the lowbrow reader
Jay Ruttenberg on his comedy zine, 'The Lowbrow Reader,' and its new tenth anniversary collection
Such pieces help to distinguish The Lowbrow Reader from its online counterparts. The focus falls on the immortal icons of the form, as well as the forgotten, cult-ish corners, rather than ephemeral recaps of sitcoms and stand-up specials. The book is refreshingly free of irony, and Ruttenberg claims a conscious effort was made to “avoid a winking appreciation” of the material discussed. However you may feel about Adam Sandler (who serves as a sort of talisman for the Reader as a whole), Ruttenberg’s “Billy Madison: A Love Letter” convincingly treats him as a profoundly influential benchmark of comedy’s recent past. More
