SURELY YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS

A history of the brains behind a classic of American comedy.

Acclaimed film directors David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker deliver an uproarious oral history of the making of their 1980 film, Airplane! which, in the words of Abrahams, elevated "stupidity to an art form." This delightful book, like Airplane! and many other ZAZ productions, is multilayered, incisive, and surprising. The authors detail how they created the sketch comedy outfit Kentucky Fried Theater in Wisconsin before moving the operation to Los Angeles and gaining a wide following. They also chronicle their forays into filmmaking, including their relationship with director John Landis. Far from a dull, chronological accounting, the book features scores of photographs, stills from Airplane! published reviews that raved and retched over Kentucky Fried Theater, and extensive thoughts from luminaries such as David Letterman, the creators of South Park, and other comedians and actors who underscore the massive significance of Airplane! Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is the career-altering serendipity that led to the discovery of the straight-laced and largely forgotten airline drama Zero Hour! the structure and spoof of which became Airplane! (right down to the exclamation point), and how the young, virtually unknown trio convinced actors like Robert Stack, Peter Graves, and Lloyd Bridges to keep playing it straight while uttering ridiculous lines. The authors recount tales of their adventures with Paramount Studios, how Airplane! changed the public perception of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the lasting fondness for the film’s stars, particularly their longtime colleague Stephen Stucker. The detailed backstory of ZAZ's journey from Milwaukee to Hollywood and the process of getting Airplane! to Paramount and in theaters is one of admirable self-belief and perseverance. While the book’s greatest appeal will be to film industry and comedy aficionados and those who understand the social context in which it was made, anyone who enjoyed the movie will find plenty to love.

A hilarious, well-structured account of and tribute to a significant film.