Podcast Summary: New Books Network

Episode Title: Elliott Kalan, "Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense"
Host: Rebecca Buchanan
Guest: Elliott Kalan
Air Date: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features Rebecca Buchanan in conversation with Elliott Kalan, celebrated comedy writer and author of the new book Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense (University of Chicago Press, 2025). The discussion explores the craft of joke writing, the myth of effortless comedic genius, the mechanics underlying effective comedy, and how anyone can develop a reliable, less anxiety-ridden process for creating humor. Kalan shares insights from two decades of comedy writing (including his time at The Daily Show) and explains why joke writing shares more with traditional writing than most people realize.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Write About Joke Writing?

• Origin of the Book ([02:02]):
  • Kalan wrote the book after being invited by editor David Olson, inspired to share practical methods developed over 20+ years in comedy.
  • He aimed to demystify joke writing and provide a process for professionals and interested novices alike.
• Quote:
  "I've spent a lot of time thinking about jokes, how they work, how to construct them, how to put them together....This book was about showing how that works and encouraging other people...to create this kind of process for themselves." — Elliott Kalan [02:29]

2. The Myth of the Comedy Muse

• Romantic Myths vs. Reality ([04:43]):
  • Comedy is often portrayed as spontaneous brilliance, but most jokes are crafted, revised, and practiced.
  • Kalan draws analogies to classic writers (DeLillo, Milton) revising drafts; even comedy "geniuses" require work.
• Quote:
  "It's not just someone standing up there spitting truth. It is work that goes into it. And enjoyable work...All writing is about communication....Comedy writing is just doing it in discreet little units called jokes." — Elliott Kalan [04:43, 08:16]

3. Collaboration and the Reality of Comedy Production

• Team Effort ([08:49]):
  • Whether in television, comics, or books, creating comedy is collaborative; "it takes a village."
  • Even the most singular artists, like Charles Schulz, are never entirely alone in the process.

4. The Central Role of Audience in Comedy

• Immediate Feedback ([11:01]):
  • Comedy uniquely depends on audience reaction (laughter) for success. A joke "works" if it causes laughter; otherwise, it must be reconsidered or revised.
• Pushing Back on “Too Deep” Comedy:
  • Not every comedian succeeds by being "too far ahead of the audience":
    "Every now and then there's a once in a generation comedy genius...but that's most likely not you...it’s not me, certainly." — Elliott Kalan [13:32 approx.]

5. Elliott Kalan's Joke Writing Process

Broken Down Steps ([19:36])

• Step 1: Identify the Absurdity
  • "What is the joke about? What doesn't connect here?"
• Step 2: Find the Premise
  • Craft a mini-story or scenario to deliver the joke's point.
  • The key is to present just enough information so the audience connects the dots to the punchline themselves:
    "You want to say A, B, C, D, F, and you want their brains to fill in E." — [21:34]
• Step 3: Structure and Clarity
  • Parcel out information, avoid unnecessary detail, ensure no essential info is missing.
• Step 4: Precision of Wording
  • Use specific language, compress for brevity, and remove any vagueness.
• Step 5: Testing the Joke
  • Try it aloud, share with others, and revise based on audience feedback.
  • Principles:
    • "Clarity, specificity, and brevity." — [25:20]

6. The Art of Revision and Editing

• Kalan and Buchanan discuss the love of editing and revision, crucial even for jokes.
• Small tweaks—down to a single word—can turn a line from flat to funny ([27:49-28:50]).
• Quote:
  "There was a joke... and in the temporary voice track...the person had omitted the second 'the.' I was like, we got to get that 'the' in there. Because that's what makes it a joke."' — Elliott Kalan [27:59]

7. Comedy Across Genres and Formats

• Universal Structures ([30:23]):
  • Kalan draws from a wide spectrum—stand-up, books, comic strips, Twitter, product packaging—showing all jokes function with the same principles: voice, premise, structure, tone, wording, audience.
  • "If I could, it would be Marx Brothers all the way through...but all jokes operate on these same elements."
• Jokes exist on a "continuum," whether they're from Steven Wright or on the back of a deodorant package.

