#556 Something To Laugh About: TV Comedy, From Milton Berle to David Letterman
The Not Old - Better Show
Paul Vogelzang
4.7 • 106 Ratings
🗓️ 3 July 2021
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Something To Laugh About: TV Comedy, From Milton Berle to David Letterman - Interview with Dr. Brian Rose
The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series
Welcome to The Not Old Better Show. I'm Paul Vogelzang and as part of our Smithsonian Associates Art of Living interview series we have returning guest and Smithsonian Associate, Dr. Brian Rose with us today.
Dr. Brian Rose will give us something to laugh about and will tell us all about TV comedy from Milton Berle to David Letterman. Dr. Brian Rose will be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates August 3, and the title of his presentation is Something To Laugh About: TV Comedy, From Milton Berle to David Letterman. We'll hear from Dr. Brian Rose today about his upcoming Smithsonian Associates presentation, and more details are available on our website about how to attend the Smithsonian Zoom presentation by Brian Rose on August 3.
From commercial television's earliest days, making people laugh was a central goal of TV programmers. Successful radio formats like the situation comedy and the comedy-variety show were re-created for TV in the late 1940s, joined a few years later by the medium's own innovation, the late-night comedy talk show. For the next seven decades, these three formats dominated the airwaves, led by brilliant comedians such as Sid Caesar, Jackie Gleason, Johnny Carson, Carol Burnett, Gilda Radner, and Jerry Seinfeld.
Media and communications expert Brian Rose surveys the extraordinary landscape of American TV comedy, examining how comedy evolved from the vaudeville shtick of Milton Berle and the slapstick artistry of Lucille Ball to relevant sitcoms like "All in The Family" and "M*A*S*H," the social satire of "Saturday Night Live," and the self-reflexive absurdities of David Letterman and "The Simpsons".
Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show, via internet phone, Smithsonian Associate, Dr. Brian Rose.
https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/something-to-laugh-about-tv-comedy-from-milton-berle-to-david-letterman
My thanks to Dr. Brian Rose. Hopefully today's show will bring a smile on your face. Remember to check out our web site for more details about Brian Rose's upcoming Smithsonian Associates presentation on August 3. My thanks to the Smithsonian team for all they do to support the show. My thanks to you, my wonderful Not Old Better Show audience…be safe, and remember let's Talk About Better. The Not Old Better Show. Until next time, t
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Nuddle Better Show. I'm Paul Wogelsingh and as part of our Smithsonian |
| 0:19.4 | Associates Art of Living Interview Series. We have returning guests in Smithsonian |
| 0:23.4 | Associate Dr. Brian Rose with us today. Dr. Brian Rose will give us something to laugh |
| 0:29.8 | about and I tell you we need it. He'll tell us about TV comedy from Milton |
| 0:34.1 | Burle to David Letterman. Dr. Brian Rose will be presenting at the Smithsonian |
| 0:38.5 | Associates August 3rd in the title of his presentation is something to laugh |
| 0:42.8 | about. TV comedy from Milton Burle to David Letterman. We'll hear from Brian Rose |
| 0:48.2 | today about his upcoming Smithsonian Associates presentation and more details |
| 0:52.9 | will be available on our website about how to attend the Smithsonian Zoom |
| 0:57.0 | presentation by Brian Rose on August 3rd. From commercial televisions earliest |
| 1:02.4 | days, making people laugh was a central goal of TV programmers. Successful |
| 1:07.8 | radio formats like the situation comedy and the comedy variety show were |
| 1:12.5 | recreated for TV in the late 1940s joint a few years later by the medium's |
| 1:18.6 | own innovation the late night comedy talk show. For the next seven decades, |
| 1:24.4 | these three formats dominated the airwaves led by brilliant comedians such as |
| 1:29.7 | Sid Cesar Jackie Gleason, Johnny Carson, Carol Burnett, Gilda Ratner and Jerry |
| 1:35.0 | Seinfeld. Media and communications expert Brian Rose surveys with us the |
| 1:41.2 | extraordinary landscape of American TV comedy examining how comedy evolved |
| 1:47.4 | from the Vaudville Stick of Milton Burle and the slapstick artistry of Lucille |
| 1:51.9 | Ball to relevant sitcoms like All in the Family and Mash, the social satire of |
| 1:57.0 | Saturday Night Live, and the self-reflexive absurdities of David Letterman and |
| 2:01.4 | The Simpsons. Please join me in welcoming to the not old better show via |
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