humor

What Happened to British Culture When Alternative Comedy Went from Posh to Punk?

What Happened to British Culture When Alternative Comedy Went from Posh to Punk?

If Alexei Sayle and Rik Mayall represented the Pistols/Clash in-your-face assault and battery side of British punk comedy, Ben Elton was its Elvis Costello, complete with geeky wide-rimmed glasses.

Jennifer Caloyeras Gets Unruly In Her New Short Story Collection

Jennifer Caloyeras Gets Unruly In Her New Short Story Collection

Intimacy with animals, babysitting plastic dolls, and running into your dad at a furry cuddle party are just a few of the details in this off-the-chain collection of stories, Unruly Creatures.

Is Dave Chappelle’s Humor Too Out of Touch for a Comeback?

Is Dave Chappelle’s Humor Too Out of Touch for a Comeback?

In light of movements like Black Lives Matter and Me Too, Dave Chappelle’s Killin’ Them Softly may be even more relevant today. But how’s his humor holding up?

Haven’t You Learned How to Take a Joke? The Comedy-on-Campus Debates

Haven’t You Learned How to Take a Joke? The Comedy-on-Campus Debates

The college comedy deficit means that we are neither taught how to take a joke nor how to interpret one.

Paul Goldberg’s ‘The Château’ Is a Farcical Familial Fable for the Trump Era

Paul Goldberg’s ‘The Château’ Is a Farcical Familial Fable for the Trump Era

The father and son relationship, the wonky, beating heart of The Château, feels so well-worn and lived-in that its volatile pushes-and-pulls contain some genuinely touching moments.

‘Radio Free Vermont’ Showcases the Political Power of Ordinary People

‘Radio Free Vermont’ Showcases the Political Power of Ordinary People

Bill McKibben's novel asks readers to value resistance movements that embrace humor, creativity, and civility while inspiring activism as part of our everyday lives.

‘Eastman Was Here’ Is Curious, Assured and Compelling

‘Eastman Was Here’ Is Curious, Assured and Compelling

There's a ghostly suggestion of Philip Roth's writing voice in Portnoy's Complaint in this novel; a relatively calm voice, this time in the third person, documenting the madness.

John Hodgman’s ‘Vacationland’ Is Comfortably Fearless

John Hodgman’s ‘Vacationland’ Is Comfortably Fearless

With Vacationland John Hodgman moves away from comedy and tries a new approach: humble reality.

The Good, the Positive and the Funny in Scott C.’s Art

The Good, the Positive and the Funny in Scott C.’s Art

No matter his subject matter, Scott C.'s confident cheerfulness is obvious and infectious.

Mustaches Run Amok Throughout Mickey Spillane’s ‘The New Mike Hammer: The Series’

Mustaches Run Amok Throughout Mickey Spillane’s ‘The New Mike Hammer: The Series’

WARNING: This review may disturb, nay, trigger recollections for Gen X'ers that grew up watching TV with adults in the '80s.

Shelter from the Norm: Umbrellas Aren’t Always What They Seem in ‘Brolliology’

Shelter from the Norm: Umbrellas Aren’t Always What They Seem in ‘Brolliology’

Mary Poppins, Mrs. Gamp, Egyptian deities, a Japanese umbrella spirit, and a supporting cast of hundreds of brollies fill Marion Rankine’s lively history, Brolliology.

John Hodgman’s ‘Vacationland’ Is Worth the Trip

John Hodgman’s ‘Vacationland’ Is Worth the Trip

Hodgman makes no secret that the relatively inconsequential, real-life stories of an artistically and financially successful white middle-aged man are hardly what the world needs right now. But his humor sure helps in these times.