Comedy

Comedy records consist of Spoken Word stand-up routines, sketch comedy, humorous prank calls, parodies and satire. Recorded Comedy peaked in the 1950s and '60s with acts like Lord Buckley, Lucille Ball and Mort Sahl, but declined in popularity with the growing appeal of rock 'n' roll. Since that time, comedians and comedy troupes like Bill Cosby and Monty Python have drawn dedicated followers, and often moved into film or television. Comedy has had its ups and downs -- a late '80s comedy boom made it impossible to channel-surf without coming across someone with a microphone standing in front of a brick backdrop. The more recent catalog includes work as varied as that of the laconic Steven Wright, the ranting Dennis Miller, and the ever-changing lineup of Saturday Night Live.