Jack Handy's Silly and Timeless Comedy: A Retrospective

Jack Handy is a beloved comedy writer known for his distinct and silly style. During his 15-year tenure on Saturday Night Live, Handy wrote sketches that were often absurd, never timely, and had a childlike quality. His sketches, such as "Giant Businessman," followed simple premises and combined grounded conflicts with absurd elements, resulting in weird and wonderful comedy gold. Handy's deep thoughts segments, which he eventually brought to Saturday Night Live, became a household name. He later went on to write for The New Yorker and publish several books, including his latest, "Escape from Hawaii, A Tropical Sequel." Handy's writing style involves distilling jokes down to their core nugget, often finding humor in mythic themes and characters. Although he initially missed the city life after leaving New York, Handy now embraces the quiet desert lifestyle in Santa Fe, where he continues to write and test his jokes on his brutally honest wife.