How to be Funny [Paperback]

Jon Macks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2003

An invaluable guide on how to "lighten up" from a distinguished pro who has provided laughs for JAY LENO, BILLY CRYSTAL, STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS, BRAD GARRETT, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, AND MANY MORE.

Who hasn't wished for the perfect withering comeback line, a clever tension-breaking quip, or a winning flirtatious remark? Being funny is hard work and not everyone is a natural. How to Be Funny is a witty guide that teaches readers precisely how to be funnier in everyday life. It's a must-read for anyone who has to speak in public, be engaging and funny at work or at play, or who hopes to one day go out on a date.

Jon Macks, a comedy writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards, Hollywood Squares, and the nation's top comedians, politicians, and corporate leaders, knows his funny business. Here he demystifies the process of making people laugh, breaks down the basic building blocks and types of humor -- which include self-deprecation, misdirection, deadpan delivery, sarcasm, and "the reverse" -- and reveals the best approaches to use in common situations.

How to Be Funny features helpful (and hilarious) tips and anecdotes from the comic legends Mack's worked with -- including Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, Gilbert Gottfried, Billy Crystal, Rita Rudner, Dave Barry, and Carrie Fisher -- in his eleven years as one of the nation's top television writers.

Whether the goal is to give a memorable public address or deliver a killer line with friends, How to Be Funny is a charming, instructive, and practical read.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Can a book really teach you how to be funny? Macks, who has written jokes for big names including Jay Leno, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin and Robin Williams, thinks his can. Though some might argue that wit is instinctive, Macks contends that by following his advice and making a serious effort to improve-or even develop-a sense of humor, almost anyone can learn to "be funny in everyday life." He fills his how-to with tips and homework assignments on topics like self-deprecating and topical humor, sarcasm, using funny words and sounds and storytelling. Macks admits that although a flair for comic timing can be taught, "these techniques and advice will not work if you have the unfunny gene...if you are a cemedically-genetically-deformed person, return this book and get your money back." Macks's running comedy while he teaches makes his funny-for-dummies original and easy to read, yet many of his suggested jokes and one-liners for everyday life are real groaners; he offers this zinger as a way to lighten the mood in an elevator: "Does anyone have Dramamine?" That said, Macks does devote a good chunk of the book to explaining how to incorporate humor into public speaking, a situation where, unlike life, having scripted jokes is a good idea. He also includes helpful tips on how to handle rude audience behavior, like this classic: "Could you speak a little louder? We all missed the part about the Viagra not working."
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Jon Macks, author of Heaven Talks Back, From Soup to Nuts, and Fuhgeddaboutit, is a writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He has written for seven Academy Awards shows, nine Emmy Awards shows, and has a weekly comedy segment on The Paul Harris Radio Show on The Big 550/KTRS St. Louis. In addition, he writes for Hollywood Squares and for over a dozen of the nation's top comedians, politicians, corporate leaders, and sports commentators. He lives in Los Angeles.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Original edition (August 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743204727
• ISBN-13: 978-0743204729
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #676,653 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some Readers Don't Get It ! ! !, August 11, 2005

By 

Dan Seidman (Got Influence, Intergalactic HQ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to be Funny (Paperback)

This book is simply a systematic way to find humor in one's everday experiences.

As a professional speaker I found it IMMENSELY valuable. Jon Macks is basically telling the reader that there are different directions from which you can approach a person or situation to create humor.

The negative reviews seemed to expect a funny book. And there are some hysterical lines. However that is not the point. The jokes are there to reinforce the concepts. For example;

Gilbert Gottfried is asked on Hollywood Squares (a scripted show) "What do you do about a hairy back?"

He responds, "Close my eyes and imagine she's wearing an alpaca sweater."

While the joke is funny, painting a great picture, the point of this was to show the use of hard consonants to create funny words or sounds - use of the word alpaca is the point of the response.

If you write or speak and want to be funnier, this is a great book for you. Steve Allen's book of the same title is also a great book, written for the same purpose.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good book, but..., October 8, 2005

By 

Roger Sanders "Rogers" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to be Funny (Paperback)

The book is pretty good in a lot of respects, but the techniques and methods Jon delivers seem more theoretical than practical. Steve Allen's How to be funny: Discovering the comic you is a better book in that respect. An even better and more practical/simple book I had found is Stanley Lyndon's How to be funny (howtobefunny.net). But considering everything, all 3 books are good and cover the various points on being the everyday funny person. My advice is that you buy all three as they don't cost that much together. Have fun!

Rogers.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good laugh, not so good instruction, September 28, 2005

By 

The "Boon Docks" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to be Funny (Paperback)

I have to admit, most of the tips that john gives in this book are histerical. Overall the book is funny, but John only gives you certain situations of everday life that you could make funny, and he tells you what is funny , but he doesnt explain why things are funny that well and he doesnt give you great explanation to carry the jokes out to actually be funny. If you want a funny book, this would be one to read, but if you want to know what funny is and good instruction how to carry it out, i would reccomend to buy something other than this book.