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Funny Stuff
How Comedy Shaped American History
Mel Brooks (Foreword by), Laura LaPlaca (Contributions by), Ryan Lintelman (Contributions by), Jon Grinspan (Contributions by), Theodore S. Gonzalves (Contributions by), Ashley Oliva Mayor (Contributions by), John W. Troutman (Contributions by), Anya Montiel (Contributions by), Eric Jentsch (Contributions by), Ashley M. Senske (Contributions by), James I. Deutsch (Contributions by), Kevin Strait (Contributions by)
9781978837966
Hardback, published 12 May 2026
358 pages, 296 color images
27.9 x 21.6 x 2.8 cm, 1.647 kg
"A one-of-a-kind trip through the archives of the National Comedy Center and Smithsonian Institution that shines a new light on America's funniest moments." - Carol Burnett “Funny Stuff is filled with everything you have always wanted to know about comedy, the people who make it, and how it has shaped our world. Plus pictures!” - Amy Poehler “The National Comedy Center and Smithsonian approach comedy’s history with the same rigor and reverence we bring to it as artists.” - Lily Tomlin
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection With a foreword by comedy legend Mel Brooks, this dynamic work offers pop culture aficionados, history lovers, and comedy nerds alike a new perspective on America's past and who we are as a nation through our comedy.
The National Comedy Center and Smithsonian Institution hold unparalleled collections of artifacts that illustrate the vitality and importance of comedy in American life, from vaudeville, silent films, and TV sitcoms to stand-up, sketch, and cartoons. Now, for the first time, these collections are brought together in vibrant photographs and illuminating essays that tell the story of how comedy shaped American history.
Written by historians responsible for safeguarding these cultural treasures, the book takes readers behind the scenes to uncover the stories behind American heirlooms like Groucho Marx's tailcoat, George Carlin's joke files, Carol Burnett's "Went with the Wind" dress, Johnny Carson's monologues, and the very first Saturday Night Live script, alongside materials from cultural touchstones like The Simpsons, The Muppet Show, In Living Color, All In the Family, and I Love Lucy.
Foreword by Mel Brooks xi
Director's Note by Journey Gunderson xiii
Director's Note by Anthea M. Hartig xv
Introduction 1
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
Conclusion by Laura LaPlaca 333
Conclusion by Ryan Lintelman 337
Acknowledgments 343
Notes 345
Contributors 353
Illustration Credits 355
Index 000