Jon Macks

A hilarious, revealing look behind the history and culture of American late-night TV, by a longtime comedy writer forThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Ever since Johnny Carson first popularized the late-night talk show in 1962 with The Tonight Show, the eleven p.m. to two a.m. comedy time slot on network television has remained an indelible part of our national culture. More than six popular late-night shows air every night of the week, and with recent major shake-ups in the industry, late-night television has never been more relevant to our public consciousness than it is today. Jon Macks, a veteran writer forThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno, takes us behind the scenes of this world for an in-depth, colorful look at what really makes these hosts the arbiters of public opinion. From the opening monologue—what’s funny, what’s dangerous, what’s untouchable—to the best vs. worst guests, Macks covers the landscape of late-night comedy and punctuates the narrative with hysterical personal anecdotes, shining the spotlight on some of the very best late night jokes, and drawing from more than half a million of his own jokes written over the span of twenty years. With an insider’s expertise and a laugh-out-loud voice, Macks explains how late-night TV redefines the news and events of any given day, reshapes public opinion, and even creates our national zeitgeist.

An invaluable guide on how to “lighten up” from a distinguished pro who has provided laughs for JAY LENO, BILLY CRYSTAL, STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS, BRAD GARRETT, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, AND MANY MORE. Who hasn’t wished for the perfect withering comeback line, a clever tension-breaking quip, or a winning flirtatious remark? Being funny is hard work and not everyone is a natural. How to Be Funny is a witty guide that teaches readers precisely how to be funnier in everyday life. It’s a must-read for anyone who has to speak in public, be engaging and funny at work or at play, or who hopes to one day go out on a date. Jon Macks, a comedy writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards, Hollywood Squares, and the nation’s top comedians, politicians, and corporate leaders, knows his funny business. Here he demystifies the process of making people laugh, breaks down the basic building blocks and types of humor — which include self-deprecation, misdirection, deadpan delivery, sarcasm, and “the reverse” — and reveals the best approaches to use in common situations. How to Be Funny features helpful (and hilarious) tips and anecdotes from the comic legends Mack’s worked with — including Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, Gilbert Gottfried, Billy Crystal, Rita Rudner, Dave Barry, and Carrie Fisher — in his eleven years as one of the nation’s top television writers. Whether the goal is to give a memorable public address or deliver a killer line with friends, How to Be Funny is a charming, instructive, and practical read.

A definitive guide on how to be a 21st-century made man. With easy to read, step by step instructions, it reveals a unique way of living and a unique way of dying – usually involving an icepick and duct tape. Chapters include: the mobster’s code of conduct, five ways to pass time in jail and minestrone for the Mob soul.

When God began speaking to Jon Macks, no one was more suprised than Jon himself. And, for a full year, Jon dilligently recorded all God had to say. HEAVEN TALKS BACK contains God’s own words and his opinions on the whiners, the opportunists, and scandal-prone celebrities and politicians. Not only does God shed light on some of the ‘big’ issues like eternity and enlightenment, He helpfully tackles the mundane, from dating and fashion to Michael Jackson. For the first time ever, the All-knowing is offering his opinions on, well, just about everything. As a special bonus section, Jon Macks transcribes an exclusive, ‘one-to-one’ interview with God and reveals His sidesplitting answers to questions like: What’s your biggest mistake? and What is heaven like? The answers could bring Billy Graham to tears.