How to Write Something Truly Funny — Michael Jamin

Video Description

Michael Jamin has been writing Hollywood sitcoms for 28 years on shows like King of the Hill and Beavis and Butt-Head. Unlike most comedy writers, he’s not focused on punchlines, he’s more focused on building rich characters, developing deep storylines, and layering the comedy on top. But how do you do that? That’s what this episode is all about. Enjoy! 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:24 How to write comedy 00:07:17 The sitcom formula that still works today 00:11:14 How to create complex characters 00:21:47 How to sculpt a story that actually resonates 00:24:01 Sh*t happening is not a story 00:34:36 How writing for TV is different 00:44:52 How to craft a killer villain 00:52:44 Stop polishing turd 00:59:00 This is how to create the best jokes 01:04:13 Michael reacts to iconic American comedy 01:08:35 Debating AI for writing 01:17:17 Why good premises write themselves Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell