Hoyle Matt - Comic genius: portraits of funny people

For my soon-to-be-born son or daughter whom Ive yet to know. Life is serious enough, heres to always seeing the funny side.

DAD

Matt Hoyle Photography wishes to offer the gift of laughter to an audience that needs it the most and, with this book, is proud to support Save the Children.

First published in the United States in 2013 by Chronicle Books LLC.

Concept and photographs copyright 2013 Matt Hoyle.
Compilation copyright 2013 PQ Blackwell Limited.
Introduction copyright 2013 Mel Brooks.

Produced and originated by PQ Blackwell Limited
116 Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand
www.pqblackwell.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-4521-3195-5

Library of Congress has previously cataloged this title under ISBN: 978-1-4521-2538-1

The quotations that appear in this book have been used with permission of the copyright holders. Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and the publisher apologizes for any unintentional omissions. We would be pleased to hear from any not acknowledged here and undertake to make all reasonable efforts to include the appropriate acknowledgment in any subsequent editions. The quote on has been widely attributed to Groucho Marx although at the time of printing, the publisher was unable to completely and accurately verify him as being the source of the quote.

Chronicle Books LLC
680 2nd Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

First of all, thank you for buying this book. Or receiving it as a gift. Or browsing through it in the bookstore before purchasing it. If you like to laugh, it really is worth it.

This series of portraits happened because I wanted to meet and honor the people who have been making me laugh all my life. At least the professional ones who get paid for it.

So I made a wish list. It was big and naive, but thats how I roll. And I truly believe it took this sort of blind optimism to take on what turned out to be the largest book of its kind ever shot. More than 125 portraits of the biggest names in the funny business, from the earliest comedy pioneers to the stars making us laugh today. All sitting before my camera. I was in heaven.

For each comic icon, I set out to create visual concepts that either said a little bit about their character or revealed a completely different side, which would make for a great portrait. I would come up with about ten concepts per person for their shoot, and if any struck a chord with them, that would be great. And if any of my concepts inspired their own thoughts, I was honored to turn their idea into a striking portrait. Sometimes we would come together and collaborate on a new conceptimagine spitballing ideas with Mel Brooks (Matt, those ideas stink.), John Cleese (Yes, I think playing a big fish like a cello would be funny, but it would have to be quite a big fish.), Carol Burnett (How about when I tug my ear it goes down to my shoulder?) or Steve Martin (You want me to play the banjo with Kermit the Frog? Ummmm, OK.).

To be honest, once we had Mel Brooks it was a little easier to get a response from others. Once we had Kermit the Frog, no one wanted to be left out.

After a year and a half of shooting in cities from Los Angeles to Edinburgh, and getting the vast majority of the people on my wish list, certainly the biggest collection of these icons in one project, I am proud to now invite you to grin, smile, laugh, guffaw, chuckle, reminisce, admire, and gaze at a book full of true comic geniuses.

MATT HOYLE

P.S. With this book Im proud to support Save the Childrentheres something so fitting when you connect these talented comedians with children who really need to smile.

It can be hard-boiled

It can be scrambled

Or it can be raw.

If you dont break comedy

If you dont break the egg

Youll always have it.

But in time, if you dont take a chance and break the egg

It will spoil.

Therefore. Break the egg.

Poach it

Sunnyside up it

Scramble it

Or make an omelette like the French say... with three eggs...

With some truffles.

Make it baveuse

Thats French...

It means, well done on the outside

Soft in the middle

And thats the way I like my comedy.

MEL BROOKS

Tragedy is when I cut my finger...

Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.

MEL BROOKS

Electricity can be dangerous.

My nephew tried to stick a penny into a plug. Whoever said a penny doesnt go far didnt see him shoot across that floor. I told him he was grounded.

TIM ALLEN

I try to do everything I can...

not to fail hideously.

BOB BALABAN

BOB BALABAN

JASON BATEMAN

JASON BATEMAN

MICHAEL IAN BLACK

When I was little, I would always stand in front of a mirror and cross my eyes.

Then my mother would come in and say, Stop that! Nothing will ever come of it!

CAROL BURNETT

CAROL BURNETT

STEVE CARELL

Im not funny.

Im actually quite a boring person to meet one-on-one. That seems to shock quite a few people who I run into, but I cant help it. I really suck as a guest at cocktail parties. I have no idea where my pathetic nature comes from. If I thought about it too long, it would depress me.