This is serious 1

Twin brother "And Here's The Kicker", this book contains a dozen interviews with comedy writers (USA and UK), whether TV shows, movies, books and sketches ... knowing that often these authors have invested several media. Besides pragmatism is often emphasized in interviews. Nothing very new: it is to match the often complex personality otherwise tormented to entrenched neuroses, moved by a spirit of challenge and provocation, with commercial requirements represented by the figure of the "executive". "The executive", is the one who holds the purse strings, which refers to decision makers in the chain, and whose bad taste (or idiocy and lack of humor if one believes several authors cited ) caught aberrant decisions.
The book applies to his anecdotes, his scoops, his thoughts on comedy writing. It appears the author of a standard profile "comic" determined, hardworking, adaptable, constantly searching, but also socially shifted (or unsuitable). In short trades to avoid, unless you can not do otherwise: the idea often comes up in conversations.
The availability of cultural products discussed here: books, movies, TV shows, comedy shows, etc. allows the reader to view or buy works which he had never heard of. But the French player notes that some production have successfully passed the Atlantic or the Channel: The Simpsons, The Office, Monty Python, Mel Brooks, Borat, etc. In other cases, the humor does not seem suited to the hexagonal taste: I think for example of "talk show" a Johnny Carson or more recently a David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, and that on the show "Saturday Night Live", institutions in the US but unknown (or almost) here.
Interviews are (nicely) subversive and often interesting. Questions are always a bit the same (the course, the influences, advice, professional practices). I stayed on my hunger when it came to Mike Sacks and his interlocutors to discuss certain subjects: I think especially to the near absence of women in this world (and among the authors interviewed). It deserved something that the remarks made here agreed by the authors (including women).
A very enjoyable read for those interested in following the comic writing mechanism. A fairly good level of English is required in my view, along with some knowledge of American and British popular culture.