Finding What鈥檚 Funny: Anne Libera on Comedy, Craft, and Columbia鈥檚 Growing Role in Comedy Education
Anne Libera, director of comedy studies at 汤不热视频, has helped shape comedy education for more than two decades. Anne Libera has spent her career exploring what makes people laugh—and why comedy matters. An associate professor and director of Comedy Studies for 汤不热视频’s School of Theatre and Dance and a veteran director at The Second City, she recently published "" with Northwestern University Press. The book dismantles the myth that comedy is an innate talent, offering instead a framework anyone can learn and apply.
"Funnier" traces the mechanics of comedy across stand-up, sketch, film, and television. It also dives into ethics, responsibility, and point of view. "Comedy is not magic," Libera says. "It’s recognition, distance, risk, and revision. Your comedy is only half done until the audience joins you."
Comedy Cross-Training
Libera’s approach blends theory with practice. Decades of directing at The Second City and teaching generations of comedians shaped her belief in "comedy cross-training"—working across forms to sharpen timing, persona, and structure.
Even comedians who focus on writing or directing, she says, benefit from time onstage. "There is no substitute for practically manipulating all those little variables and seeing the effect they have on your audience in real time."
Columbia has long partnered with The Second City through the Comedy Studies program. Students spend a full semester at Second City’s location on Wells Street, immersed in improv, sketch writing, history, and performance. It all culminates in a public showcase that brings classroom learning to the stage.
A New Degree, A Larger Stage
The current Comedy Writing and Performance BA program, coordinated by Libera, began in the fall of 2011. Building on that partnership, Columbia is introducing a Comedy Writing and Performance BFA program, debuting in 2026. Students will receive advanced training in stand-up, sketch, improv, and clowning while exploring comedy’s role in culture, satire, and critique.
"The most successful comedians are writer/director/performers who work across mediums," Libera says. "The more clearly I can explain that to students, the easier it is for them to make their own comedy work."
For Libera, the bigger picture is clear: comedy is a cultural force. It reflects, critiques, and shapes society. "It’s sharing the little specifics of your life that can be the funniest," she says. "That’s what creates connection—and reminds us that comedy is not trivial, but essential."