About This Article
Entertaiment is a broad and diverse term, but one that encompasses anything that provides pleasure, diversion or amusement. This includes anything from the purely physical, such as sports or solving crossword puzzles, to the more abstract, such as art or literature. Entertainment may serve a more serious purpose, such as in the form of ceremonies or religious festivals, or it can be used for satire or social commentary.
What once served as practical skills for hunting or war have become spectator sports, while activities such as cooking can now be presented as a global competition. In this sense, entertainment is constantly evolving, and its adaptability to a wide range of media ensures its longevity and popularity. From Shakespeare to The Tonight Show, we look at some of the most popular forms of entertainment throughout history.