Jan 20th, 2006 · 'Looking for Comedy' in a Culture Gap January 20, 2006 · Actor and director Albert Brooks trolls for laughs in Asia and the Middle East in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World. Playing a version of himself, Brooks is recruited by the U.S. government to help foster a deeper understanding of the region. A comedy tour ensues.
Jan 20th, 2006 · The practice of "laughter therapy" is growing in popularity. Devotees say the simple act of laughing helps relieve stress and improves things like blood flow and digestion. It's getting so popular that even the Pentagon is training military families to use it. Luke Burbank talks to some practitioners and the self-proclaimed head of the "laughter movement" to find out what's so funny.
Dec 15th, 2005 · A Hollywood stage show has become a hit by playing juvenile angst for laughs. Mortified features adults from all walks of life reading aloud from diaries, letters and poems they composed as teens for the amusement of total strangers.
Nov 17th, 2005 · Kazakh officials have threatened to sue British comedian Sasha Baron Cohen, a.ka. "Ali G," and his fictional alter ego, Kazakh television journalist Borat. Kazakhs say the Borat character promotes an inaccurate portrayal of them as backwards, illiterate and anti-semitic.
Aug 19th, 2005 · Commentator Brian Egeston says that for a while he became good at delivering funny funeral speeches. Then one day he bombed, and a cousin who followed got all the laughs. He can't quite figure what went wrong, but figures there will be a lot more funerals where he can try again.
Aug 11th, 2005 · 'Starved': New Comedy Not Hungry for Laughs August 11, 2005 · Day to Day television critic and Hollywood Reporter editor Andrew Wallenstein reviews Starved, a new comedy on the FX television network. Wallenstein calls the series a "nasty, brutish" comedy -- and one of the best shows of the season.
Jun 13th, 2005 · As a child, NPR listener Colleen Shaddox loved hearing her uncle play jazz piano. Now her son is developing a love for the music that she believes unites her family even in the most troubling of times.
Dec 31st, 2004 · As one of the original stars of Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd brought to life several classic sketches: the Coneheads, the Wild and Crazy Guys, and the Blues Brothers. He went on to star in a number of films, including Trading Places and The Blues Brothers, and was Oscar-nominated for his role in Driving Miss Daisy. We rebroadcast an interview from Nov. 22, 2004.