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Recently, I bought a book in one of those unending series written by a deceased author (whose initials are William W. Johnstone). (In my defense, I was curious and needed some Western fluff, and because it had decent type .) This one seemed to stand apart from the rest because it included a humorous subplot about a cowardly Easterner. The book drew a harsh review from a reader who thought this sort of plot was better left to people who liked movies like Paleface. But I thought it looked like it could be fun. (And I wish I knew enough to know who the ghostwriter was because if I like it, I won't be able to write a fan letter. )
So I wondered... Is there room for humorous Westerns? Are there a lot of outright humorous Westerns, like Cat Ballou (Hey, I forgot that was a book first. ) or for that matter, Blazing Saddles? Or is humor better left as a side dish in Westerns today? (For example, witty dialogue or banter in the middle of a serious plot?) Then again, while most of the Westerns I've bought lately have been really really really serious , wasn't humor an important part of the culture of the Old West (folklore, tall tales, etc.)? After all, humor can be a great way of coping with a harsh, dangerous life.
P.S. It's all the fault of TV. The first Western I really liked was a funny TV movie called Evil Roy Slade.
So I wondered... Is there room for humorous Westerns? Are there a lot of outright humorous Westerns, like Cat Ballou (Hey, I forgot that was a book first. ) or for that matter, Blazing Saddles? Or is humor better left as a side dish in Westerns today? (For example, witty dialogue or banter in the middle of a serious plot?) Then again, while most of the Westerns I've bought lately have been really really really serious , wasn't humor an important part of the culture of the Old West (folklore, tall tales, etc.)? After all, humor can be a great way of coping with a harsh, dangerous life.
P.S. It's all the fault of TV. The first Western I really liked was a funny TV movie called Evil Roy Slade.