Probably what distinguishes man from other animals is his ability to laugh. Why does he laugh? That's easy. How do you make him laugh? That's not so easy. In fact, it's a near-impossible question to answer. It's the question which Larry Wilde, a writer and stand-up comic, took to the top laugh provokers in the nation. He visited them, switched on his tape recorder and let them talk. And what talk it is! In a relaxed manner we learn how the great comedy writers got started and how they stay on top. They're the geniuses who shape the one-liners for Bob Hope, who create the characters of "All in the Family," who dream up the foolery and fun of Guys and Dolls, or the topical newspaper column which punctures the pompous. How do the great comedy writers work their miracles? Goodman Ace says it's a matter of phrasing. One word out of place and the magic is lost. He says there's a rhythm that has to be present to make the material funny. And the others agree. No one really knows what makes a comedy writer. Many of them have had unhappy childhoods or have known poverty, but more important is an attitude toward life. Abe Burrows comments: "Humor is a way to keep from killing yourself." Art Buchwald feels that humor basically is hostility but sugar-coated so it is acceptable, so that one can make pungent comments through humor and not have rocks thrown at him. It's a matter sometimes of laughing at the way the world runs to keep from crying. The great comedy writers agree the best material is based on truth. The audience recognizes the false and won't respond. You can't hate your subject and be funny. Wilde asks probing questions on how a beginner can get started, what shapes a comic, whether there are any rules for writing humor, and how you know what has been written will make an audience laugh. He gets profound answers, amusing anecdotes, and fascinating inside information. Top professionals talk about constructing a situation for a television series, how stage shows are rewritten again and again on tryout runs, and the peculiar difficulties of writing for film. This is a rare chance to eavesdrop on the successful old pros. It's also a delight to sit back, open the book and enjoy!--Adapted from dust jacket.