"The History Of Comedy"; A Conversation With Executive Producers Mark Herzog And Todd Milliner

By: Marjorie Galas

Early in the production of CNN’s “The History of Comedy”, executive producers Mark Herzog and Todd Milliner determined historians were important to outline the evolution of the comedy genre.  However, the people who rose from obscurity to recognized professionals in the genre would provide the meat of each history lesson.

“We were able to get over 75 great people to contribute to the timelines, and only about eight of those individuals are historians,” said Herzog.

Milliner and his production company, Hazy Mills Productions, came up with the idea to create a series exploring the origins of comedy.  He reached out to Herzog, having worked with his production company, Herzog & Company, on unrelated specials in the past.  An Emmy nominated producer for “Everybody Loves Raymond” as well as “The Sixties” and “The Seventies” installments of “The Decade” series, Herzog had the perfect background and resources need to flesh out the layout, concepts and extreme research needed to help round out the concept Milliner and his team put forth.  While Milliner and his team envisioned the revealing aspects of the genres history coming from the mouths of those who shaped it, the team spent nearly four months in pre-production, wading through a wealth of material, securing clearances and narrowing down topics.

“That was the hardest part; we had thirty different topics and CNN picked eight to start with,” said Milliner.  “We barely touch the tip of the iceberg.”

Everyone involved in “The History of Comedy” agreed on the topic of the series’ premiere episode, “Going Blue”, which aired Thursday, February 9^th, 2017.  Outlining the history of vulgarity, the episode begins with the need for vaudeville performers to compete with the scantily clad female performers as burlesque shows became popular in the 1930s.  The episode then follows the path of “blue jokes” through studying innovators including Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Eddie Murphy to contemporary up-and-comers.  Herzog secured members of the “Decade” camera crew, including his frequent lead DP Jack Kney, to shoot “The History of Comedy.”  Working with an assortment of lenses to intensify the depth of field, the production crew rented spaces that were bright, open and provided a warm, home-y feel.

Herzog also turned to his “Decades” graphic team led by longtime Herzog Creative Director Raleigh Stewart to help design a visually interesting entrance to the series.  The team had many brainstorming sessions to determine an image that would link the origins of comedy to what makes contemporary audiences laugh.  While ideas relating to old fashion microphones never made the cut, a concept of “going down a line” stuck.  The resulting graphic follows a three-dimensional line drawing that reveals the faces of famous comics, such as Lucille Ball, and comic settings, such as Jerry’s apartment from the sitcom “Seinfeld.”

“It was a lot of fun to do.  There were so many ways winding in comedy,” said Herzog.  “We did it in the last three weeks.”

Reflecting on the interviewing process, Herzog and Milliner both agree that they were surprised at how generous the comic talent was with their time.  While funny asides, such as Larry David’s “I hate documentaries” have made the advertising campaign, the producers found everyone involved were happy to share their struggles, memories and stories.  With the show’s premiere occurring a few weeks into the new, and highly polarizing, presidency, Milliner marvels at the timing, noting comedy’s place in healing some of our country’s most trying times.

“Comedy always helps get us through,” said Milliner.  “Think of David Letterman coming back on the air after 9/11.  Comedy has a place; it keeps reminding us that things will be OK.”

To learn more about “The History of Comedy”, please visit:

http://www.cnn.com/shows/history-of-comedy?sr=+history%20+of%20+comedy