Through unprecedented backstage access and candid interviews, the film weaves through the absurd world of the working comedian and reveals a crazy and hilarious psychological profile of its practitioners. We also follow retired comic Ritch Shydner's attempt to climb back on stage after a thirteen-year hiatus. At the top of his game in the 1980's, Shydner had HBO specials, shot five pilot TV shows, and numerous late night appearances (Carson, Letterman, Leno, etc.) but the big time eluded him. Equipped with the collective wisdom and nutty musings of over 80 of his peers, he gives it another shot. Does Ritch have what it takes to connect with today's young crowds and still get the laughs?

A downtown Manahattan gin mill plays host to a series of comic vignettes.

Do you have to be miserable to be funny? More than sixty comedians—including stand-ups, writers, actors, and directors from the US, Canada, and abroad—take on this question, sharing anecdotes and insights with lively enthusiasm.

The stand-up comedian is a special breed, both an artist and an artisan. They work by painstakingly developing a persona, scripting and editing an act, and revising it on the spot to suit the energy of a given audience. If the audience does not grasp the countless hours crafting the routine, and the empathic micro-calculations, then the act was a success... well, as long as it was funny.

Chevy Chase bitterly takes in his roast.

An ensemble comedy that follows the lives of six friends in New York City during the year in which they each reach their 30th birthday. We meet an investment banker from Wall Street, a stand-up comedian, a real estate agent, a marketing executive who perceives any career advancement as a sign of getting old, and a man whose thanks for being in a four-year relationship is a girlfriend who insists on an even greater commitment.

Teenagers from Brooklyn go the beach for a vacation and run into trouble with rich snobs from Philadelphia.

Two obscure film critics host four SF/Horror films: The Thing in the Basement, Illegal Alien, Nightfright, and Dr. Dobermind.

A down and out rock 'n roll band, Hindenburg, kidnap their favorite British rock star Spazz-O (Maynard), and hold him hostage so he will listen to their music and make them famous. The problem is, Spazz-O's ex-porn star wife Holly Everest (Parks) and his back-stabbing manager, Dave Donovan (Ant), can't wait to get their hands on his fortune, and have hired a hitman to do him in. Thanks to the media feeding frenzy, Spazz-O's career is hotter than ever. Enter media mogul Thor Sturmundrang (Harry) with a big advance check. Now Spazz-O is worth more alive than dead. Dave must outwit the bumbling band, clumsy cops, ruthless record execs and terrifying terrorists to get his just reward.