Jeniffer and Chad talk with John Vorhaus about what it takes to be a good comic writer and how some of those things may be inborn. They discuss everything from his writing process, and his experience teaching comedy writing all over the world, to ultimate frisbee, poker, and dumb jokes. And, yes, there really was a Russian version of Married with Children. John worked on that show and learned some valuable lessons about how comedy isn’t always universal. So, knowing your audience is key.
John Vorhaus is best known for his comedy-writing classic, The Comic Toolbox: How to be Funny Even if You’re Not. He has taught and trained writers in 37 countries on five continents at last count, and created shows of his own in Nicaragua, Romania and elsewhere. His writing credits include dozens of teleplays and screenplays, plus seven novels, and some two dozen works of non-fiction. His latest book, A White Belt in Art, explores his late-blooming interest in visual creativity. Vorhaus is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and a member of the Writers Guild of America.
