Notes from 10/17

-the “devil’s lane” race and sex in US History *a place scholars are still uncomfortable exploring*

-Civil Rights Movement; not just generalized tension between blacks and whites but also the sexual relationships btwn blacks and whites

-“rebellious laughter” People’s Humor in American Culture

“Black Humor”

  • humor does not translate well among groups
  • the complex intergroup relationships related to humor
  • humor as survival mechanism/weapon
  • guarding culture, guarding humor
  • evolution of the black stand up comic (comics I know: Kat Williams, Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, etc)
  • the nature of “profane” language

The greatest satire; begin with destruction and then build on top of it.