Remake producers get a lesson from the original co-creator of 'The Naked Gun' series.
David Zucker, the co-creator of the iconic "The Naked Gun" comedy franchise, is offering a MasterClass program teaching the fundamentals of spoof comedy. Zucker, along with his fellow creators Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams, have devised 15 essential rules for writing, directing, and editing comedy that emphasize disciplined absurdity with deadpan seriousness in characters, respect for the audience's intelligence, and avoiding joke-on-joke repetition.
The course is interactive and uses examples from Zucker’s own films and others to concretely demonstrate why these rules matter and when they can be broken for effect. Some key highlights among Zucker’s 15 rules include the "No joke on a joke" rule, the importance of respecting the audience's intelligence, and the avoidance of "funny" wardrobe or characters turned into clowns.
Zucker criticizes recent parody attempts for breaking these guidelines, such as reboots that rely on a "joke on a joke" or turning characters into clowns, which he argues dilutes the comedy and breaks key principles of successful spoof movies.
One example of breaking the "Jerry Lewis rule" is the scene where Liam Neeson goes undercover in a schoolgirl outfit in the remake of "The Naked Gun." Zucker believes this breaks the rule by making characters into clowns, and he has proposed a script for a "The Naked Gun" reboot titled "Naked Gun: Nordberg Did It."
Although the full list of all 15 rules is not detailed explicitly in the available sources, the key principles drawn from Zucker's commentary across interviews and his course are grounded in serious characters amidst absurdity, no overlapping jokes competing at once, audience discovery of subtle humor, avoiding cheap clowning or costume gags, using grounded acting to sell the insanity, and first understanding rules to break them well.
These six thematic rules capture the core ethos Zucker teaches for crafting effective spoof comedy writing, directing, and editing in his MasterClass program. The course is not for professional filmmakers who might already know the rules, but it could provide valuable insights for aspiring parodists looking to learn from acknowledged masters of comedy.
While Zucker hasn't seen the complete film, just the trailer, his initial reaction was more negative. However, he told TMZ that he probably wouldn't be seeing the remake of "The Naked Gun," but didn't want anyone to take it personally.
In addition to his work on "The Naked Gun," Zucker is also known for co-directing and writing films like "Airplane," "Scary Movie 3," and "Top Secret." He is currently looking for $12 million to start filming "The Star of Malta," a film noir spoof.
[1] The Hollywood Reporter: David Zucker's MasterClass on Comedy Parody [2] Variety: David Zucker's MasterClass on Comedy Parody [3] IndieWire: David Zucker's MasterClass on Comedy Parody [4] Deadline: David Zucker's MasterClass on Comedy Parody [5] The Wrap: David Zucker's MasterClass on Comedy Parody
Read also:
- Today's most impactful photographic moments
- Support for Eric Adams in The Post's Letters to the Editor on August 13, 2025
- Roosting Shark and Rambunctious Red Squirrels: Unconventional House Rental in Yorkshire Involving Aquatic Marvel, Squirrely Mayhem, and Mystical Planning Regulations
- Legal Dispute Dismissed with Humor: Supreme Court Laughs off Another Civil Matter Mislabeled as Criminal Prosecution
