tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14366870.post6183587634693685646..comments2023-07-03T08:50:54.449-04:00Comments on Reading, Writing, & Stuff That Makes Me Crazy: A Funny Thing Happened...Marianne Arkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934613403368823760noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14366870.post-38358884752656419772007-02-27T22:18:00.000-05:002007-02-27T22:18:00.000-05:00I wish I could remember where I read things... but...I wish I could remember where I read things... but I read so much, and read all the time, that sometimes the sources all blur together.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I read that in order to make humor humorous, people have to play off of each other in a POSITIVE fashion. As soon as one of them answers in a negative, you hit a brick wall... this is said to be particularly true in improv. I started paying attention to how characters are funny, and how they keep laughs coming, now, when I'm watching TV or movies, or reading a funny book--and sure enough, the author (and I sure wish I could remember WHO it was, so I could give them credit) was right!<BR/><BR/>One will say, "Did you hear..."<BR/>And to keep it going, the other has to say, "Yes, but..." If the answer is "No..." they might get one short laugh, but the sketch ends right there.<BR/><BR/>Just a thought.Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09308862059975983327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14366870.post-34172112301688738312007-02-27T10:37:00.000-05:002007-02-27T10:37:00.000-05:00Why not simply call it “contemporary romance” and ...Why not simply call it “contemporary romance” and not worry about it? Seriously. My take on a lot of romantic comedy, be it on the screen and especially in books, is it falls flat. <BR/><BR/>Part of the problem, for me, is the emphasis on “very” books. A book must be “very” funny, or “very” scary, or “very” emotional these days. Bigger must be better. <BR/><BR/>Thing is, you can’t have light without dark. You can’t have comedy without tragedy. You simply can’t have nonstop hilarity on the page if there’s no contrast.<BR/><BR/>I love many of the shows you mentioned (or at least seasons of them--sitcoms seem to wax and wane). I loved the short lived Sports Night. Love Gilbert and Sullivan. <BR/><BR/>If the rom-com box doesn’t feel comfortable, don’t put yourself in it. You know, I’ve heard Jenny Crusie say that she doesn’t consider herself either funny or a writer of romantic comedy. She just writes the world as she sees it.<BR/><BR/>Why not follow her lead?Charity Tahmasebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14208740898666710699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14366870.post-81253037014099523452007-02-27T08:16:00.000-05:002007-02-27T08:16:00.000-05:00If I had to make a choice between a funny book and...If I had to make a choice between a funny book and one that was more serious, the funny book would win out every time. <I>Writing</I> funny is whole other kettle of fish, though. It's hard to get it right!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com