The TV Column

CNN series dissects what tickles our funny bone

George Carlin performs in Lima, Ohio, in 2003. The ground-breaking comedian is featured in CNN’s The History of Comedy at 9 p.m. today.
George Carlin performs in Lima, Ohio, in 2003. The ground-breaking comedian is featured in CNN’s The History of Comedy at 9 p.m. today.

Need a good laugh? Sure you do. But what, exactly, makes us laugh?

I've written before that humor is the most subjective of mediums. In fact, after one of my most clever and humorous TV columns (at least I thought so), I got a scathing email that said, "I suppose you thought this was funny. I have a good sense of humor and that's not one bit funny."

Ouch.

So, we turn to CNN for some answers. The History of Comedy premieres at 9 p.m. today. The eight-part series "explores what makes us laugh, why, and how that's influenced our social and political landscape throughout history."

The series is executive produced by Sean Hayes (Will & Grace), Todd Milliner (Hot in Cleveland), Mark Herzog (HBO First Look) and Christopher G. Cowen (Killing Lincoln) and features archival footage along with interviews with a number of comedy icons, including Norman Lear, Carol Burnett, Larry David and the inimitable Betty White.

Also contributing are Judd Apatow, Sarah Silverman, Al Franken, Margaret Cho, Samantha Bee, Jimmy Kimmel, Kathy Griffin, George Lopez, Keegan-Michael Key, Dick Gregory, Conan O'Brien, Patton Oswalt, Dick Cavett, Ali Wong and W. Kamau Bell.

Tonight's episode, "Going Blue," looks at the daring comedians such as George Carlin and Lenny Bruce who shocked us by embracing the "adult" side of comedy.

Many older viewers will recall how shocking Carlin's groundbreaking 1972 routine, "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" was. After 45 years, most of the words are still taboo on broadcast TV due to the Federal Communications Commission obscenity guidelines.

You'll have to go to cable these days to hear them bandied about, sometimes in puerile excess because the writers seem to be reveling in what they can get away with.

For the record, Carlin's forbidden words are the s-word, f-word, c-word, another c-word, the m-word and t-word.

Admit it. That's pretty funny to see them all together like that. Or maybe not. Humor is subjective.

Carlin, who was arrested in 1972 for performing the routine at Milwaukee Summerfest, died in 2008 at the age of 71.

The remaining seven episodes of The History of Comedy examine women in comedy, political humor, parody and satire, comedy ripped from the headlines, comedy's dark side, comedy in race and culture and comedy found in everyday life.

New lineup. Speaking of CNN, the cable news outfit launched a new morning schedule this week. Here it is.

3-5 a.m. -- Early Start with Christine Romans and Dave Briggs (he joins Feb. 23).

5-8 a.m. -- New Day with Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota.

8-10 a.m. -- CNN Newsroom with John Berman and Poppy Harlow.

10-11 a.m. -- At This Hour with Kate Bolduan.

The rest of CNN's daytime schedule remains the same.

New Who. Peter Capaldi, the current incarnation of the doctor on the BBC's Doctor Who, will be leaving the role at the end of the year.

The 58-year-old Capaldi, who joined the series in 2013, told The Associated Press, "It's been cosmic, but it's time to move on."

Capaldi will star in 12 episodes of Season 10 beginning at 8 p.m. April 15 and exit after the Christmas special in December. He is the 12th actor to play the doctor, an alien Time Lord who can regenerate into new bodies.

Cloak & Dagger. Cable's Freeform channel (formerly ABC Family) and Marvel have announced the cast for the forthcoming young adult series Marvel's Cloak & Dagger, an adaption of the early '80s Marvel comic book series of the same name.

Former Disney channel star Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph will play the title characters in the coming-of-age interracial romance/adventure.

Holt (Kickin' It) will play Tandy Bowen (Dagger), a teen whose family was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. She has the power to emit light daggers. Joseph (The Night Of) portrays Tyrone Johnson (Cloak), whose ability is to engulf others in darkness.

There's no word yet on a debut date, but it's probably 2018.

Archer. The Emmy-winning adult animated spy comedy will move from FX to sister network FXX when Season 8 debuts at 9 p.m. April 5.

Cooking shows. Here's a programming reminder. Season 12 of Masterchef Junior debuts at 7 p.m. today on Fox with 16 junior cooks competing for eight of the top 20 spots. That's followed at 8 p.m. by a new episode of My Kitchen Rules with a dinner party held at Kelly Osbourne's home.

The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:

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Weekend on 02/09/2017

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