Studies in American Humor最新文献

{"title":"The Black Pack: Comedy, Race, and Resistance","authors":"Joshua Truelove","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.11.2.0271","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.11.2.0271","url":null,"abstract":"In The Black Pack: Comedy, Race, and Resistance, Artel Great explores the careers, relationships, and significance of the comedians of the self-titled Black Pack of the 1980s and early 1990s—Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Robert Townsend, Keenen Ivory Wayans, and Paul Mooney. In a deep analysis of their work that draws on meticulous research, Great argues that the comedians of the Black Pack “subversively engaged humor and satire to champion Black lives” and that “their work promoted a resistant brand of comedy that, to varying degrees, poked holes in the nation’s conventional racial and political narratives” (2). The introduction provides a necessary history of Black resistance humor from its origins in American slavery to the present. It also presents a lot of fascinating ideas Great refers to throughout the book, such as the Black Pack’s ability to entertain audiences across multiple mediums, the group’s role in representing 1980s Black masculinity, what counted as success and resistance humor in the Reagan era, and Afrofuturism. Great provides a breakdown of Black resistance humor through waves, referring to the Black Pack as the pioneers and faces of the sixth wave of Black resistance humor.The first chapter, “Planet Provocative: Paul Mooney, The Richard Pryor Show, and Revolutionary Laughter,” explores Richard Pryor’s and Paul Mooney’s influence on comedians of the sixth wave of Black resistance humor, specifically the Black Pack. Pryor and Mooney, according to Great, mark the ancestral beginnings of the Black Pack. He argues that their work on the sketch comedy series The Richard Pryor Show (1977) provided the “ideological template later adopted and expanded by the Black Pack” (26). The chapter provides a familiar history of Pryor as a legendary comedian and a nuanced account of Mooney’s role as Pryor’s friend and head writer. Great details their concomitant growth as comedians and their struggles with censorship and racism in Hollywood as well as their skill in creating unapologetically Black comedy that “weaponized Black resistance humor to remove the veil that designates whiteness as invisible” and “attacks oppressive hierarchies that overdetermine Black life in terms of social mobility, the legal system, economic opportunities, and political representation” (39–40). The chapter closes with an exploration of Eddie Murphy’s relationship with both Pryor and Mooney. Murphy ended up hiring Mooney as his writer and directed and costarred with Pryor in Harlem Nights (1987).Chapter 2, “Black Star Power: The Economics of Eddie Murphy and the Rise of the Black Pack,” analyzes Eddie Murphy’s significance as a Black resistance comedian, movie star, and entertainment mogul. While, on the surface, it might seem contradictory that someone achieving Murphy’s level of fame and fortune could be an agent of resistance, Great provides crucial historical context for cultural politicking in the 1980s to analyze how Murphy used his wealth and star power not onl","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"11 2","pages":"271-274"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147892208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Trouble with Jokes: Humour and Offensiveness in Contemporary Culture and Politics","authors":"Steven Windisch","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.11.1.0144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.11.1.0144","url":null,"abstract":"How to manage offensive humor is a complex and contentious issue. Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democratic societies, enabling open discourse and the exchange of diverse ideas. However, when humor crosses into offensiveness, it can harm marginalized groups, perpetuate stereotypes, and incite tension. Finding an equilibrium demands a nuanced understanding of the boundaries of free expression, the potential impact of words, and the responsibilities of comedic expression. Balancing these elements requires carefully considering the right to speak freely and the imperative to foster a respectful and inclusive public discourse.Nick Butler’s book The Trouble with Jokes: Humor and Offensiveness in Contemporary Culture and Politics is a thought-provoking exploration that invites readers to delve into the so-called dark side of humor. Butler joins a growing cohort of scholars and commentators who are unwilling to dismiss humor as mere entertainment and argues that jokes play a significant role in shaping societal attitudes and political ideologies. The general purpose of the book is to raise awareness about how jokes can reinforce harmful stereotypes, perpetuate systemic inequalities, and even bolster regressive political movements. By drawing attention to the undercurrents of humor, Butler helps readers understand that jokes are not always harmless; they can have serious social, cultural, and political ramifications. This awareness is essential in a time when humor is pervasive in media and everyday interactions, subtly shaping public discourse and opinions. This challenge to conventional wisdom is one of the book’s most compelling aspects, along with its mix of cultural analysis, political discussion, and philosophical reflection that helps readers navigate the complex landscape of offensive humor. A prominent theme of the book is the idea that every joke carries weight. A joke made in a safe, understanding environment can foster camaraderie and resilience, while the same joke in a hostile or insensitive setting can exacerbate tensions and cause harm.Across several chapters, Butler delves into the social ramifications of humor, exploring how jokes can create in-groups and out-groups by reinforcing cohesion among some while alienating others. For example, Butler highlights the use of transphobic jokes by several key Republican figures to signal their heterosexual masculinity and what it means to be a “real man.” Butler shows how these jokes thus function as a type of weaponized comic extension used in the culture war about transgender rights. By analyzing the cultural context of humor, Butler uncovers the deep-seated beliefs and prejudices that jokes can perpetuate, prompting readers to question the cultural narratives they take for granted. Far-right movements, for example, have weaponized humor to make their messages more appealing and accessible, especially to younger audiences. This strategic use of humor normalizes harmful ideologies and unde","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"11 1","pages":"144-146"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147889053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stand-Up