Abstract
Merging sociological theories of collective identity with rhetorical theories of humor, this chapter takes a look at the elusive phenonmenon of conservative stand-up comedy in the United States of America. Drawing on a discursive analysis of a stand-up routine performed by the right-wing comedian Brad Stine, particular attention is placed on how Stine's rhetorical practices contribute to the construction of both liberal and conservative partisan-based identities in the US political sphere. Although the conservative comedic stances of Stine strive for satire they end up relying on a form of the burlesque which traffics heavily in resentment, anger and prejudice. Ultimatley, it is argued that the exclusivist identity-building practices which accompany such forms of humor prevent the constructive forms of debates and dialogue that are needed to sustain a healthy functioning democratic system.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Standing Up, Speaking Out: Stand-Up Comedy and the Rhetoric of Social Change |
Editors | Matthew Meier, Casey Scmitt |
Publisher | Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group |
Pages | 152-167 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781138100282 |
Publication status | Published - 2016 |