Comedy (from the , ''kōmōidía''), as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse generally intended to amuse, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in Ancient Greece. In the Athenian democracy, the public opinion of voters was remarkably influenced by the political satire performed by the comic poets at the theaters. The theatrical genre can be simply described as a dramatic performance which pits two societies against each other in an amusing agon or conflict. Northrop Frye famously depicted these two opposing sides as a "Society of Youth" and a "Society of the Old", but this dichotomy is seldom described as an entirely satisfactory explanation. A later view characterizes the essential agon of comedy as a struggle between a relatively powerless youth and the societal conventions that pose obstacles to his hopes; in this sense, the youth is understood to be constrained by his lack of social authority, and is left with little choice but to take recourse to ruses which engender very dramatic irony which provokes laughter. Much comedy contains variations on the elements of surprise, incongruity, conflict, repetitiveness, and the effect of opposite expectations, but there are many recognized genres of comedy.

Satire and political satire use ironic comedy to portray persons or social institutions as ridiculous or corrupt, thus alienating their audience from the object of humor. Satire is a type of comedy. Parody borrows the form of some popular genre, artwork, or text but uses certain ironic changes to critique that form from within (though not necessarily in a condemning way). Screwball comedy derives its humor largely from bizarre, surprising (and improbable) situations or characters. Black comedy is defined by dark humor that makes light of so called dark or evil elements in human nature. Similarly scatological humor, sexual humor, and race humor create comedy by violating social conventions or taboos in comic ways. A comedy of manners typically takes as its subject a particular part of society (usually upper class society) and uses humor to parody or satirize the behavior and mannerisms of its members. Romantic comedy is a popular genre that depicts burgeoning romance in humorous terms, and focuses on the foibles of those who are falling in love.

Etymology

The word "comedy" is derived from the Classical Greek κωμῳδία ''kōmōithía'', which is a compound either of κῶμος ''kômos'' (revel) or κώμη ''kṓmē'' (village) and ᾠδή ''ōidḗ'' (singing); it is possible that ''κῶμος'' itself is derived from ''κώμη'', and originally meant a village revel. The adjective "comic" (Greek κωμικός ''kōmikós),'' which strictly means that which relates to comedy is, in modern usage, generally confined to the sense of "laughter-provoking". Of this, the word came into modern usage through the Latin ''comoedia'' and Italian ''commedia'' and has, over time, passed through various shades of meaning.

Greeks and Romans confined the word "comedy" to descriptions of stage-plays with happy endings. In the Middle Ages, the term expanded to include narrative poems with happy endings and a lighter tone. In this sense Dante used the term in the title of his poem, ''La Divina Commedia''. As time progressed, the word came more and more to be associated with any sort of performance intended to cause laughter. During the Middle Ages, the term "comedy" became synonymous with satire, and later humour in general, after Aristotle's ''Poetics'' was translated into Arabic in the medieval Islamic world, where it was elaborated upon by Arabic writers and Islamic philosophers, such as Abu Bischr, his pupil Al-Farabi, Avicenna, and Averroes. Due to cultural differences, they disassociated comedy from Greek dramatic representation and instead identified it with Arabic poetic themes and forms, such as ''hija'' (satirical poetry). They viewed comedy as simply the "art of reprehension", and made no reference to light and cheerful events, or troublous beginnings and happy endings, associated with classical Greek comedy. After the Latin translations of the 12th century, the term "comedy" thus gained a more general semantic meaning in medieval literature.

In the late 20th century, emerged among scholars the tendency to pragmatically prefer the term ''laughter'' to comprehensively refer to the whole gamut of the comic, to avoid the classification in ambiguous and problematically defined genres and fields like humour, grotesque, irony, satire.

History

Dionysiac origins and Aristophanes

Starting from 425 BCE, Aristophanes, a comic playwright and satirical author of the Ancient Greek Theater wrote 40 comedies, 11 of which survive and are still being performed. Aristophanes developed his type of comedy from the earlier satyr plays, which were shamelessly obscene. Of the satyr plays only survive examples by Euripides which are not representative of the genre. In ancient Greece, comedy originated in bawdy and ribald songs or recitations apropos of phallic processions and fertility festivals or gatherings. According to some, the original phallic songs also made fun at other people or stereotypes.