Rerouting, or Cultural Transformation in Ali Wong’s Bawdy Comic Critique","authors":"Michael Dalebout","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.10.2.0251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.10.2.0251","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This article identifies and elaborates a form of comic persuasion called “stand-up rerouting,” showing how comedian Ali Wong’s stand-up in Netflix’s 2016 Baby Cobra transforms familiar conceptual norms, especially the conflicting binaries she faces as a woman and comedian. Drawing on the philosophical insights of Mikhail Bakhtin, Donna Haraway, and Gilbert Simondon as well as the feminist thought of Hélène Cixous and Trinh T. Minh-ha, the article traces Wong’s bawdy humor as it reroutes audience attention from a conceptual to a sensuous understanding of life. In embracing the tensions caused by normative expectations, and exploiting familiar cultural limits on identity in novel ways, Wong materializes alternative, nonbinary ways to reconcile tensions in her identities, transforming who and how she—and we—can be.","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"10 2","pages":"251-278"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147903913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The History of Stand-Up: From Mark Twain to Dave Chappelle","authors":"Matthew R. Meier","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0298","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0298","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90979482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When the Community of Laughter Needed the Bathroom: Bridesmaids and the Limits of Cringe Comedy","authors":"Wieland Schwanebeck","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0266","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT:This article links the concept of the community of laughter to cringe comedy, which emphasizes embarrassment, awkwardness, and social isolation over the affirmative bonds of other, less pain-inducing branches of comedy. It uses the film Bridesmaids (2011) to investigate how cringe comedy refrains from celebrating communality and solidarity, exposing the fragility of female bonds in the context of class warfare. The film’s eloquent and cringeworthy set pieces isolate the main character from her potential “community of laughter” and set her on a trajectory that is often closer to the arc of tragedy, where characters experience a fall. Crucially, cringe comedy’s inherent necessity to soften the blow, signaled by the climactic reconciliation in Bridesmaids, is not to be confused for a cop-out on behalf of the filmmakers. It is part of cringe comedy’s tendency to set its main characters on a path towards catharsis and spiritual betterment.","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"1 1","pages":"266 - 286"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76139744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sexy Like Us: Disability, Humor, and Sexuality","authors":"I. Seethaler","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0295","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73685471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reading Gertrude Stein for Pleasure: Finding the “Mere Humor” in “High Modernism”","authors":"Sarah Shermyen","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0211","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0211","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT:High modernist poetry, particularly Gertrude Stein’s 1923 poem “If I Told Him: A Completed Portrait of Picasso,” is often considered impenetrable and distinct from Stein’s more clearly humorous prose work. However, the poem invites us to laugh at the chaos of our world through the chaos and instability of language. This article explores the poem’s humor and the possibilities for pleasure it offers through the rhythm of repetition. Stein’s playfulness points to an oft-overlooked aspect of high modernism: its appeal to our most visceral selves.","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"22 1","pages":"211 - 226"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80046918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intimacy, In-Jokes, and the Feeling of Spontaneity on Late-Night Talk Shows: How Hosts and Audiences Laughed Together in Pandemic Times","authors":"Michael Louis Moser","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0247","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT:Late-night talk shows, which rely on live, in-studio audiences for their tapings, were forced during the pandemic to reformulate how they produced their programs, first recording episodes from their hosts’ homes and then in audience-less studios. This article shows how network late-night talk shows used intimacy, in-jokes, and the feeling of spontaneity to connect with their at-home audiences and encourage their participation, despite their being locked out of the studios.","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"22 1","pages":"247 - 265"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74242086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Whole Durn Human Comedy: Life According to the Coen Brothers","authors":"Darren J. Valenta","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0307","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0307","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90870038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Challenging Stereotypes: Prosocial Racial Humor in Luís Valdez’s Actos","authors":"Mark Hama","doi":"10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0227","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5325/studamerhumor.9.2.0227","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT:This article examines how Luís Valdez uses prosocial racial humor in his collection of short plays to challenge the anti-Mexican racism directed against the strikers during the 1965–1970 Delano, California, grape strike as well as to address many of the other social issues faced by the Chicano community during this period. Drawing on social psychology research on the dynamics of racial group identification and focusing on the acto entitled Los Vendidos, the article analyzes how Valdez and his Teatro Campesino created the set of conditions that allowed audience members to confront and overcome the negative effects of the racial stereotyping and ethnic slurs they were experiencing on the picket lines and elsewhere and in the process to raise their Chicano cultural and political consciousness.","PeriodicalId":53944,"journal":{"name":"Studies in American Humor","volume":"186 1","pages":"227 - 246"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72708330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}