Veteran arts journalist Nick Zaino explores Boston’s long history of comedy, from vaudeville to YouTube, highlighting some of the personalities that have defined laughter in America for 100 years. Fred Allen found inspiration at the Boston Public Library to start his vaudeville career. Bob and Ray started their radio run in Gloucester at WHDH. Rusty Warren and Tom Lehrer shocked crowds in song. Norm Crosby and Bill Dana played the swinging supper clubs. Jay Leno, Denis Leary, Paula Poundstone, Steven Wright, Janeane Garofalo, Conan O’Brien, Eugene Mirman, Mike Birbiglia, Bo Burnham, Ziwe – all are part of the fabric of Boston comedy lore. Their history is a mirror of the history of American entertainment.

Nick A. Zaino III has covered comedy as a freelance writer for twenty-five years, twenty-one of those as a correspondent on the comedy beat for the Boston Globe. His bylines have appeared in the Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, Boston Magazine, and various other publications. He is currently writing a book about his experiences and interviews with local and national comedians.

Free and open to adults. Questions? Contact Ona at ridenour@noblenet.org.

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