Away with Words: An Irreverent Tour Through the World of Pun Competitions – A Reporter's Journey Through Comedy and Wordplay from Brooklyn to Austin - Softcover

Berkowitz, Joe

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0062495607 ISBN 13: 9780062495600

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2017

Synopsis

"[Away with Words] is low wit in its highest form. . . Mr. Berkowitz is sensitive throughout to the evanescence and contingency of punning and to the fleeting chemistry of a live pun-on-pun matchup crackling with energy." –Wall Street Journal

Fast Company reporter Joe Berkowitz investigates the bizarre and hilarious world of pun competitions from the Punderdome 3000 in Brooklyn to the World competition in Austin.

When Joe Berkowitz witnessed his first Punderdome competition, it felt wrong in the best way. Something impossible seemed to be happening. The kinds of jokes we learn to repress through social conditioning were not only being aired out in public—they were being applauded. As it turned out, this monthly show was part of a subculture that’s been around in one form or another since at least the late ‘70s. Its pinnacle is the O. Henry Pun Off World Championship, an annual tournament in Austin, Texas. As someone who is terminally self-conscious, Joe was both awed and jealous of these people who confidently killed with the most maligned form of humor.

In this immersive ride into the subversive world of pun competitions, we meet punsters weird and wonderful and Berkowitz is our tour guide. Puns may show up in life in subtle ways sometimes, but once you start thinking in puns you discover they’re everywhere. Berkowitz’s search to discover who makes them the most, and why, leads him to the professional comedian competitors on @Midnight, a TV show with a pun competition built into it, the writing staff of Bob’s Burgers, the punniest show on TV, and even a humor research conference. With his new unlikely band of punster brothers, he finally heads to Austin to compete in the World Championship. Of course, in befriending these comic misfits he also ended up learning that when you embrace puns you become a more authentic version of yourself.

About this title

About the Author

Joe Berkowitz is an editor and staff writer at Fast Company, covering entertainment and pop culture. He is the author of Away with Words: An Irreverent Tour Through the World of Pun Competitions and the coauthor, along with Josh Gondelman, of You Blew It. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two amazing cats.

From the Back Cover

In this immersive ride into the subversive world of pun competitions, we meet punsters weird and wonderful, and Joe is our tour guide. His search to discover just who is making all this wordplay, and why, leads him to the professional comedians on @Midnight, a TV show with a pun competition built into it, the writing staff of Bob’s Burgers, the punniest show on TV, and even a humor research conference. With his new unlikely band of Brooklyn punsters, he finally heads to Austin to compete in the World Championships. Of course, in befriending these comic misfits he ends up learning that once you start thinking in puns, you discover them everywhere—and once you embrace words with multiple meanings, you become a more authentic version of yourself.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0062495607
• ISBN 13: 9780062495600
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288