Around 335 BCE, philosopher Aristotle, in his work ''Poetics'', stated that comedy originated in Phallic processions and the light treatment of the otherwise base and ugly. He also adds that the origins of comedy are obscure because it was not treated seriously from its inception. That said, comedy had its own Muse: Thalia.

Also in ''Poetics'', Aristotle defined Comedy as one of the original four genres of literature. The other three genres are tragedy, epic poetry, and lyric poetry. Literature in general is defined by Aristotle as a mimesis, or imitation of life. Comedy is the third form of literature, being the most divorced from a true mimesis. Tragedy is the truest mimesis, followed by epic poetry, comedy and lyric poetry. The genre of comedy is defined by a certain pattern according to Aristotle's definition. All comedies begin with a low, typically with an "ugly" guy who cannot do anything right. By the end of the story or play, the "ugly" guy has won the "pretty" girl, or achieved some other goal. Comedies usually also have elements of the supernatural, typically magic and, for the Ancient Greeks, the gods. Comedy includes the unrealistic in order to portray the realistic. For the Greeks, all comedies ended happily which is opposite of tragedy, which ends sadly.

In ancient Sanskrit drama

After 200 BCE, in ancient Sanskrit drama, Bharata Muni's ''Natya Shastra'' defined humour (''hāsyam'') as one of the nine ''nava rasas'', or principle ''rasas'' (emotional responses), which can be inspired in the audience by ''bhavas'', the imitations of emotions that the actors perform. Each ''rasa'' was associated with a specific ''bhavas'' portrayed on stage. In the case of humour, it was associated with mirth (''hasya'').

Shakespearean and Elizabethan comedy

"Comedy", in its Elizabethan usage, had a very different meaning from modern comedy. A Shakespearean comedy is one that has a happy ending, usually involving marriages between the unmarried characters, and a tone and style that is more light-hearted than Shakespeare's other plays.

After the 19th century

The advent of cinema in the late 19th century, and later radio and television in the 20th century broadened the access of comedians to the general public. Charlie Chaplin, through silent film, became one of the best known faces on earth. The silent tradition lived on well in to the 20th century through mime artists like Marcel Marceau, and the physical comedy of artists like Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean. The tradition of the circus clown also continued, with such as Bozo the Clown in the United States and Oleg Popov in Russia. Radio provided new possibilities - with Britain producing the influential Goon Show after the Second World War. American cinema has produced a great number of globally renowned comedy artists, from the Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and Bob Hope during the mid-20th century, to performers like George Carlin, Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy at the end of the century. Hollywood attracted many international talents like Canadian comics Dan Aykroyd, Jim Carrey and Mike Myers. Among the most successful non-Hollywood comics was Australian comedian Paul Hogan in character as Crocodile Dundee. Other centres of creative comic activity have been the cinema of Hong Kong, Bollywood and French farce.

American television has also been an influential force in world comedy: with American series like ''M*A*S*H'', ''Seinfeld'', ''Friends'' and The Simpsons achieving large followings around the world. British television comedy also remains influential, with quintessential works including ''Fawlty Towers'', Monty Python, ''Dad's Army'', ''Blackadder'' and ''The Office''.

Australian satirist Barry Humphries, whose comic creations include the housewife and "gigastar" Dame Edna Everage, For his delivery of Dadaist and absurdist humour to millions, was described by biographer Anne Pender in 2010 as not only "the most significant theatrical figure of our time … [but] the most significant comedian to emerge since Charlie Chaplin".

Studies on the theory of the comic

The phenomena connected with laughter and that which provokes it have been carefully investigated by psychologists. They agreed the predominant characteristics are incongruity or contrast in the object and shock or emotional seizure on the part of the subject. It has also been held that the feeling of superiority is an essential factor: thus Thomas Hobbes speaks of laughter as a "sudden glory". Modern investigators have paid much attention to the origin both of laughter and of smiling, as well as the development of the "play instinct" and its emotional expression.

George Meredith, in his 1897 classic ''Essay on Comedy'', said that "One excellent test of the civilization of a country ... I take to be the flourishing of the Comic idea and Comedy; and the test of true Comedy is that it shall awaken thoughtful laughter." Laughter is said to be the cure to being sick. Studies show that people who laugh more often get sick less.

