Funny on Purpose

"A guidebook to the world of professional humoring . . . Randazzo pulls off the rare trick of being funny while discussing comedy." —Michael Ian Black, The New York Times Book Review

It takes guts to be a comedian, and it takes smarts to make a living off it. In this insider's guide, former Onion editor Joe Randazzo delivers a funny and insightful blueprint for those looking to turn their sense of humor into a vocation, and solicits advice and stories from the likes of Judd Apatow, Jack Handey, Weird Al Yankovic, Rob Delaney, Joan Rivers, Tim & Eric, Nick Kroll, Lisa Hanawalt, and more.


Explaining how it works and how to break in, Joe provides tips and guidance, outlines successful career paths, and gives readers the knowledge and inspiration to launch a career in comedy with confidence.


"Covers an impressive range of comedy formats including standup, improv, sketch, TV, writing, directing, animation, and YouTube . . . includes tons of little details (reviews of websites that accept submissions, tips on how to create funny characters), any one of which might be the thing to jumpstart a comedian's success." —Publishers Weekly