something original for a spec. The terrible advice goes far beyond that, but considering the example I just mentioned takes up 40 pages of the book, it feels like the most egregious.
April 21, 2020
I don't plan to do a comedy stand up routine anytime soon but I do like to write humor articles or inject humor into my writing. Even though this book is geared towards stand up I did find it interesting and helpful as a writer. I also love watching stand up so it was interesting just as a fan of comedy to learn about the break down of how comedians do a routine.
There are lots of writing exercises in the book and the most helpful one for me was is to set a 10-minute timer and write about topics before you even eat breakfast. This has helped me from forgetting to do it or to have a clear mind while writing and getting distracted by things throughout the day.
There are lots of writing exercises in the book and the most helpful one for me was is to set a 10-minute timer and write about topics before you even eat breakfast. This has helped me from forgetting to do it or to have a clear mind while writing and getting distracted by things throughout the day.
February 28, 2021
Lo leí en español, pero no lo encontré en Goodreads.
Me gusto mucho el libro, creo que es un gran libro si buscas motivación, ya sea porque no estas seguro de querer hacerlo o porque lo estabas y ya no. Obviamente hay que adaptar el libro al lugar donde vives y la época, ya que está centrado en Estados Unidos, pero creo que hay buenos consejos, sobretodo referentes al miedo de subir al escenario. en fin, creo que me ayudo, aunque estoy en pandemia y no hay micrófonos abiertos (so sad)
Me gusto mucho el libro, creo que es un gran libro si buscas motivación, ya sea porque no estas seguro de querer hacerlo o porque lo estabas y ya no. Obviamente hay que adaptar el libro al lugar donde vives y la época, ya que está centrado en Estados Unidos, pero creo que hay buenos consejos, sobretodo referentes al miedo de subir al escenario. en fin, creo que me ayudo, aunque estoy en pandemia y no hay micrófonos abiertos (so sad)
May 10, 2019
Очень много полезных советов, особенно для новичков (если бы стал писать комедию - перечитывал бы ее постоянно). Однако книга несколько устарела: сейчас очень много прекрасных комиков ушедших от стандартной схемы сетап-отыгрыш-панч.
Но, повторюсь, для начинающих комиков книгу действительно стоит прочитать. Для не комиков, в общем, тоже. Будете понимать, почему несмешная шутка - несмешная
Но, повторюсь, для начинающих комиков книгу действительно стоит прочитать. Для не комиков, в общем, тоже. Будете понимать, почему несмешная шутка - несмешная
October 23, 2020
Есть толковые мысли, но в целом есть ощущение, что пытались нагнать объем довольно банальными рассуждениями в стиле "когда вы станете известными вам будет нужен агент", "не сорьтесь с официантами - они вам пригодятся, когда будете выступать"
December 16, 2017
A good resource for comedy writers.
March 11, 2018
Неплохая книга для тех, кто хочет научиться работать в сфере профессионального юмора.
May 7, 2018
Great book for starters and was very well written. Easy to understand and very transferable to the type of stand-up I wanted to do.
January 1, 2020
This is one elaborate joke where only Judy gets to laugh
March 17, 2020
I enjoyed every page!
May 28, 2020
книжак, который помогает запускать мозги.
книжак, в котором миллион черновиков для ваших крутых шуток.
книжак, где смешные страницы.
однозначно читайте, если будет времено.
книжак, в котором миллион черновиков для ваших крутых шуток.
книжак, где смешные страницы.
однозначно читайте, если будет времено.
July 1, 2020
The ultimate compendium for understanding humor. Excellent read for speakers, keynote authors, and general presenters.
November 4, 2020
best book for comedy writing and standup
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews