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  An American Rock Band playing in front of fans at Nikon Theater at Jones Beach in Wantagh, New York

Entertainment is an action, event or activity that aims to entertain, amuse and interest an audience ("audience" can consist of one person). The audience may have a passive role, as in the case of persons watching a play or opera, a television show or a movie, or active, as in the case of a video game. More participatory or traditional activities, or those involving relatively static presentations, such as celebrating holidays, playing games, reading, making arts and crafts or viewing works of art are not generally considered entertainment, but rather as pastimes,^{[citation needed]} for entertainment generally requires that the supplier of the show is visible to the viewer,^{[citation needed]} with the exception of video games. Entertainment can attract an audience and influence their actions and thoughts. With respect to those participating in them, active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation.^[1] Activities such as personal reading or practicing a musical instrument are considered to be hobbies or pastimes.

Entertainment may also provide fun, enjoyment and laughter. The industry that provides entertainment is called the entertainment industry. There are many forms of entertainment for example: cinema, theatre, sports, games and social dance. Puppets, clowns, pantomimes and cartoons tend to appeal to children, though many adults may also find them enjoyable.

  Forms of entertainment

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  Animation

  An animated cartoon horse.

Animation is a form of entertainment which appeals especially to younger audiences. Animation involves the display of rapid movement in any kind of artwork.^[2]

  Live entertainment

Most entertainment expects or requires an audience to be passive. Such entertainment may include watching a film or theatrical production and other live performance such as circus, plays, musicals, farces, monologues and pantomimes provide cinematic and theatric entertainment.

  Comedy

Comedy provides laughter and amusement. The audience is taken by surprise, by the parody or satire of an unexpected effect or an opposite expectations of their cultural beliefs. Slapstick film, one-liner joke, observational humor are forms of comedy which have developed since the early days of jesters and traveling minstrels.^[3]

  Comics

  Felix the Cat comic strip

Comics contain text and drawings which convey an entertaining narrative.^[4] Several famous comics revolve around super heroes such as Superman and Batman. Marvel Comics and DC Comics are two publishers of comic books. Manga is the Japanese word for comic and print cartoons.

Caricature is a graphical entertainment. The purpose may vary from merely putting smile on the viewers face, to raising social awareness, to highlighting the moral vices of a person being caricatured.

  Dance and music

Many people find involvement in social dance to be entertaining. Many people listen to or watch musical entertainment.

  Games

  Bingo

Games provide relaxation and diversion. Games may be played by one person for their own entertainment, or by a group of people. Games may be played for achievement or money such as gambling or bingo. Racing, chess or checkers may develop physical or mental prowess. Games may be geared for children, or may be played outdoors such as lawn bowling. Equipment may be necessary to play the game such as a deck of cards for card games, or a board and markers for board games such as Monopoly, or backgammon.^[5] This can include ball games, Blind man's bluff, board games, card games, children's games, croquet, Frisbee, hide and seek, number games, paintball and video games.

  Other forms of entertainment

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  Sporting events are a popular form of entertainment.

• Concert
• Lecture
• Magic
• Mass media
• Radio
• Sports
• Storytelling
• Cinema

  See also

	Book: Entertainment
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Entertainment

• Busking
• Escapism
• History of film
• Leisure
• Literature

  Footnotes

  External links

Look up entertainer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Entertainment at the Open Directory Project