Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published March 26, 2003

Humorists walk a fine line

Jay Leno's chief joke writer said, "What writes funny might not sound funny and vice versa." Jim Brogan was speaking as a panelist exploring the differences between print and verbal humor at the annual conference of the National Society of Newspaper columnists (NSNC). He explained, "I'm not sure why. Maybe because on the page you can take time spinning out an idea. But in front of an audience, the joke has to be the leanest possible."

The four other panelists were print columnists, all members of NSNC. The Kansas City Star and New York Times News Service columnist said he had certain boundaries. He gave the example of making fun of Billie Carter but, after he went into an alcohol treatment program, the president's brother was off bounds.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune column writer said, "I never make stuff up. You want readers to trust you. If you make it up when you're trying to be funny, how do readers know you're not making it up when you're being serious?"

The editor and co-founder of the Annals of Improbable Research magazine, which might be described as the mad magazine of science, said that today it is hard to separate fact from fiction. Of his magazine he said, "About one-third of what we publish is genuine scientific research. One-third is concocted. One-third of our readers can't tell the difference."

When it was time for questions from the audience it surprised no one that they were all directed at Jim Brogan. Before he joined Leno as VP in charge of monologues, Brogan spent 20 years as a standup comedian. In addition to Brogan, Leno has a stable of fourteen writers. Half of them work on ideas for the monologue and half on other comedy pieces.

These writers produce about 500 suggestions daily. Each one is typed on a card and given consideration. Of that 500, about 150 are used during that night's show but Leno first chooses 15 or 20 for his monologue. He reads all of those 500 suggestions.

Brogan explained Leno's work schedule. Following the wrap-up of the show, which is taped late in the afternoon on the west coast, Leno goes home and is in bed by 10:30 p.m. At 2 a.m., Brogan goes to Leno's home and the two of them begin work on that night's show. By 9 a.m. each morning, Leno is back at the office.

During the panel presentation the Los Angeles Times columnist advised, "If you write a humor column, hang around as many grumpy people as you can. If they laugh, the joke is good." The Leno Show has the advantage of having an audience filled with people ready to laugh.

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Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.