CULTURE CURRENT — Chuck Lorre on his reign as the ‘King of Sitcoms’

(For full picture story, see here: ) By Yasmeen Serhan Oct 17 (Reuters) — Laughter, Chuck Lorre is keen to point out, is not a voluntary act. It is not something we choose, but something that happens to us, like an unexpected gift. Lorre knows something about making it happen. Dubbed the “King of Sitcoms,” he has spent decades making audiences laugh, from his early work as a writer on the hit comedy “Roseanne” to creating shows, including “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Mom,” and “Mike & Molly.” In his newly released memoir, “Sitcom,” Lorre turns that comic instinct on his own life, writing candidly about his missteps, while also looking back at the television successes and creative battles that shaped his career. Speaking with Reuters from Los Angeles, he discusses why character is key to great comedy, what he learned from getting things wrong, and why he’s optimistic about the TV industry’s future. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. The memoir is very funny despite tackling difficult subjects, from failed marriages to addiction and Scientology. What made you want to open up about them now? From the outset, I was trying to write it as if I was