Need a good laugh? 15 TV shows, podcasts, movies, authors and viral stars to check out

Reading a book about creating comedy feels a bit like reading the instruction manual for a gumball machine: The result is sweeter than the mechanics. But the mechanics are also fascinating. I love reading autobiographies by comedians, often humbling recollections of struggles and homages to the people who influenced them. My latest read, “And Here’s the Kicker: Conversations With 21 Top Humor Writers on Their Craft” by Mike Sacks, includes a couple of St. Louis stories: I was reminded that Harold Ramis attended Washington University, and his time there inspired some scenes in “Animal House.” The book also led me down a few rabbit holes, such as watching old Laurel and Hardy movies on YouTube and borrowing a friend’s DVD set of “Freaks and Geeks.” Other autobiographical favorites: “Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life” by Steve Martin, “Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man’s Fundamentals for Delicious Living” by Nick Offerman, “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah and “I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend” by Martin Short. By Valerie Schremp Hahn

Amy Sedaris has been dispensing homemaking advice for years. “I Like You” (2006) is an amateur’s guide to entertaining. And “Simple Times” (2010) is filled with quirky craft ideas — with an emphasis on doll wigs and pantyhose. “At Home With Amy Sedaris,” which returns for a third season May 20 on TruTV, repackages a lot of that content as a half-hour comedy resembling a kitschy spoof of “Martha Stewart Living” — but in a world where everything doesn’t turn out perfectly, and lots of wacky neighbors (many played by Sedaris) and guest stars drop by. Cole Escola, who starred with Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner in Hulu’s hilarious “Difficult People,” plays neighbor Chassie Tucker and is one of the show’s writers. By Gabe Hartwig

Trey Kennedy, who got his start making goofy Vine videos as a college student, was one of my last phone interviews of the Before Times. He was set to bring his live show to the Sheldon in March, but the pandemic meant his tour got shelved, along with my story. The Kansas City-based comedian, 27, has built a significant social media comedy presence making two- to three-minute-long videos for Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. He pokes fun at moms, bros, white girls in fall, middle-schoolers, couples during quarantine and, above all, himself. His podcast, “Correct Opinions,” is the perfect light, snarky accompaniment for a walk around the neighborhood. His comedy is family-friendly, so if your kids are all up in your business, at least they can laugh, too. By Valerie Schremp Hahn

This 2011 comedy has one of the funniest scenes ever shot — but even without that, it would be a great, hilarious and unexpectedly moving film. Several stories are interwoven, beginning with the long-married Steve Carell and Julianne Moore separating after an affair. Yes, it’s a comedy — don’t worry. Carell receives grooming and attitude advice from a cool, confident and successful pickup artist played by Ryan Gosling, with help from Ryan Gosling’s abs. But then, in another remarkable scene, Gosling uncharacteristically falls for the profoundly appealing Emma Stone. Throw in a couple of other young characters in love with the wrong people and a small but gut-busting performance by Marisa Tomei, and you have the funniest movie, so far, of the 21st century. By Daniel Neman

Rapper Lil Dicky (Dave Burd) came through in 2018 with a great little novelty hit, “Freaky Friday” featuring Chris Brown, in which the two artists switch bodies. On the very grown-up FXX series “Dave,” which just ended its first season, Lil Dicky plays an aspiring rapper on the fringes of success. Dave’s path to hip-hop notoriety is drop-dead funny. The story is loosely based on Lil Dicky’s own life, and artists such as Justin Bieber, Benny Blano, YG, Trippie Redd, Charlamagne Tha God and Angela Yee play themselves. Currently available on Hulu. A second season is expected in 2021. By Kevin C. Johnson

You can read David Sedaris’ droll essays (or, as they most likely are, embellished takes based on true stories). But it’s better to hear him read the funny, sometimes churlish tales of his family bickering at the beach; his partner, Hugh, lancing a boil; or the classic account of Sedaris working as a department store elf. That last one (as worth revisiting every holiday season as “It’s a Wonderful Life”) is in “Holidays on Ice,” available both in print and audiobook, as are “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim,” “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” and other titles. His voice comes through on the page, but it’s even better to hear the low-key way he reads about things like feeding a tortoise a tumor or his brother’s blunt pronouncements, more vulgar than the bawdiest limericks. And in Sedaris’ voice, just as funny. By Jane Henderson

In 1967, Dolly Parton sang: “Just because I’m blond, don’t think I’m dumb. ‘Cause this dumb blonde ain’t nobody’s fool.” A dive into “Dolly Parton’s America,” a nine-episode WNYC podcast, shows just how business-savvy but genuine and sweet this 5-foot bejeweled country music superstar is. Parton, whose storytelling ability and infectious laughter charmed me, has an appeal that spans generations. I was first introduced to her as a child watching “The Porter Wagoner Show” with my parents. Another generation was introduced to her as Aunt Dolly on “Hannah Montana.” The show delves into that timeless appeal and her wide base of fans, which includes liberals and the LGBTQ community. Weeks after listening, I still think about Parton as I listen to “Mule Skinner Blues” (1971), “Jolene” (1974) and “9 to 5” (1980) — all songs I have added to my running playlist. By Norma Klingsick

Principal Gerry Brooks earned his 147,000 YouTube followers with on-the-nose “car rants” on topics near and dear to teachers’ hearts: flair pens, lamination and staff restroom etiquette. Brooks, who lives in Lexington, Kentucky, delivers his sermons in a deadpan, syrupy Southern twang that adds a touch of softness to his satirical shots at high-stakes testing, complaining parents and even the “Aunt Becky” college-admission scandal. Anyone who has become an impromptu “erducator” during the pandemic will appreciate Brooks’ send-up of the teacher evaluation process: “I was making check marks of your positive remarks and negative remarks. ... You had 27 cuss words.” By Colleen Schrappen

