“In general, the straight line of a joke sets up a premise, an expectation. Then the funny ending – the punch line – in a sense contradicts the original assumption by refusing […]
Steve Allen Defines What is Funny
Memorable Last Words of Famous People
Except for the person who has never spoken, everyone will utter his or her last words. Those words may be an expression of surprise, such as Julius Caesar’s famous, “Et tu, Brute?” […]
Getting Around to What’s Left to Be Gotten
“When what’s left of you gets around to what’s left to be gotten, what’s left to be gotten won’t be worth getting whatever it is you’ve got left.” — Danny Kaye
Why Is This Painting of Bob Hope So Popular?
It isn’t difficult to find an image of Bob Hope. With a career in the entertainment industry that spanned nearly eighty years and with 54 feature films to his credit, it is […]
Trust, Decency, and Age Are the Secrets to the Marriage of Burns and Allen
George Burns and Gracie Allen not only had a wildly successful career as a comedy duo but they also enjoyed a happy marriage. When asked about the basis for the trust between […]
Happy Birthday Stan Laurel
From our friends at History of Sorts, we present this tribute to one of the greatest entertainers of all time, the immortal Stan Laurel. Born 131 years ago, this comedic genius continues […]
A Disastrous Encounter With a Barrel of Bricks and the Hilarious Letter That Ensued
Back in the day when comedians earned laughs by stimulating the minds of the audience, rather than appealing to prurient interests, there was one whose light shone brighter than any other: Fred […]
Who’s On First — The Greatest Comedy Routine in History
It was 1938. Very little about that year was generating laughter. The Great Depression continued to hold the world’s economy in its grip. War clouds were building in Europe, Asia, and Africa. […]
Jim Carrey and the Negotiation Technique That Was Anything But Dumb and Dumber
When the producers of the film Dumb and Dumber were putting together the film’s cast in early 1994, they looked at rising star Jim Carrey as a likely prospect. They offered him […]
Dick Van Dyke’s Secret to Parenting
“I decided, when I started having kids, that I’d try not to do anything that I wouldn’t be proud for them to see. I’ve kind of stuck with that, and I don’t […]
The Great Toilet Paper Scare That Was No Laughing Matter
It seemed impossible that such a precious commodity could be in such short supply. The nation had endured great challenges, knowing that more days of sacrifice lay ahead. Even so, no one […]
Showing Respect With a Kiss and a Ring of Truth
Don Rickles owed his career to the fact that he was discovered by the legendary singer Frank Sinatra. This fact did not exempt Sinatra from being on the receiving end of the […]
The Wit and Wisdom of Fred Allen
Fred Allen (1894-1956) was one of the most brilliant comedians of all time. The fact that he is not better known today is one of the great travesties of the ages. After […]
The Basketball Team with Two Popes, Two Comedians, and Two Statesmen
The Harlem Globetrotters have accomplished much in the nearly-100 years since their founding. In addition to playing more than 26,000 exhibition games in 123 countries and territories, the team has also acquired […]
When You Don’t Look Enough Like Yourself
The great film star and comedian Charlie Chaplin once entered a “Charlie Chaplin Look-Alike Contest,” thinking it would be a great joke. The joke was on him — and the judges — […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 