The History of Comedy

Season 1

Utilizing archival footage punctuated by contemporary interviews with comedy legends and scholars, this is the history of not only what makes us laugh, but how comedy has affected the social and political landscape throughout history.

8 Episodes

  • F***ing Funny
    E1
    F***ing FunnyThe evolution of inappropriate humor throughout history is traced, showcasing the work from groundbreaking comedians who risked their careers, prison sentences and even their lives as they fought against censorship.
  • The Funnier Sex
    E2
    The Funnier SexA look at the greatest female comedians and how they were able to succeed in every genre where humor is found despite rampant sexism and prejudice.
  • The Comedy of Real Life
    E3
    The Comedy of Real LifeA look at how comedians find humor in the simple, daily experiences most people share.
  • One Nation, Under Comedy
    E4
    One Nation, Under ComedyThe evolution of racial humor and how comedy about shared experiences can cross cultural barriers to unite people in laughter are explored.
  • Ripped from the Headlines
    E5
    Ripped from the HeadlinesThe origins of topical humor are traced, from the invention of the monologue to the "fake news" shows of today.
  • The Spark of Madness
    E6
    The Spark of MadnessThe mind of the comedian is explored, as well as the difficult road that many seem destined to take where mental illness and substance abuse are remarkably common.
  • On Parody and Satire
    E7
    On Parody and SatireDemonstrating how effective and funny it can be when you look at something serious and just twist it ever so slightly.
  • Politics Aside
    E8
    Politics AsideA look at the many different ways that comedy has lampooned and influenced politics over the years.

Cast of Season 1

  • Ali WongSelf
  • Rain PryorSelf
  • Gilbert GottfriedSelf
  • David ZuckerSelf
  • Kent AltermanSelf
  • Rob ReinerSelf
  • Anne BeattsSelf
  • Betty WhiteSelf
  • Todd BoydSelf
  • Patton OswaltSelf
  • Judd ApatowSelf
  • Cindy ChupackSelf
  • Bobcat GoldthwaitSelf
  • Bob MankoffSelf
  • Lewis BlackSelf
  • Larry CharlesSelf
  • Jim JefferiesSelf
  • Arsenio HallSelf
  • Jerry ZuckerSelf
  • Craig FergusonSelf
  • Sarah SilvermanSelf
  • Keegan-Michael KeySelf
  • 'Weird Al' YankovicSelf
  • Marc MaronSelf
  • Laraine NewmanSelf
  • Al FrankenSelf
  • Harry ShearerSelf
  • Robert B. WeideSelf
  • W. Kamau BellSelf
  • Samantha BeeSelf
  • Neal BrennanSelf
  • Larry DavidSelf
  • Kevin SmithSelf
  • Carol BurnettSelf
  • Carl ReinerSelf
  • Jimmy KimmelSelf
  • Maria BamfordSelf
  • Adam McKaySelf
  • Conan O'BrienSelf
  • Robert KleinSelf
  • Jeff RossSelf
  • P. J. O'RourkeSelf
  • Elayne BooslerSelf
  • Stephen J. MorrisonProducer

Season 1 Ratings & Reviews

 

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