--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Historically, Hollywood comedy has…" description: "\"Historically, Hollywood comedy has arrived in skinny envelopes. From fence post Buster Keaton to herky-jerky Jerry Lewis to wiry nerve-bundle Woody All..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/james-wolcott-8178_bundles_historically-hollywood-comedy-has-arrive_283644.jpg" --- # Historically, Hollywood comedy has arrived in skinny… ![“Historically, Hollywood comedy has arrived in skinny envelopes. From fence post Buster Keaton to herky-jerky Jerry Lewis to wiry nerve-bundle Woody Allen to hung-loose Richard Pryor to whippy contortionist Jim Carrey, its comics and clowns have tended to be sliced thin and bendable.” quote by James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/james-wolcott-8178_bundles_historically-hollywood-comedy-has-arrive_283644.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/james-wolcott-8178_bundles_historically-hollywood-comedy-has-arrive_283644.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/james-wolcott-8178_bundles_historically-hollywood-comedy-has-arrive_283644.jpg) > “Historically, Hollywood comedy has arrived in skinny envelopes. From fence post Buster Keaton to herky-jerky Jerry Lewis to wiry nerve-bundle Woody Allen to hung-loose Richard Pryor to whippy contortionist Jim Carrey, its comics and clowns have tended to be sliced thin and bendable.” [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy in film has evolved from physical slapstick to increasingly edgy, personal humor, reflecting cultural shifts and audience expectations. **In simple terms:** Hollywood comedy changed from simple slapstick to complex, personal humor. Key Takeaway Study comedy’s roots to understand its future. Themes film history comedy cultural change media evolution Mood analytical reflective Type critical historical When to use this quote - film studies courses - stand‑up workshops - scriptwriting seminars - media criticism panels - cultural analysis reports Key Concepts slapstick satire social commentary identity politics Questions to Reflect On - What does “thin” mean for modern comedy? - How do audience tastes shape comedic risk? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑generalizing diverse styles under one label. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Fence post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fence-post/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Nerves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerves/) ## Related quotes > [Hollywood comedy has gotten really silly and absurd, and I like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/hollywood-comedy-has-gotten-really-silly-and-absurd-and-i-like-that/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [“Charles Snow had been as spiritually curious as a fence post, and Pete doubted that his father had ever changed in any meaningful way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-henderson/charles-snow-had-been-as-spiritually-curious-as-a-fence-post-and-pete/) [Smith Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-henderson/) > [Anytime you see a turtle up on top of a fence post, you know he had some help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/anytime-you-see-a-turtle-up-on-top-of-a-fence-post-you-know-he-had/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [“I exhausted myself trying to take it all in, noting every little variation and departure from how things were supposed to be. My notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-johnston/i-exhausted-myself-trying-to-take-it-all-in-noting-every-little/) Wayne Johnston > [“I fell in love with you when you crashed into my fence post and chased after my chickens and fell down in the mud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-andre/i-fell-in-love-with-you-when-you-crashed-into-my-fence-post-and/) [Bella Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-andre/) > [Everything in Russia is made of cement - phone booths, fence posts and light bulbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-frazier/everything-in-russia-is-made-of-cement-phone-booths-fence-posts-and/) [Ian Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-frazier/) > [“When I finally made it across the dune, I found her gazing at the ocean and holding a weathered fence post as if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-colson/when-i-finally-made-it-across-the-dune-i-found-her-gazing-at-the/) Emily Colson > [“How often ... do we pass by a need, a life that could be changed with the smallest bit of effort? 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But it would have to be someone who is a square shooter and who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-e-turner/i-might-like-to-have-someone-courting-me-but-it-would-have-to-be/) [Nancy E. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-e-turner/) ## More by James Wolcott > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [There was a time when idealistic folksingers such as myself believed that Reality TV was a programming vogue that would peak and recede, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/there-was-a-time-when-idealistic-folksingers-such-as-myself-believed/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [After a decade this glum, we deserved a shot of 'Glee,' a show that restored our faith in the power of song, the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/after-a-decade-this-glum-we-deserved-a-shot-of-glee-a-show-that/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [It's the contemporary woman that movies don't know what to do with, other than bathe her in a bridal glow in romantic comedies where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/it-s-the-contemporary-woman-that-movies-don-t-know-what-to-do-with/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I understand the people-watching, but I've never done it where people have to race to three different shows, from here to there. 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When I used to go to the punk clubs and things like that, I was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/i-ve-always-stayed-on-the-periphery-of-things-when-i-used-to-go-to/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [My high-school papers, my college-application essays, read like Norman Mailer packed in a crunchy-peanut-butter sandwich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/my-high-school-papers-my-college-application-essays-read-like-norman/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Telling writers to shut up is a sure way to keep them talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/telling-writers-to-shut-up-is-a-sure-way-to-keep-them-talking/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [As we divest ourselves of once familiar physical objects - digitize and dematerialize - we approach a 'Star Trek' future in which everything can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/as-we-divest-ourselves-of-once-familiar-physical-objects-digitize-and/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [The advent of DVD/Blu-ray reissues of classic Hollywood and foreign films has been a boon to film buffs, who can now study their favorites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/the-advent-of-dvd-blu-ray-reissues-of-classic-hollywood-and-foreign/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Mitt Romney - he had a Rock Hudson thing going, shoeblack hair and a well-hung resume, but even for a shameless, position-shifting phony he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/mitt-romney-he-had-a-rock-hudson-thing-going-shoeblack-hair-and-a/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Truman Capote was a pop figure, but it wasn't until he went on David Susskind's show and had that extraordinary voice and manner that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/truman-capote-was-a-pop-figure-but-it-wasn-t-until-he-went-on-david/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) [Explore all 83 James Wolcott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) ## More Bundles quotes > [Critics are biased, and so are readers. 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Kabbalists believe that above every blade of grass is an angel crying "Grow!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-kabbalah-describes-angels-as-bundles-of-light-meaning/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [I really hate those Internet freaks who take each thirty minute bundle of joy and turn it into a cult game of Where's Wally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/i-really-hate-those-internet-freaks-who-take-each-thirty-minute/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [A liberal is only a bundle of prejudices until he has mastered, has understood, experienced the philosophy of Conservatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/a-liberal-is-only-a-bundle-of-prejudices-until-he-has-mastered-has/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [We are all bound up together in one great bundle of humanity, and society cannot trample on the weakest and feeblest of its members…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-harper/we-are-all-bound-up-together-in-one-great-bundle-of-humanity-and/) [Frances Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-harper/) > [I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of sticks, far too large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/i-compare-the-troubles-which-we-have-to-undergo-in-the-course-of-the/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-us-remember-that-the-christmas-heart-is-a-giving-heart-a-wide/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I get honest I admit that I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and I get discouraged.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/when-i-get-honest-i-admit-that-i-am-a-bundle-of-paradoxes-i-believe/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [ In 1975, ... \[speaking with Shiing Shen Chern\], I told him I had finally learned ... the beauty of fiber-bundle theory and the profound… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-ning-yang/in-1975-speaking-with-shiing-shen-chern-i-told-him-i-had-finally/) Chen-Ning Yang > [. . . 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