Exclusivity

Does the comic need to be part of the "group" he or she is joking about?

No. The popular sitcom, Seinfeld, approaches this subject in an episode that features Jerry's dentist, who converts to Judaism, then feels he has the right to make fun of Jews. Jerry finds this offensive--"as a comedian." People don't have to be part of the group to joke about them; sometimes the best jokes are created by those outside, looking in. It is a different perspective, that's all. Jerry retaliates to his dentist's conversion joke-making by creating a few jokes about dentists. He then becomes labeled an "anti-dentite."

Seinfeld Scene

Racist Jokes: Hate Speech?

Senthorun Sunil Raj, a law student at the University of Sydney, wrote an essay called, "Just Joking: Is Racist Humour A Form Of Vilification?" In it, he explains humor and joking as, "way[s] of negotiating 'serious' ideas...[which offer] a mode of engagement that touches topics which are not necessarily acceptable in serious communication." Recently, the popular show South Park has been in the news for an episode that inspired a 'Facebook' event last Friday entitled, "Kick a Ginger Day." The event caused one child near Los Angeles to be beaten because of his red hair. But the South Park episode, in which Eric Cartman generates hatred for all "gingers" seems so ridiculous, as Raj mentions, NOT "serious communication." Humor has the ability to conjure hatred, but really, it all depends on the audience. South Park's intent is to present race hatred as ridiculous--red-haired people as a separate, inferior race--more people watching the show connected that ridiculousness to other forms of racism; a few used it as a reason to actually kick a ginger.

Male & Female Humor

I have a hard time deciding whether men or women are funnier. Men have been more highly represented in the comedic scene, but this can be said of any public representation. Kate Rigg, a comedian interviewed in Bitch Magazine, says, "Speaking your mind is considered a male quality, and in stand-up you have to speak your mind." She adds, later, "It's the most awful feeling in the world...feeling that your voice doesn't matter." So female comedians have the challenge that women in any field have faced. The most impressive comedy, to me, is the comedy whose intentional audience is neither men nor women. An excellent example of this non-gendered type of humor is that of the late Mitch Hedberg. His jokes are observational and non-confrontational. Gender plays no role in this type of comedy.

Watch Mitch Hedberg