Entertainment is the ability to create fun, elicit a sense of joy or provide an enjoyable experience for others. Entertaiment can be formal and scripted, as in a play, opera, or television show; spontaneous and unscripted, as in children’s games; and can take place in public or private settings, involving audience members with roles that may be passive or active. Entertaining activities can be viewed as a means of achieving insight, intellectual growth, or a variety of other purposes.

In order to understand entertainment, it is important to look at the business aspects as well as the performance and creative sides of the activity.