Week 4: assorted notes
“Black Humor”
- Gerald Early
- Humor does not translate well among separate groups
- The complex intergroup – relationships related to humor (member vs. non member)
- Humor as a survival mechanism/weapon
- Guarding culture, guarding humor
- the evolution of the Black stand-up comic
- the nature of “profane” language (i.e. the Blues)
- Glenda Carpio
- The relationships among race/gender and humor/comedy
- major theories of humor
- the relief theory (a way to release pent up aggression)
- the superiority theory (laughing at the misfortunes of others)
- the incongruity theory (expectations vs. reality)
- Werner Sollors
- the nature and function of satire
- the primary function of satire is destruction (but best satire always reconstructs)
- the nature and function of satire
– All American Girl (94-95)
- “Korean American” family played by non Korean actors outside of Cho (seeing them as separate entities instead of a cohsive family unit)
- First Asian American family on television sitcom
- Who is it catering to?
- Laughing at stereotypes because you know they are true (as inside group) vs. laughing at stereotypes because they’re stereotypes (outside group)
-Margaret Cho
- Use of deadpan/facial expressions/physicality etc.
- Self deprecating humor (prevalent in ethnic humor)
- use of subjects that aren’t funny to build up jokes
Some notes from Forgotten Country annotations:
- “Until now, he had not done much in the process of searching for Hannah, content to grill me instead on what progress I had made.” (pg. 19) – is this a play on the “model minority” stereotype in which Asian parents put heavy pressure on their children to do well in areas like school, but in this case to find her missing sister, for which they have given all responsibility of to her – she also addresses his pressure and influence on her school work as well (pg. 22)
- The main character’s skepticism towards herbalism when her father takes up the tea that could help, thinking he knew better. (pg. 40) – reminds me of how Donald Duk was skeptical of herbalism as well, that point being made that he shunned all things Eastern. Main character’s motivations in this situation seem more based on practicality, but could be a subtle reflection of her own identity
- The Principal telling the girl’s mother that they need American names (pg. 85-86): “He spoke loudly. In those days, everyone spoke more loudly at my parents than they seemed to speak to anyone else.” (pg. 85) – getting them to claim more “American names” not only erases their actual names and by extension their culture, but also only serves to benefit all of the teachers, and other students. More with the theme of things being forgotten: they are told to forget their own names
- Jeehyun’s identity as being the protector of her father as well as the one to achieve the dreams he never could (pg. 163) – martyrdom? – Her parents telling her “It is for you we work this hard. It is for you we do everything.” (pg. 165) – is she projecting that back?