"It can be anything from a really good joke to a pratfall," he said. "I see it as being part of t... Comedians Trace Arc of Com

"It can be anything from a really good joke to a pratfall," he said. "I see it as being part of that comedy and tragedy mask. Out of that comes the human drama."

For James Burrows, whose writing, producing and directing credits include "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Taxi," "Cheers" and "Frasier," there's always room for a witty show.

Currently at work on the final episodes of "Will and Grace," Burrows said the similarities of the genre through the ages include "a core humanity, which has to do with the frailty of characters."

"The Mary Tyler Moore Show" didn't "push the envelope as much. In the world now where we have cable, there isn't a big enough envelope," Burrows said.

Bob Crestani, the festival's chief executive, said opportunities abound for the comedic form in part because of new media, including cable, video on demand and the Internet.

"There are more outlets for talent to go to be exposed and do their shtick or whatever," Crestani said. "Independent comedies are becoming a much stronger business."

Kevin Haasarud, an employee of HBO who programmed films for this festival, said comedy seems to fall in and out of favor. He said the pendulum seems to have swung back to comedy, and he pointed to the surprise success last year of both "Wedding Crashers" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin."

The last pure comedy to win an Oscar for Best Picture was "Annie Hall" in 1977. Before that was the Clark Gable/Claudette Colbert screwball comedy "It Happened One Night," in 1934.

Stand-up comedy, meanwhile, is highly influenced by popular culture and politics. Immediately following the invasion of Iraq, stand-up tended to be more acerbic, profane and political.

Two sold-out stage performances of Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion," performed live this week at Aspen's Wheeler Opera House, showed there's still a market for kindler, gentler humor.

There's also a retro feel emerging in some films. Haasarud referred to "Funny Money," a new movie starring Chevy Chase, as having "a very throwback feel."

In contrast, Annabelle Gurwitch is enjoying success with her live show "Fired" and the film of the same name that offers a frank and funny look at job loss and downsizing. It was inspired by her unhappy firing from a Woody Allen film.

This is cache, read story here