Comedy Writing Secrets by Mel Helitzer with Mark Shatz is a workbook on writing humor: the THREES formula, joke structure, plays on words and markets from stand-up to speeches. For writers, speakers and teachers who want to be funnier on purpose.
Author · 1 summary
Mel Helitzer
American professor and advertising executive
- Born
- 18 October 1924
- Died
- 11 April 2009 (aged 84)
- Nationality
- American
- Occupation
- Professor, Advertising executive, Humor writer
- Known for
- Comedy Writing Secrets and his humor writing course at Ohio University
- Wikipedia
- Read the article
About Mel Helitzer
Mel Helitzer worked for many years in advertising in New York and became president of a Madison Avenue agency. His work there won Clio awards. He also wrote jokes and material for entertainers such as Sammy Davis Jr., Art Linkletter and Shari Lewis, and he wrote for television.
In 1980 he left advertising to teach journalism at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. There he created a course in humor writing that grew so popular that students had to audition and wait a year for a place. Rolling Stone once called him the funniest professor in the country. He also taught sports publicity and wrote The Dream Job (1997), a textbook on sports promotion.
Comedy Writing Secrets (1987) turned his course into a book. It argues that humor is a skill that follows patterns anyone can learn, not a gift. The psychologist Mark Shatz co-wrote the 2005 edition. Helitzer retired in 2008 and died in 2009. Some critics find parts of the book dated.
Books by Mel Helitzer
New books, occasionally