11666. AMERICAN HUMOR AND TELEVISION. An analytical overview of modern TV series, in the context of a broader contrast between 2 schools of American humor: one exemplified by Mark Twain and shock/hard humor, another symbolized by the gentler parodies of THE NEW YORKER and the lovable bumblers of Thurber and White. Finds both schools alive in today's market-motivated context which blurs the categories; most-mentioned shows are Roseanne, Home Improvement, Friends, and Fraiser. 13p. Notes in Text. 5b.