{"id":29687,"date":"2019-05-30T12:56:41","date_gmt":"2019-05-30T16:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/college.unc.edu\/?p=29687"},"modified":"2024-07-02T17:11:30","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T17:11:30","slug":"maymester-ethics-comedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/?p=29687","title":{"rendered":"Maymester: “Ethics of Stand-up Comedy”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\""The
The “Ethics of Stand-up Comedy” examines comedy\u2019s role in society as a form of cultural expression full of underlying ethical discussions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Ethics of Stand-up Comedy” is a Maymester course that examines comedy\u2019s role in society as a form of cultural expression full of underlying ethical discussions.<\/em><\/p>\n

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What does it mean when you laugh at a joke?<\/p>\n

Are you laughing at the craft of the comedian \u2014 the set-up, the delivery or the punchline? Or is it the mention of a taboo subject that triggers your subconscious to chuckle out loud? If it\u2019s the latter, should you actually be laughing? Where\u2019s the line between funny and too far?<\/p>\n

These are the questions Carolina students are exploring in a course called the “Ethics of Stand-up Comedy,” which examines comedy\u2019s role in society as a form of cultural expression full of underlying ethical discussions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I laugh at something, I don\u2019t think about why I\u2019m laughing. I just laugh,\u201d said Jada Gailliard, a rising sophomore in the course. \u201cThis class makes me think about things I generally wouldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

The course is one of nearly 50 classes being offered as part of the Summer School\u2019s Maymester program this year.<\/p>\n

The three-week course explores the historical, sociocultural and legal significance of stand-up comedians. By combining scholarly articles on the theories of humor with the stand-up bits of comedians ranging from Joan Rivers and George Carlin to Chris Rock and Mitch Hedberg, the class uses comedy as a way of constructing the American identity and as a tool for ethical development.<\/p>\n

Discussions cover a variety of topics, from the methodologies stand-up comedians utilize to the political and ethical stakes of the genre.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe base our conversations around comedy, but the underlying idea that we\u2019re talking about is our moral guidelines, our ethical communication and just the way that we treat people,\u201d said Gailliard, who is a pre-public health student. \u201cIt\u2019s not just discussing comedy, and it\u2019s not just about English or American Studies, it\u2019s about who we are as people and the way our morals shape our conversations with other people. It can connect to any discipline.\u201d<\/p>\n

When it comes to understanding the American identity and our morals, associate professor Michelle Robinson said, comedy can play a critical role. Stand-up comedians, after all, are social critics as much as they are entertainers.<\/p>\n

\u201cComedians bring up the issues and illustrate some of the ethical crises that we need to wade through in the class,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cIt\u2019s a way to start talking about challenging issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students also examine how comedy has evolved as a craft through American history \u2014 from recordings on vinyl to Twitter comedians. By doing so, they can see how our society\u2019s mores may have changed throughout the years.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Robinson said, she wants her students to view comedy as a tool for human flourishing and to use the craft as a way to examine themselves and their place in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an important skill, more broadly, if you want to have access to levity or a place where you go to think about issues that are challenging,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

For Gailliard, it\u2019s done just that.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s helping me be more self-aware and realizing that I don\u2019t exist in this individual bubble, but that the way I choose to carry myself impacts other people even if I don\u2019t realize it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

By Brandon Bieltz, University Communications<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Ethics of Stand-up Comedy” is a Maymester course that examines comedy\u2019s role in society as a form of cultural expression full of underlying ethical 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