How personal turmoil shaped comedy’s greats

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How personal turmoil shaped comedy's greats

The History of Comedy

Their jobs are to entertain, but comedians often draw their material from personal struggles.

01:20 - Source: CNN

'The History of Comedy' 27 videos

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How personal turmoil shaped comedy's greats

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Yvonne Orji

Stand-up comedy still scares 'Insecure' actress

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How SNL's Melissa Villaseñor creates her celebrity impressions

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Cameron Esposito has jokes but no apologies

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How to live like a dope comedy queen (or two)

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George Lopez, Keenen Ivory Wayans and Whitney Cummings back in the day

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Did Abbott and Costello write the iconic 'Who's on First' routine?

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Gone too soon: Mitch Hedberg

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The comic genius of 'Ren & Stimpy'

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What always gets a laugh out of Keenen Ivory Wayans?

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Larry David: 'You can just wing it'

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Mae West: A 'History of Comedy' pioneer

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Classic scenes in sitcom history

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 30: Actress Tina Fey attends The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_018 (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Turner)

Groundbreaking women in comedy

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Iconic presidential impressions

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Comedian Chris Rock speaks onstage during An Evening of Music, Art, Mischief and Performance to benefit Raising Malawi presented by Madonna at Faena Forum on December 2, 2016 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bulgari)

Comedians on parenting

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Fighting terror with comedy

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Inside the writers' room at 'Black-ish'

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History of Comedy Trailer

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The news according to Johnny Carson

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How World War II changed comedy forever

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The troubled pioneer of stand-up improv comedy

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The single most talented performer ... ever?

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The power of Moms Mabley

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She did something 'no other woman had before'

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How George Carlin's 'filthy words' changed America

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A comedy record 'too scandalous' for the store?

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