JoAnne Astrow

Through unprecedented backstage access and candid interviews, the film weaves through the absurd world of the working comedian and reveals a crazy and hilarious psychological profile of its practitioners. We also follow retired comic Ritch Shydner's attempt to climb back on stage after a thirteen-year hiatus. At the top of his game in the 1980's, Shydner had HBO specials, shot five pilot TV shows, and numerous late night appearances (Carson, Letterman, Leno, etc.) but the big time eluded him. Equipped with the collective wisdom and nutty musings of over 80 of his peers, he gives it another shot. Does Ritch have what it takes to connect with today's young crowds and still get the laughs?

Tillie, a floundering young woman and her charismatic, alcoholic father, struggle to resolve their fractured relationship in the weirdest possible way: after he dies, his ghost appears in mirrors to haunt everyone in the family but Tillie. The family must do everything they can to make Tillie see her father or else they will be plagued by this ghost forever.

Robert (John Ritter) is a lawyer who takes more than professional interest in the new investigator hired by his firm, Isobel (Karen Carlson). As the two start working together, a romantic relationship gradually develops between them. But there's one slight problem: Isobel is 43 years old, while Robert is 29. The difference in age increasingly becomes a barrier to their romance -- especially when Robert discovers that Isobel has a 24-year-old daughter.

A comedy documentary featuring America's top stand-up female comedians, with performance clips, interviews and archive footage.