There’s no doubt Wes Anderson has an offbeat sense of humor. Combine that and the filmmaker’s quirky aesthetic, and you have an aural and visual delight. Perhaps my favorite of his films is “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” ostensibly a kids movie with its stop-motion animation, but one with big life lessons, a big heart and more than a few big laughs (or maybe more like chuckles; Anderson’s films aren’t really laughers). But his funniest film to date is “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” a 2015 Oscar nominee for best picture. Ralph Fiennes, not exactly known for comedy, is understatedly hilarious as the concierge in a pre-World War II European hotel. With a funicular chase through the mountains, hotel trysts, espionage and prison escapes, this film is a perfect package of adventure and sardonic humor. And while the visuals are stunning, it’s the dialogue that makes the movie memorable. The script is full of witty double entendres and musings on life: “You see, there are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. Indeed that’s what we provide in our own modest, humble, insignificant ... oh, (forget) it.” It’s definitely one of those movies that gets more amusing on a second viewing, which you can do on Amazon Prime. By Amy Bertrand

On the “Heavyweight” podcast, host Jonathan Goldstein plays a sweet-but-sarcastic conduit for everyday folks who want to resolve some issue from their past, like middle school angst or romantic ghosting. But in “Rob” (Episode 16), Goldstein pairs with his pal Rob Corddry — late of “The Daily Show” — to determine if, as Rob claims, he broke his arm as a child. His family recalls no such event. I first listened to this when I was jogging; I laughed so hard that I had to stop on the sidewalk to collect myself. The interstitials of “Heavyweight” are as funny as the storyline, including Goldstein’s friend Jackie, a recurring foil. No broken-bone spoilers here, but Corddry does succeed in getting an emotionally reluctant Goldstein to say, “I love you.” By Colleen Schrappen

St. Louis native Lavell Crawford was to have been on a multi-artist bill for a show at Chaifetz Arena that has been postponed. But check out his 2019 special, “Lavell Crawford: New Look, Same Funny,” streaming on Showtime. In the special Crawford talks about his weight-loss surgery (thus the title), turning 50, President Trump, racism, buffet restaurants and QuikTrip hot dogs. Stick around for some fun during the end credits. The special (Crawford’s third) was filmed in San Antonio; he currently lives in Houston. By Kevin C. Johnson

If you hate improv comedy, you’re probably skimming ahead to the next item on this list. If you love improv comedy, you’re probably huffing that it should be experienced live in the moment. Please! Wait! You’re both wrong! “Middleditch & Schwartz” is a three-episode Netflix series featuring long-form improv by Thomas Middleditch (“Silicon Valley”) and Ben Schwartz (“Parks and Recreation”). Taped in front of a live theater audience, each of the duo’s performances crackles with spontaneity and sustained manic invention. Rather than constantly asking the audience for subjects, Middleditch and Schwartz solicit one topic (a wedding party, law school, a job interview) and a few details and then build from there into a single story so brilliantly paced and structured — and, most importantly, so funny — you won’t believe it’s being improvised. By Ian Froeb

Irreverent and darkly funny, the Gallagher family from the South Side of Chicago is led by the morally challenged Frank Gallagher — William H. Macy dirtier and more disheveled than you have ever seen him. It’s a show with outrageous — yes, shameless — actions that will shock you and make you laugh until your sides hurt. But it’s not just about the laughs. Over nine seasons, the show has dealt with mental illness, addiction, crime, teen pregnancy, homophobia and more. It has made me cry, joyfully squeal and also groan when Fiona, Lip, Ian (pretty much any of the characters) once again screws up their life. I like to think if the Gallaghers were stuck in this pandemic, Frank would have already had multiple stimulus checks by now — and already blown them on drugs and alcohol. A Showtime series, the first nine seasons are available on Netflix. By Norma Klingsick

When I’m out for a run, at the gym or otherwise trying not to draw attention to myself, there’s one thing that’s sure to cause me to burst into inappropriately timed laughter: the “Throwing Shade” podcast. Each week, comedians Bryan Safi and Erin Gibson tackle current events and issues affecting women and the LGBTQ community, with a bit of pop culture thrown in. After nearly a decade, this smart, funny show has a rich stock of inside jokes and recurring gags, and even the requisite ads for Squarespace manage to be entertaining. “Throwing Shade” made the jump to TV Land in 2017, running for a season, but the podcast is its truest, most enjoyable form. Bonus content: On a spinoff podcast, “Groceries,” Safi and Gibson critique supermarkets and products, and it is more engaging than you’d think. By Gabe Hartwig

For some reason, I don’t download podcasts. But I should make an exception for the NPR quiz show “Wait, Wait ... Don’t Tell Me!” Because I’ve heard the show in repeats, and even though it’s based on timely news, it’s still fun when the news is as old as food hidden at the back of a dollar store shelf. Radio guests guess which “fake” stories are real (proving truth really can be stranger than fiction), and celebrities are challenged by questions such as whether Stephen Hawking’s son added swear words to his father’s voice synthesizer (yes). The show can be occasionally corny, but mostly it’s sharp and funny, with ad-libs by the likes of Mo Rocca, Paula Poundstone or other panelists. And you can listen, amused, while cleaning the kitchen. By Jane Henderson