Description
Book SynopsisPunching Up in Stand-Up Comedy explores the new forms, voices and venues of stand-up comedy in different parts of the world and its potential role as a counterhegemonic tool for satire, commentary and expression of identity especially for the disempowered or marginalised.
The title brings together essays and perspectives on stand-up and satire from different cultural and political contexts across the world which raise pertinent issues regarding its role in contemporary times, especially with the increased presence of OTT platforms and internet penetration that allows for easy access to this art form. It examines the theoretical understanding of the different aspects of the humour, aesthetics and politics of stand-up comedy, as well as the exploration of race, gender, politics and conflicts, urban culture and LGBTQ+ identities in countries such as Indonesia, Finland, France, Iran, Italy, Morocco, India and the USA. It also asks the question whether, along with contesti
Trade Review
‘The current times are such that one must stand up and be counted, stare straight into the eyes of the nefarious powers that be, throw punchlines well above one's weight, and laugh out loud. And this is what this very timely book teaches and beseeches us to do. A must-read for all those who, even in these grim times, believe that truth must be spoken to power, and that too with a smile, nay a guffaw!’
—Professor Saugata Bhaduri, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India.
‘This intricate analysis of punching up is timely and fascinating. The contributors use diverse methods and approaches to explore what it means to punch up across a range of contexts. The international focus is particularly welcome, with discussion of both established stand-up comedy scenes and more recent additions to stand-up’s increasingly global presence. A brilliant book.’
—Dr Sophie Quirk, University of Kent, UK.
"The current times are such that one must stand up and be counted, stare straight into the eyes of the nefarious powers that be, throw punchlines well above one's weight, and laugh out loud. And this is what this very timely book teaches and beseeches us to do. A must-read for all those who, even in these grim times, believe that truth must be spoken to power, and that too with a smile, nay a guffaw!"
Professor Saugata Bhaduri, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
"This intricate analysis of punching up is timely and fascinating. The contributors use diverse methods and approaches to explore what it means to punch up across a range of contexts. The international focus is particularly welcome, with discussion of both established stand-up comedy scenes and more recent additions to stand-up’s increasingly global presence. A brilliant book."
Dr Sophie Quirk, University of Kent, UK
Table of ContentsIntroduction; Part I Punching In and Punching Up: Origins, Limits and Possibilities 1 The History of Moroccan Stand-Up Comedy: From Storytelling to Charged Humour; 2 Standing Up for Speaking Up: Stand-Up Comedy in the Indonesian Context; 3 The Jamel Comedy Club: (Mis)understanding Stand-Up Comedy’s Relationship with Urban Culture in France; 4 Stand-Up Comedy as Escape: Caste and Media Infrastructure in Mumbai; 5 Voices from the Comedy Contact Zone: Regarding Performative Strategies Toward Race and the Transnational Body; Part II Gendered Experiences and Stand-Up Comedy 6 Humour as Antihistamine in the Discourse of Persian Stand-Up Comedy: Female Stand-Up Comedians in Iran; 7 Asserting Cultural Citizenship through Situated Comedy: Female Comedians in India; 8 Notes on Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette, Adorno’s Kulturindustrie and Feminism; Part III Comics and the Audience: Connections, Ethics and Efficacy? 9 Awkward Connections: Stand-Up Comedy as Affective Arrangement; 10 The Revolution Will Be a Joke: Semiotic Ideologies of Ethics and Efficacy in Stand-Up Comedy; 11 Standing Up for a Cause: The Cathartic and Persuasive Power of Stand-Up Comedy; 12 Which Direction Do We Punch? The Powers and Perils of Humour against the New Conspiracism