8. Individual Voice and Persona in Comedy

• On Finding Your Comic Persona ([32:12]):
  • Comedy is most effective and authentic when rooted in the writer’s or character’s own voice.
  • Trying to mimic another's persona rarely succeeds.

9. Satire vs. Parody: The Hardest Comedy Form

• Satire Explained ([36:13]):
  • Satire uses exaggeration to reveal underlying truths; it's often misapplied to all political or parody comedy.
  • True satire is risky and difficult: it can be mistaken for the very thing it mocks.
  • Notable Example: Norman Spinrad's The Iron Dream [38:56]—so effective in its Nazi satire that actual Nazis added it to their reading list.
  • "If you do [satire] well enough, it can become to many indistinguishable from what you're satirizing ... Satire is a very high ... It's like a triple axel. It's hard to pull off." — Elliott Kalan [43:19]

10. Balancing Humor and Authority in a Comedy “How-To” Book

• Voice and Tone ([44:38]):
  • Intentionally wrote the book to be both funny and instructive, resisting the urge to become too dry or academic.
  • "If you’re not enjoying being a writer ... then you should do something else." — Elliott Kalan [47:15]
  • Humor, even in instructional writing, increases engagement and comprehension; books about comedy should themselves be enjoyable.

11. “Joke Farming” Book Takeaways and Promotion

• Book Event ([51:09]):
  • Launch event at 57th Street Books in Chicago on November 16, 2025.
  • Kalan’s ongoing projects: The Flophouse podcast, Smartless Presents Clueless, monthly Harley Quinn comics, and children’s books.
  • Main message: Buy "Joke Farming" from your local independent bookstore!

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "All writing is about communication. Ultimately, it's about taking an idea from your head and putting it into another person's head… that's what comedy writing is. It's just doing it in discrete little units called jokes." — Elliott Kalan [08:16]
• "Comedy is the illusion that it's happening in the moment. The truth is, it takes teams and tons of unseen revisions." — Rebecca Buchanan [08:25 paraphrased]
• "You can watch a horror movie and not literally be screaming...but if you're not laughing at a joke, then it really isn't doing its job." — Elliott Kalan [12:18]
• "It is really great to write for an audience. The most exciting moment...is the split second before the audience has laughed." — Elliott Kalan [15:01]
• "Jokes are basically discrete units of information that are lacking one thing that the audience will fill in." — Elliott Kalan [24:30]
• "If you’re not enjoying being a writer and you're not enjoying comedy writing ... then you should do something else. Because it's a very hard job." — Elliott Kalan [47:15]
• "Satire is like being a wizard. You're either pulling off amazing magic, or it just didn't work." — Elliott Kalan [42:58]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:35] Intro and guest welcome
• [02:02] Why Elliott wrote the book and his comedy background
• [04:43] Debunking the “muse” myth in comedy writing
• [08:49] The collaborative nature of comedy creation
• [11:32] The importance of the audience in comedy
• [19:36] Elliott’s step-by-step joke writing process
• [25:20] The three principles: clarity, specificity, brevity
• [27:49] Examples of how minor wording shifts determine comedic impact
• [30:23] The continuum of comedy forms and examples
• [32:12] Developing one's voice and persona
• [36:13] What is satire (and what isn’t)?
• [42:58] Why satire is so difficult and risky
• [44:38] Balancing humor and information in a comedy how-to
• [51:09] Book promotion and closing thoughts

Final Takeaways

• Joke writing is accessible, learnable, still magical—and it’s work.
• Even “silly” comedy is deeply crafted; every joke is a translation of an idea that lands only if the audience receives it.
• The best comedy, whether simple or sophisticated, is rooted in specificity, clarity, and the unique voice of its creator.
• Satire’s power—and danger—lies in its precision and the risk of misunderstanding.
• Kalan’s book aims to empower anyone interested in comedy with practical techniques and an appreciation for the deep craft behind what makes us laugh.