I tell every comedy writer this simple, profound secret. It's called, “Explain.” If you risk not getting a laugh for 12 minutes, then you can tell the audience who these characters are. You introduce Bialystock in dire circumstances and Bloom as a genius accountant who dreams of beautiful girls in the wings. You explain who they are, what they want and when they run into it. Then they will know what is happening. You take time for verdant valleys of information for a reason: to reach mountain peaks of humor. In most sitcoms these days, you aren't even sure who the characters are. Instead, they are always going for the jokes.

MEL BROOKS