"In my attempt to shed some light on the serious business of making people laugh, an effort to comprehend the inscrutable, an endeavor to gain some insight into the mechanics and craft of comedy, I invested three years interviewing some of the best known funny people and wrote my book, Great Comedians Talk About Comedy."

Larry also said, "Some sociologists believe that the love of laughter was inherent in most cultures of early history. Today's laugh makers are the direct descendents of harlequins, clowns and court jesters. And like their historic counterparts the current crop of comics is irreverent, inventive and uncommonly gifted."

As a professional speaker and executive speech coach, I know even the most serious message delivered on the wings of humor can have a profound effect on the audience, and often enhances learning. I was curious to ask Larry:

• Jack Benny pointed out that simply evoking laughter was not enough. "There has to be something more than just getting laughs. Laughs are not everything. People can scream at a comedian and yet can't remember anything afterwards to talk about. To become successful, they must like you very much...they must have a feeling, like, 'Gee, I wish he was a friend of mine. I wish he was a relative.'"

• Woody Allen's view on achieving stardom is that "it isn't the jokes...it's the individual himself. It's the funny-character emergence that does it. The best material in the world in the hands of a guy who is a hack or doesn't know how to deliver jokes is not going to mean anything."

• Danny Thomas put it another way: "For the younger people coming up...it's what you say and how you say it that gets you to where you become a who ... and when you become a who your material doesn't have to be as good."

What may come as a surprise to you as you listen to the interviews and Larry's observations, and 20 excerpts of conversations, is the enormous intelligence, remarkable sensitivity and astonishing demand for perfectionism exhibited by those interviewed.

I was in awe of how thoughtfully these comedians answered Larry's questions...they enjoyed talking to someone whose life was steeped in comedy...which goes to prove my theory, that the quality of the information you receive depends on the quality of your questions. As I listened to the entire conversations in preparation for my part of the project, I heard Johnny Carson pick up the telephone and tell his assistant, "Hold all calls," and Maurice Chevalier say "I have never talked to anyone for so long."

If you want to hear my interviews with Larry Wilde the album is ready: THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER: Dialogues with The Great Comedians  "...all you'll ever need to know about the enjoyment, appreciation and art of performance humor"

.....and the actual voices of .....

WOODY ALLEN, MILTON BERLE, SHELLEY BERMAN, JACK BENNY, JOEY BISHOP, GEORGE BURNS, JOHNNY CARSON, MAURICE CHEVALIER, PHYLLIS DILLER, JIMMY DURANTE, DICK GREGORY, BOB HOPE, GEORGE JESSEL, JERRY LEWIS, DANNY THOMAS, ED WYNN

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What People are Saying About The Gift of Laughter