Fewer things are better than a good chuckle. Heck, the only time I don’t mind getting a good stomach ache is after watching, hearing, witnessing or experiencing something hilarious. However, I do normally draw the line when people laugh so hard that they pee their pants.
The science of laughter isn’t something I’ve given much thought. Nor is the business end. Funny just is. Normally when I try and deconstruct why something makes me giggle, it no longer seems funny. And therein lies what makes Make ’em Laugh such a great documentary series. It leaves the explanation of the funny business to the funny people that are in the business. Using extensive interviews, lots of clips and an organized yet entertaining presentation, Make ’em Laugh provides not only an excellent history lesson in Western comedy over the last century but also the beginning of a conversation on why people find certain things and styles humorous.
Make ’em Laugh takes a Ken Burns approach in breaking one long documentary into several parts. Here there are six hour-long episodes each centering on a different style of comedy. The episode list includes looks at satire, family comedy, wise guys, physical comedy, outsiders and ground breakers. Each episode contains examples from important figures of that particular style including both clips and interview sound bites from either the figures themselves or from people that know the business. While there’s likely nothing groundbreaking or a lot of new knowledge excavated with the series, it works in bringing a lot of ideas together and presenting them in a fun and entertaining way.
Billy Crystal hosts and while he’s consistently a very funny guy, the forced nature of his introductions and transitions often stand out as being awkward and jolting. Doubly odd is the fact he’s emerged stronger from similar situations by hosting the Oscars on multiple occasions. But that’s really the only negative I had with the program and it’s a minor quibble at that.
Like any good documentary, Make ’em Laugh entertains and educates. It provides an important look at one of the most important parts of human entertainment and one that often gets a bad rap because sometimes it involves vulgar language, racy situations and fart jokes. But that shouldn’t stop us from exploring what makes us smile. Besides, even though we know that fart jokes are about as low as they get, I seriously doubt that I’m alone when I admit that there are times, no matter how increasingly slim, that they can be funny. Not all the time, or even often, but sometimes.
Make ‘Em Laugh DVD Review
The six episodes of Make ’em Laugh are spread over three jokes. The program is shown in widescreen with Dolby Digital stereo English audio. Bonus features include an extensive collection of extended interviews as well as several jokes from many of the featured entertainers.
Make ’em Laugh: The Funny Business of America Gallery
