"The Dance of the Comedians is a wonderful book—exceptionally well written, insightful, and serious but fun. By examining America's political discourse from the perspective of standup comedy, Robinson provides a fresh and revealing look at the dynamics between elected leadership and the public."—LeRoy Ashby, author of With Amusement for All:
A History of American Popular Culture since 1830
"An engaging survey of the delicate balance between respect and ridicule for the presidential office. . . . A scholarly examination of the role humor has played and continues to play in modern American presidential politics, especially recommended for college library collections."—Midwest Book Review
"Peter M. Robinson manages to make the serious study of American humor quite entertaining in his lucid, persuasive, and rigorously researched study of political humor, The Dance of the Comedians. From beginning to end, Robinson constructs a vibrant thread of stories, anecdotes, and historical details that delineates the pervasive influence of humor in American political history."—Sam Girgus, Journal of American History
"Peter M. Robinson adds not only a saavy, outstanding dimension to the pantheon of American humor--his penetrating historical study focuses on political comedy, especially the standup performer--but further stresses humor's centrality in contemporary political life. . . . Robinson's overview of comedic performance at the core of political culture is at once comprehensive, incisive, and vital."—American Historical Review
"In this highly-entertaining yet politically valuable book, historian Peter M. Robinson traces the evolution of presidential lampoons from Mark Twain to Will Rogers, from Mort Sahl to Jon Stewart."—Steve Goddard
"Peter M. Robinson . . . manages to make the serious study of American Humor quite entertaining in his lucid, persuasive, and rigorously researched study of political humor. From beginning to end, Robinson constructs a vibrant thread of stories, anecdotes, and historical details that delineates the pervasive influence of humor in American political history."— , Journal of American History