Possible Clues:

• Not near to start to being funny
• Marx Brothers genre
• 'Close thy -, open thy Goethe' (Carlyle, Sartor Resartus)
• TV's 'Fawlty Towers,' for one
• Type of comedy associated with Sir Brian Rix
• Ridiculous sham
• Absurdity of priest rejecting the church
• Play genre
• "Some Like It Hot," for one
• Absurd event; comedy