Forms

Comedy may be divided into multiple genres based on the source of humor, the method of delivery, and the context in which it is delivered. The different forms often overlap, and most comedy can fit into multiple genres. Some of the sub-genres of comedy are farce, comedy of manners, burlesque, and satire.

Performing arts

Historical forms

Ancient Greek comedy, as practiced by Aristophanes and Menander

Ancient Roman comedy, as practiced by Plautus and Terence

Burlesque, from Music hall and Vaudeville to Performance art

Citizen comedy, as practiced by Thomas Dekker, Thomas Middleton and Ben Jonson

Clowns such as Richard Tarlton, William Kempe, and Robert Armin

Comedy of humours, as practiced by Ben Jonson and George Chapman

Comedy of intrigue, as practiced by Niccolò Machiavelli and Lope de Vega

Comedy of manners, as practiced by Molière, William Wycherley and William Congreve

Comedy of menace, as practiced by David Campton and Harold Pinter

''comédie larmoyante'' or 'tearful comedy', as practiced by Pierre-Claude Nivelle de La Chaussée and Louis-Sébastien Mercier

''Commedia dell'arte'', as practiced in the twentieth-century by Dario Fo, Vsevolod Meyerhold and Jacques Copeau

Farce, from Georges Feydeau to Joe Orton and Alan Ayckbourn

Jester

Laughing comedy, as practiced by Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Restoration comedy, as practiced by George Etherege, Aphra Behn and John Vanbrugh

Sentimental comedy, as practiced by Colley Cibber and Richard Steele

Shakespearean comedy, as practiced by William Shakespeare

Stand-up comedy

Dadaist and Surrealist performance, usually in cabaret form

Theatre of the Absurd, used by some critics to describe Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, Jean Genet and Eugène Ionesco

Sketch comedy

Plays

Comic theatre

* Musical comedy and palace

Opera

Comic opera

Improvisational comedy

Improvisational theatre

Bouffon comedy

Clowns

Joke

One-liner joke

Blonde jokes

Shaggy-dog story

Paddy Irishman joke

Stand-up comedy

Stand-up comedy is a mode of comic performance in which the performer addresses the audience directly, usually speaking in their own person rather than as a dramatic character.

Impressionist (entertainment)

Alternative comedy

Comedy club

Comedy albums

Events and awards

British Comedy Awards

Canadian Comedy Awards

Cat Laughs Comedy Festival

The Comedy Festival, in Aspen, formerly the HBO Comedy Arts Festival

Comedy Walk, monthly comedy festival in Los Angeles

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Edinburgh Comedy Festival

Halifax Comedy Festival

Just for laughs festival

Leicester Comedy Festival

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

New Zealand International Comedy Festival

New York Underground Comedy Festival

HK International Comedy Festival

Vancouver Comedy Festival

List of comedians

List of stand-up comedians

List of musical comedians

List of Australian comedians

List of British comedians

List of Canadian comedians

List of Finnish comedians

List of German language comedians

List of Indian comedians

List of Italian comedians

List of Mexican comedians

List of Puerto Rican comedians

Mass media

Literature

Comic novel

Light poetry

Film

Comedy film

* Anarchic comedy film

* Gross-out film

* Parody film

* Romantic comedy film

* Screwball comedy film

* Slapstick film

Television and radio

Television comedy

* Situation comedy

Radio comedy

Lists of comedy television programs

British sitcom

British comedy

Comedy Central - A television channel devoted strictly to comedy.

German television comedy

List of British TV shows remade for the American market

Paramount Comedy (Spain).

Paramount Comedy 1 and 2.

TBS (TV network)

The Comedy Channel (Australia)

The Comedy Channel (UK)

The Comedy Channel (USA) not to be confused with HA! - channels that have merged into Comedy Central.

The Comedy Network, a Canadian TV channel.

G.O.L.D

See also

List of comedies

Humour

Australia comedy

List of genres

References

Footnotes

Notations

Pickard-Cambridge, Sir Arthur Wallace

* ''Dithyramb, Tragedy, and Comedy '', 1927.

* ''The Theatre of Dionysus in Athens'', 1946.

* ''The Dramatic Festivals of Athens'', 1953.

