The Time of Laughter

Reviews / Votes

"The Time of Laughter is a book that will delight scholars of comedy and humor with both its theoretical rigor and abundant examples. By the end of the book, most readers will come away convinced that it is impossible to study Japanese television, or even its broader media culture, without understanding how it has been informed and shaped by comedy." -- Film Quarterly "...an exquisitely written monograph that is vital to the study of Japanese comedy and laughter--and of the central role they play in Japanese media and the country's cultural and political landscapes. Humphrey's knowledge and presentation of televisual archives and media discourse are superb and will be accessible to a wide range of readers, from advanced undergraduates and up." -- Monumenta Nipponica "The Time of Laughter is a must-read for scholars of Japanese media, humor, and cultural studies, offering a rich and nuanced understanding of how comedy functions within the Japanese media landscape. It is accessible to readers with hitherto limited engagement with the world of Japanese comedy and situates those examples which might be familiar to English-speaking audiences in an illuminating historical and cultural context." -- Humor "This widely researched and documented study of Japanese comedy on TV productions shows and how on internet proves that laughter is not only a source and sign of present enjoyment but also a vehicle of economic and societal lived experience." -- KronoScope