The Evolution of Comedy

Comedy is a form of entertainment made to make an audience laugh using jokes, sketches, and stories. There are many forms of comedy. Movies, television shows, and situational comedies or sitcoms for short have dominated our televisions. But comedy today hardly resembles the genre in decades past.

The first-ever comedy piece to be aired to the public was called “L’Arroseur Arossé,” also known as “The Waterer Watered.” In 1895, Louis Lumiére directed and produced this short film. This film falls just short of 60 seconds. The film is about a boy playing a prank on a gardener. Just 20 years later film legend and pioneer Charlie Chaplin began making a name for himself in the film industry for his silent comedy films. One of his most famous films, the 1940 comedy “The Great Dictator,” is a prime example and one of the first examples of mainstream satirical pieces of work.

Soon after this, a new form of comedy would be birthed. A new titan in the industry. Situation comedies, or sitcoms, were a new form of comedy that took on a new show format. From 1947 to 1948, Mary Kay And Johnny were aired as a series on public television in the United Kingdom, as well as radio. The show followed a newlywed couple living in New York. Mary Kay and Johnny were filmed and broadcast live. This show wasn’t the most popular, but it set the stage for other very popular sitcoms like Seinfeld, Friends, Modern Family, and Two and a Half Men. Shortly after this show aired, I Love Lucy, another sitcom which was made from 1951-1957 aired. The show fizzled out after production, and labor for the show was too much for the team to run. In the sixties, many classics like Mary Poppins (1964) took to the big screen and captivated audiences. The musical is about a magical nanny and her adventures with the 2 kids she watches. The Pink Panther (1963) was an instant classic nationwide. The Pink Panther is a movie that follows a tale of a thief who makes a plan to steal a large diamond nicknamed The Pink Panther. In the seventies, comedy was still similar to the 60s in terms that more serious pieces of work were the top tier of movies in their times.

Many classic films were made in the seventies. Blazing Saddles in 1974 is one of the most popular movies of the time but is seen as very controversial now. Blazing Saddle is a satirical depiction of racism in old western America. It follows an African American man who has to be sheriff of an all-white town in 1874. In the 80s comedy rose to the top of all genres. Some of the biggest movie titles to date like Ghostbusters (1984) Back to the Future (1985) Ferris Bueller’s Day Fff (1986), and The Golden Girls (1985-1992) starring the late Betty white, and Full house (1987). In the nineties is when comedy had reached an all-time high. One of the most prominent figures in the film industry, as well as the comedy industry, is Adam Sandler. Titles like The Waterboy (1998), Billy Madison (1995), and Big Daddy (1999). Adam Sandler was a powerhouse of the nineties. More titles in the nineties that are recognizable today are Home Alone (1990), The Big Lebowski (1998), Wayne’s World (1992), and Austin Powers (1997).

Why am I telling you this? Throughout the years, the comedy industry has shown exponential growth. up until the seventies, the movies became more vulgar and less family-friendly. As the times changed, the movies needed to keep up with the times. Why? Because of money. The more shocking the content, the more people want to view it. For example, Borat is a movie in which the basic premise of the movie is to deliver the most absurd shock content. Why did it do so well? They pushed the limit of their content to create something nobody has seen before. As the times went on the content took a turn and became more edgy and shocking. The change kept us entertained and hooked.