External links

A Vocabulary for Comedy from a professor at Dallas Baptist University

af:Komedie ar:كوميديا az:Komediya be:Камедыя be-x-old:Камэдыя bs:Komedija br:Fentc'hoari bg:Комедия ca:Comèdia cs:Komedie cy:Comedi da:Komedie de:Komödie et:Komöödia el:Κωμωδία es:Comedia eo:Komedio eu:Komedia fa:کمدی fr:Comédie gag:Komediya gl:Comedia gan:喜劇 ko:희극 hy:Կատակերգություն hi:प्रहसन hr:Komedija io:Komedio id:Melawak os:Комеди it:Commedia he:קומדיה ka:კომედია kk:Комедия la:Comoedia lv:Komēdija lt:Komedija hu:Komédia mk:Комедија ms:Komedi nl:Komedie ja:喜劇 no:Komedie nn:Komedie uz:Komediya pl:Komedia pt:Comédia ro:Comedie ru:Комедия sq:Komedia scn:Cummedia simple:Comedy sk:Komédia sl:Komedija sr:Комедија sh:Komedija fi:Komedia sv:Komedi tl:Komedya th:ตลก tg:Кинокамедия tr:Komedi uk:Комедія vi:Hài kịch wa:Comedeye yi:קאמעדיע diq:Komedi bat-smg:Kuomedėjė zh:喜劇

name	Bradley Cooper
birth date	January 05, 1975
birth place	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
alma mater	Georgetown UniversityThe New School
occupation	Actor
years active	1999–present
spouse	Jennifer Esposito (2006–2007)
website	}}

Bradley Cooper (born January 5, 1975) is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films ''The Hangover'', ''The A-Team'', and ''Limitless''.

Early life

Cooper was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in nearby Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. His mother, Gloria (née Campano), is Italian-American, and his father, Charles J. Cooper, was Irish-American and worked as a stockbroker for Merrill Lynch. Cooper was raised Catholic. After graduating from Germantown Academy in 1993, he attended Villanova University for his freshman year, then transferred to Georgetown University, from which he graduated with a B.A. in English in 1997. Cooper became fluent in French at Georgetown and spent six months as an exchange student in Aix-en-Provence, France. Later, in 2000, he received an MFA in acting from Actors Studio Drama School at New School University in New York City.

Career

Cooper began his professional acting career on the television series ''Sex and the City'' in 1999, and also served as a presenter for ''Globe Trekker''. Cooper made his film debut in ''Wet Hot American Summer'' in 2001, before landing his role as Will Tippin in the successful television drama ''Alias''. He returned twice to ''Alias'' as a guest star after leaving the show in 2003, and he also guest-starred on the short-lived TV series ''Miss Match'' in the same year. Cooper shot scenes for the 2002 psychological thriller ''Changing Lanes''; the footage was removed from the finished film but is featured on the film's DVD and Blu-Ray releases.

Cooper starred in the ABC family film ''I Want to Marry Ryan Banks'', and appeared as a regular guest star in the WB series ''Jack & Bobby''. He played the popular villain Sack Lodge in the hit comedy ''Wedding Crashers'' and appeared in the film ''Failure to Launch'' as a friend of Matthew McConaughey's character. Cooper played the lead role in the Fox sitcom ''Kitchen Confidential'', based on a memoir by chef Anthony Bourdain, which debuted in September 2005. However, despite critical acclaim, Fox announced after just four episodes that the series had been canceled.

thumb|left|180px|Cooper at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of ''Whatever Works''In March 2006, Cooper starred in ''Three Days of Rain'' on Broadway with Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater. Cooper also appeared on stage as Jake in the 2008 production of Theresa Rebeck's play ''The Understudy'' at the Williamstown Theatre Festival alongside Kristen Johnston.

In 2007, Cooper starred in Season 5 of ''Nip/Tuck'' as Aidan Stone, a television star on the fictional show ''Hearts 'N Scalpels''. Cooper also starred in ''Yes Man'' with Jim Carrey. He also made an appearance in the movie ''The Rocker'' with Rainn Wilson in 2008.

