By Breana Krotz
The laughs are still rolling in Humor Writing (JOUR 488) and TV and Film Comedy (TCOM 184) classes at Ohio University. These courses are designed to teach students the essentials of effective humor writing. Though Mel Helitzer, creator and instructor of Humor Writing (JOUR 488) and author of "Comedy Writing Secrets," has passed the joke book along to other instructors, students are still finding the course to be "a hoot" while learning valuable writing skills.
Mark Shatz, professor of psychology at the Zanesville campus, and Senior Radio/Television Producer Director Keith Newman at the Athens campus have added their own bit of humor, customizing the course to fit their teaching styles.
Shatz, a former student of Helitzer's, first became familiar with Humor Writing (JOUR 488) while taking the class as a student at the Ohio University-Zanesville campus. Now trying to fill the clown shoes of his past instructor, Shatz has approached the course in the same manner that Helitzer once instructed students.
"It's one of the few times in teaching where I can truly relate to what my students are going through," Shatz said.
Humor can be very effective if the fundamental skills are learned. Also, learning how to write, place and monitor an audience can be used in many professions, public speaking and everyday life.
"It's the only course where students do not ask about grades, they're more concerned about their performance," Shatz added.
Many students enjoy the course so much they retake the final for fun. While others don't want to relive the stage fright, many come back to support students currently in the class.
"I had a lot of fun in the class, and enjoyed performing, so when the opportunity to 'retake' the final arose, I jumped at it," said Matt Coleman, former Humor Writing (JOUR 488) student.
Advances in communication, such as Ohio University's blackboard technology and the Internet, have technologically revolutionized the course over the years, linking humor strategy to the latest technology. Shatz uses many instructional techniques, cooperative learning and peer editing, while teaching the course.
"Humor is a combination of fiction and nonfiction with a twist," Shatz said. "The more personalized it is the better. You have to work at transforming personal topics into universal topics. Humor has immediate feedback and the success rate is so small."
As an instructor in the School of Telecommunications, Newman teaches his course a bit differently than Helitzer's original class. He approaches TV and Film Comedy (TCOM) 184, from a historical perspective, studying the different styles of humor. He uses Helitzer's textbook, "Comedy Writing Secrets," as a guide. The course studies history in comedy, for example, what makes things funny now that weren't funny years ago.
"Material that was once used is just waiting for the right time to be reused," Newman said.
He covers the first five chapters of Helitzer's book, including the formulas of comedy and joke structure. When writing humor you have to learn the formulas and then pay careful attention to culture and what is in the news, Newman added.
After Helitzer challenged Newman to take the course, he enrolled and experienced first hand a class that had sparked the attention of students and educators around the country.
"You really have to play on what you have. Most people will use material that is uncomfortable for them. They humor their own insecurities and inner fears. Comedy is honesty," he explained.
Students from a wide variety of majors have chosen to enroll in the course. Some brave students have even asked to perform some of their own comedy in front of the class, a large audience of approximately 200 students.
"Some of the kids have had some really good material and are really funny. I just help with language and polish it up a bit," Newman said.
Both Humor Writing (JOUR 488) and TV and Film Comedy (TCOM 184) are a barrel of laughs and offer students an inside look into the world of comedy.
Breana Krotz is a student writer with University Communications and Marketing.
