"Two-drink minimums and potato skins; bad Clinton jokes on late night - these used to be the hallmarks of comedy, an art relegated to the controlled environs of comedy clubs and network TV. In the late nineties, a daring breed of comedians began rejecting the status quo altogether and, by taking cues from the indie-music world, started reviving comedy as a smart and innovative art form. " "Mock Stars delves headfirst into this revolutionary scene, tracing the evolution of stand-up and sketch comedy from the 1970s renaissance through the 1980s boom and bust and into the progressive, tech-savvy scene of today. Combining research with witty and nuanced writing, John Wenzel profiles the major trailblazers to reveal how comedy is becoming relevant and dangerously funny again. Andrew Earles, of famed prank-call duo Earles Jensen, contributes a guest sidebar to further bring out the firsthand accounts and musings of the scene's members. "--BOOK JACKET.