27 Culture and Comedy: Stand-up across Cultures
-
Esther Linares-Bernabéu
Abstract
This chapter deals with stand-up comedy and more particularly how this rhetorical genre is related to the variable of culture. Indeed, we will try to examine how the expression of a cultural identity can be recognized in stand-up comedy and how culture affects the comedians’ metapragmatic and stylistic decisions when performing in front of an audience. Situational and social factors, such as the communicative context in which the performance takes place, the audience attending the performance, or the subject matter addressed in the humorous sequence will determine the rhetoricalpragmatic strategies selected for their stand-up act. Furthermore, the influence of culture in stand-up comedy has been studied from a wide variety of angles and perspectives. In fact, our linguistic approach also draws on some sociological, psychological, and philosophical aspects. In this regard, we suggest new interdisciplinary contributions aiming at studying what cognitive and emotional factors could influence the success of a stand-up comedy act. Likewise, we consider that future work should be aimed at broadening the study of stand-up comedy to cover non-Western cultures.
Abstract
This chapter deals with stand-up comedy and more particularly how this rhetorical genre is related to the variable of culture. Indeed, we will try to examine how the expression of a cultural identity can be recognized in stand-up comedy and how culture affects the comedians’ metapragmatic and stylistic decisions when performing in front of an audience. Situational and social factors, such as the communicative context in which the performance takes place, the audience attending the performance, or the subject matter addressed in the humorous sequence will determine the rhetoricalpragmatic strategies selected for their stand-up act. Furthermore, the influence of culture in stand-up comedy has been studied from a wide variety of angles and perspectives. In fact, our linguistic approach also draws on some sociological, psychological, and philosophical aspects. In this regard, we suggest new interdisciplinary contributions aiming at studying what cognitive and emotional factors could influence the success of a stand-up comedy act. Likewise, we consider that future work should be aimed at broadening the study of stand-up comedy to cover non-Western cultures.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Preface 1
-
Part 1: Essence of Humor: What Makes Something Funny?
-
Section 1: Psychological Processes: Why Do People Find Things Humorous?
- 1 Psychological Approaches to Humor: The Interaction of Cognition and Motivation 15
- 2 Personality Approaches: Beyond the ‘Sense of Humor’ 31
- 3 Evolutionary Approaches to Humor: Critical Review and New Advances 49
- 4 The Neuroscience of Humor 65
-
Section 2: Text Properties: What Makes a Text Humorous?
- 5 Computational Humor Models and Applications 87
- 6 The Role of Incongruity in Humorous Texts 105
- 7 Cognitive Approaches to Humor: Linguistic, Developmental, and Affective Science Considerations 125
- 8 Humor and Figurative Language 145
-
Section 3: Broader Social Context: How is Humor Shaped by Social Relations and Culture?
- 9 Failed Humor 165
- 10 Humor and Culture 181
- 11 Humor and Translation: Cultural Implications 201
- 12 Cultural Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Humor 221
-
Part 2: The Functions of Humor: How Do People Experience, Perform and Share Humor?
-
Section 1: Psychological Processes: What Functions Does Humor Serve for the Individual?
- 13 Effect of Humor on Cognition 243
- 14 Humor Appreciation Across the Lifespan 257
- 15 Humor, Health, and Well-Being: Is Humor Really Good for Us? 271
-
Section 2: Text Properties: What Contextual Factors Affect Humor Perception?
- 16 The Sociopragmatics of Humor 289
- 17 Conversational Humour 307
- 18 Satire and Parody 327
- 19 New Forms and Genres of Humor in Social Media 345
-
Section 3: Broader Social Context: How Does Humor Function in Social Relations and Culture?
- 20 Humor as a Double-Edged Sword: Uniting and Dividing in Social Interaction 365
- 21 The Role of Humor in Initiating Romantic Relationships 379
- 22 Gender and Humor: The New State of the Art 395
- 23 Ethnic Humor Across Cultures: Prevalence and Appeal 413
- 24 Disparagement Humor and Subversion 431
- 25 Humor in Media and Popular Culture 449
- 26 Political Humor 467
- 27 Culture and Comedy: Stand-up across Cultures 479
- 28 The Art and Efficacy of Clowning 495
- 29 The Dark Side of Stand-Up Comedy 509
- 30 Play or Power: The Social Significance of the Practical Joke 523
- 31 The Ethics of Humor and Comedy 539
- 32 Humor in Religious Contexts: An Overview 557
- 33 Humorless or Humor-Friendly Religion? Psychological Theory and Research 575
- Postscript: Humor: Universality, Genealogy, and Concept Formation 595
- Contributors 605
- Index 617
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Preface 1
-
Part 1: Essence of Humor: What Makes Something Funny?
-
Section 1: Psychological Processes: Why Do People Find Things Humorous?
- 1 Psychological Approaches to Humor: The Interaction of Cognition and Motivation 15
- 2 Personality Approaches: Beyond the ‘Sense of Humor’ 31
- 3 Evolutionary Approaches to Humor: Critical Review and New Advances 49
- 4 The Neuroscience of Humor 65
-
Section 2: Text Properties: What Makes a Text Humorous?
- 5 Computational Humor Models and Applications 87
- 6 The Role of Incongruity in Humorous Texts 105
- 7 Cognitive Approaches to Humor: Linguistic, Developmental, and Affective Science Considerations 125
- 8 Humor and Figurative Language 145
-
Section 3: Broader Social Context: How is Humor Shaped by Social Relations and Culture?
- 9 Failed Humor 165
- 10 Humor and Culture 181
- 11 Humor and Translation: Cultural Implications 201
- 12 Cultural Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Humor 221
-
Part 2: The Functions of Humor: How Do People Experience, Perform and Share Humor?
-
Section 1: Psychological Processes: What Functions Does Humor Serve for the Individual?
- 13 Effect of Humor on Cognition 243
- 14 Humor Appreciation Across the Lifespan 257
- 15 Humor, Health, and Well-Being: Is Humor Really Good for Us? 271
-
Section 2: Text Properties: What Contextual Factors Affect Humor Perception?
- 16 The Sociopragmatics of Humor 289
- 17 Conversational Humour 307
- 18 Satire and Parody 327
- 19 New Forms and Genres of Humor in Social Media 345
-
Section 3: Broader Social Context: How Does Humor Function in Social Relations and Culture?
- 20 Humor as a Double-Edged Sword: Uniting and Dividing in Social Interaction 365
- 21 The Role of Humor in Initiating Romantic Relationships 379
- 22 Gender and Humor: The New State of the Art 395
- 23 Ethnic Humor Across Cultures: Prevalence and Appeal 413
- 24 Disparagement Humor and Subversion 431
- 25 Humor in Media and Popular Culture 449
- 26 Political Humor 467
- 27 Culture and Comedy: Stand-up across Cultures 479
- 28 The Art and Efficacy of Clowning 495
- 29 The Dark Side of Stand-Up Comedy 509
- 30 Play or Power: The Social Significance of the Practical Joke 523
- 31 The Ethics of Humor and Comedy 539
- 32 Humor in Religious Contexts: An Overview 557
- 33 Humorless or Humor-Friendly Religion? Psychological Theory and Research 575
- Postscript: Humor: Universality, Genealogy, and Concept Formation 595
- Contributors 605
- Index 617