Stories of Suspense with a Sense of Humor
Continuing my earlier post regarding the Five Degrees of Jokes, here now is a brief discussion of second degree jokes. Second degree jokes juxtapose the sacred with the profane. This is fairly easy to explain because it can be shocking, and the shock to the system is what raises tension and elicits laughter. If the … Read more
But it’s the anger and frustration that ripples through the holiday crowds that truly unites us as a people.
“The Aristocrats” is a movie I should have seen when it came out. Not because I could have used any of the filthy, vulgar, soul-crushing versions of the joke, but because it had a truly emotional impact on me. I will make a few more comments about the movie, and the joke itself, over on … Read more
The NYC Midnight Madness screenwriting contest (nycmidnight.com) challenges contestants to write a five page script in 48 hours of an assigned genre using an assigned location. I really get a charge out of this format because I imagine that professional writing assignments would be in the same vein. What helped me for the most recent … Read more
I saw “Due Date” and I knew going in that it was basically like “Plane, Trains, and Automobiles” or “Midnight Run.” Those movies I love. I didn’t love “Due Date” but I can see how you might. I laugh at everything that John Candy does, and I would have Deniro’s children if I could. So … Read more