Visit Your Local PBS Station PBS Home PBS Home Programs A-Z TV Schedules Watch Video Donate Shop PBS Search PBS
Go
Subscribe
Archive for December, 2008

The Online Episode: Five Classic Viral Videos

Check out these five popular videos to appear in January 7th's online episode, which have become common references offline due to their overwhelming popularity.

Dec 2nd, 2008 | 22 comments

Best of the Best: Michael McKean on Christopher Guest

Michael McKean shares his thoughts on the work of Christopher Guest and This is Spinal Tap.

Dec 2nd, 2008 | 2 comments

Best of the Best: Dick Cavett’s Comedian Hero

Dick Cavett tells the story of when he met his comedian hero for the first time.

Dec 2nd, 2008 | 4 comments

Best of the Best: Tommy Smothers, “Mom always liked you best”

Tommy Smothers tells us about the creation of the famous Smothers Brothers joke.

Dec 2nd, 2008 | 9 comments

History: Vaudeville and Broadway

Learn about the headliners of vaudeville and Broadway, strutting their stuff and reprising material more than a half-century old.

Dec 2nd, 2008 | 7 comments

History: Clubs, Camps, and Catskills

“Follow the money,” went the refrain in All the President’s Men. When it comes to charting the influence of nightclubs and resorts on American comedy, the refrain might be “Follow the martini.”

Dec 2nd, 2008 | 8 comments

History: Cartoons

The reason, perhaps, why most animated cartoons are funny is because it’s in their pedigree; they came right out of the funny papers.

Dec 2nd, 2008 | 19 comments

History: Radio

Radio created so many of the ways that Americans receive and perceive comedy that it is arguably the most influential medium for comedy in our history.

Dec 2nd, 2008 | 16 comments

History: Comedy LPs

Comedy recordings have actually been around as long as there have been record players.

Dec 1st, 2008 | 19 comments

History: Cable Television

After battling the FCC and the broadcast network on the numerous legal technicalities for decades, a pay cable network makes its debut in 1972 transforming the comedy landscape forever.

Dec 1st, 2008 | 4 comments

Produced by THIRTEEN    ©2012 Educational Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.