A lighthearted survey of American comedy from the past century and the achievements of its top contributors includes interviews with such figures as Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Cosby, and Ellen DeGeneres.

"The companion to the PBS series"--Jacket.

Introduction -- 1. Slip on a banana peel : the knockabouts -- Charlie Chaplin -- Buster Keaton -- Laurel and Hardy -- Harpo Marx -- The Three Stooges -- Lucille Ball -- Jerry Lewis -- Jim Carrey -- 2. Sock it to me? : satire and parody -- Will Rogers -- Sid Caesar and Your show of shows -- Tom Lehrer -- Allan Sherman -- Johnny Carson -- Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in -- Carol Burnett -- Mel Brooks -- Saturday night live -- Billy Crystal -- The Wayans brothers -- Jon Stewart and The daily show -- 3. Never give a sucker an even break : smart-alecks and wiseguys -- W.C. Fields -- Groucho Marx -- Jack Benny -- Tim (The Kingfish) Moore -- Phil Silvers -- Paul Lynde -- Redd Foxx -- Joan Rivers -- Eddie Murphy -- Larry David -- 4. Would ya hit a guy with glasses? : nerds, jerks, oddballs, and slackers -- Harold Lloyd -- Eddie Cantor -- Bob Hope -- Jonathan Winters -- Phyllis Diller -- Woody Allen -- Cheech and Chong -- Steve Martin -- Gilda Radner -- Robin Williams -- Andy Kaufman -- 5. Honey, I'm home! : breadwinners and homemakers -- The Goldbergs -- George Burns and Gracie Allen -- The Honeymooners -- The Dick Van Dyke show -- Norman Lear and All in the family -- The Odd couple -- Bill Cosby -- Roseanne -- Seinfeld -- The Simpsons -- 6. When I'm bad, I'm better : the groundbreakers -- Mae West -- Burlesque -- Abbott and Costello -- Moms Mabley -- Fred Allen -- Mort Sahl -- Lenny Bruce -- The Smothers brothers -- Richard Pryor -- George Carlin -- Bill Maher -- Punch line -- Bibliography -- Videography -- Acknowledgments -- Index.