On February 7, 2009, Cooper hosted ''Saturday Night Live'' with musical guest TV on the Radio. Cooper impersonated Christian Bale in a fake commercial for a DVD featuring celebrities yelling at movie crew members called, "No, Bruce! Let Me Finish! The Best of Celebrity Tirades." In 2009, Cooper starred in the films ''He's Just Not That into You'', ''Case 39'' and ''The Hangover''. The success of ''The Hangover'' led to new opportunities for Cooper, but in an interview with Shave Magazine, Cooper said: "It’s the same. I mean, look, more doors have been opened for sure but it’s not like I sit back with a cigar on Monday morning and go through the scripts that have been offered." In October 2009, Cooper received the Hollywood Comedy Award at the 13th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Awards.

In 2010, he starred in ''Valentine's Day'', and played the role of Templeton "Faceman" Peck in the feature film version of ''The A-Team''. He guest co-hosted ''WWE Raw'' on June 7, 2010 along with his ''The A-Team'' co-stars Sharlto Copley and Quinton Jackson.

Cooper starred in the 2011 techno-thriller ''Limitless'', based on the 2001 novel ''The Dark Fields'' by Alan Glynn.

Cooper is set to star as Satan in director Alex Proyas' film adaptation of John Milton's epic poem ''Paradise Lost''.

Personal life

Cooper married actress Jennifer Esposito in late 2006. In May 2007, it was announced that Esposito had filed for divorce.

In September 2010, it was reported that Cooper and actress Renée Zellweger had been in a relationship for over a year. On March 18, 2011, ''People'' reported that the couple had ended their relationship.

Filmography

+ Film
Year	Title	Role	Notes
	''Wet Hot American Summer''	Ben
	''My Little Eye''	Travis Patterson
	''Bending all the Rules''	Jeff
		Guy at Yoga class/Satan	Featured in short films "Yoga" and "Raking Leaves"
	''Wedding Crashers''	Zachary "Sack" Lodge
	''Failure to Launch''	Demo
	''''	Cowboy
	''Older Than America''	Luke
	''''	Trash Grice
	''''	Leon
		Peter
		Ben Gunders
	''''	Phil Wenneck	Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic PerformanceNominated — Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or ComedyNominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Rockstar MomentNominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Summer Movie Star – Male
		Steve Muller	Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Couple
	''New York, I Love You''	Gus Cooper
	''Case 39''	Douglas J. Ames
		Holden Wilson
	''''	Templeton "Faceman" Peck
	''Brother's Justice''	Bradley
		Eddie Morra	Nominated—Teen Choice Awards
	''''	Phil Wenneck	Nominated — [[Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Chemistry
	''''		Filming

+ Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
	''Sex and the City''	Jake
	''Globe Trekker''	Himself	Presenter
	''''	Clay Hammond	5 episodes
	''Miss Match''	Gary	Episode: "I Got You Babe"
	''''	Morgan Murphy	Television film
	''Touching Evil''	OSC Agent Mark Rivers	6 episodes
	''I Want to Marry Ryan Banks''	Todd Doherty	Television film
	''Jack & Bobby''	Tom Wexler Graham	14 episodes
	''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''	Jason Whitaker
	''Law & Order: Trial by Jury''	Jason Whitaker	Episode: "Day"
		Will Tippin	46 episodes
		Jack Bourdain	13 episodes
	''Nip/Tuck''	Aidan Stone	6 episodes
	''Saturday Night Live''	Host/Himself
	''Inside the Actors Studio''	Himself	1 episode

References

External links

Category:1975 births Category:Actors from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:American film actors Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American stage actors Category:American television actors Category:Georgetown University alumni Category:Living people Category:The New School alumni Category:People from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

cs:Bradley Cooper da:Bradley Cooper de:Bradley Cooper es:Bradley Cooper fa:بردلی کوپر fr:Bradley Cooper id:Bradley Cooper it:Bradley Cooper he:בראדלי קופר ka:ბრედლი კუპერი hu:Bradley Cooper arz:برادلي كوبر ms:Bradley Cooper nl:Bradley Cooper ja:ブラッドレイ・クーパー no:Bradley Cooper pl:Bradley Cooper pt:Bradley Cooper ro:Bradley Cooper ru:Купер, Брэдли sr:Бредли Купер sh:Bradley Cooper fi:Bradley Cooper sv:Bradley Cooper th:แบรดลีย์ คูเปอร์ tr:Bradley Cooper uk:Бредлі Купер zh:布萊德利·古柏