Ryan - The art of comedy : getting serious about being funny

B uilding a sense of humor can turn your life around. Feeling less stressful and skipping along the lighter side of life might be the right road for you. Pauls book is your road map.

Phyllis Diller, First Lady of Comedy

P aul Ryan knows comedy! He is one of the industrys true teachers who knows how to cultivate humorfrom hosting, to sitcoms, to improv. Paul pays attention to all of the comedy details that separate the amateur from the professional. He delivers all this to you with a comedy punch in The Art of Comedy!

Debra Wilson, actress from Mad TV

P aul Ryan knows funny. The time I spent with him in his comedy workshop was valuable and laugh-filled.

John Larroquette, Emmy award-winning actor

P auls relaxed style of teaching puts you at ease and allows you to take chances and experiment, without the usual anxiety.

Bryan Cranston, Emmy-nominated actor from Malcolm in the Middle

A personal and specific approach to acting and comedy. Practical guidance, with exercises that are fun and clear.

Steven Nash, Arts and Letters Management; president of Talent Managers Association

P aul Ryan is fabulous. I learned so much about comedy from him. Now you can learn amazing comedic skills from the man who teaches comedy to the stars.

Sally Kirkland, Oscar-nominated actress and Golden Globe winner

S ince Im Koreanand Koreans are the funny people of AsiaI know all about funny. Paul Ryan does, too. Hes hilarious, smart, generous, and a great communicator. In fact, we should make him an honorary Korean. Ill get on that. So buy this book and strap on your seat belts for a fun-filled ride.

Suzanne Whang, award-winning comedian and host of HGTVs House Hunters

W hat the world needs now is love, joy, and comedy. Just like love and joy, comedy is all about doing, not talking about it. Everyone can benefit from Paul Ryans The Art of Comedy.

Dr. Ava Cadell, loveologist and best-selling author

I f you want to find a long-lasting relationship, you need to develop a sense of humor. With Paul Ryans method of becoming funnier, you may find your true sweetheart. The Art of Comedy could be the book that leads you to the person of your dreams.

Renee Piane, best-selling author and founder of Rapid Dating

B eing funny is an art, but turning funny into success is a skill. Paul Ryans bullet points and bulletproof techniques are on target for any actor or performer who wants to transform his or her career. His practical exercises in the book will get you laughing all the way to the bank.

Neil Bagg, talent agent

P aul gives anyone who thinks they might be funny a chance to find out. Valuable exercises will have you entertaining your friends right away. For actors, this can be your key to landing the comedy roles.

Judy Kerr, acting coach; author of Acting Is Everything; dialogue coach for Seinfeld

A s a network exec and producer, if I know that you came from Pauls camp, your resume and reel are going to move to the top of the stack.

Kent Emmons, founder/CEO of National Lampoon Radio and Studio Funny

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE GREAT COMEDY LEGENDS WHO inspired me so much growing up in Philadelphia and England. They became my friends on television and in the movies, and made me laughthe greatest gift anyone can give.

I send out a big thank you to Jeff Black for introducing me to Mark Glubke at Watson-Guptill Publications. Thank you, Mark, for planting the important seeds.

I would like to thank John Foster for his brilliant editing, enormous contribution, and for gracing the book with his magical touches. The skill of an editor is often unrecognized, because the good ones make it look so seamless. John has the ability to take the words and simply make them better.

I send a lot of gratitude to Rick Benzel for helping me lay the ground work for the book and pushing me to get it done. I send appreciation to Elissa Kerhulas for her consciousness, Monique High for her tutelage, and Carol Green for separating the wheat from the chaff.

Thank you to my wonderful parents, Joyce and Ed Feldman, for doing whatever it was that made me want to be part of the entertainment industry, for all the laughs through thick and thin, and for all of your loving support.

Thanks to my wonderful friends for being there throughout the writing process, including Christine Adzich for her encouragement; Karen Cadle for being the great friend that you always are; as well as Judi Faye, Alex Ranko, Leigh Taylor Young, Frank Mills, Richard Gordon, Bobby Macik, Andy Gross, Jaki Baskow, Rudy Milanovich, Andrea Anderson; fellow L.A. Lakers fan Tracy Martin; Bill Margolin; the Healthy gang at Erewhon; Dental geniuses Dr. LanVi Do and Dr. Alan Kaye; my associate Martin Swoverland for his patience; family members Ida and Fred Feldman, Sylvia, Sahl, and Andy Becker, Barbara, Barry, Brandy, and Briana Bond, Maxine Easton, Shirley, Ed, and Maud Burrage. I would like to thank my two dogs, Max and Spirit, for their unconditional love and for proofreading every draft.

Thanks to my students, who have been both students and teachers to me, and who always keep me honest. A big heap of gratitude to all the actors I have ever worked with, who supported me in expanding my comedy talent, and to all the casting directors, producers, and directors that had the brilliance to hire me as an actor. I wish there were many more of you, but fortunately its not too late.

Thanks to Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith and my Agape family for loving me and supporting my funny. My announcement to you is You guys are beyond awesome!

Thank you, God, for being my biggest fan!

PREFACE

I VE BEEN TEACHING COMEDY ACTING AND IMPROVISATIONAL skills for more than twenty years, including thirteen at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, California, home of many top TV sitcoms, such as Seinfeld, Will & Grace, and That 70s Show. It certainly was great fun to visit and hang out with some of the stars and producers of these shows and to be able to take some of my students to their sets. Over this time, Ive taught hundreds of actors throughout the country, including Emmy Award-winning actor John Larroquette of