22ndAUSTRALASIANHUMOURSTUDIESNETWORK
CONFERENCE2016
6-8February,Women’sCollege,UniversityofSydney
UNFUNNY:
THELIMITSOFHUMOUR
CoverillustrationsfromCole’sFunnyPictureBookNo.1(Melbourne:E.W.Cole,1918),firstpublished1879
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WELCOMEANDACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
nd
Wewelcomeyoutothe22 AustralasianHumoursStudiesNetworkconference,andacknowledgeandpayrespectto
thetraditionalownersofthelandonwhichwemeet,theGadigalpeopleoftheEoraNation.Itisupontheirancestral
landsthattheUniversityofSydneyisbuilt.
WewouldliketothanktheSchoolofLetters,Art&MediaforitscontinuingsupportfortheAHSN,andAndreaYapp
forfacilitatingthesmoothprocessingofregistrations.OurthanksalsogotoWomen’sCollegeforhostingus,andtoits
eventsmanager,GinekedeHaan,forarrangingthingssowell.
Wewouldespeciallyliketothankallofyouwhoareattending,andinparticularthosewhoarepresentingandsharing
theirknowledgeandinsights.Thethemeofthisyear’sconferenceis‘Unfunny:TheLimitsofHumour’.Thisisthefirst
AHSN conference to focus on the cultural, political and ethical boundaries of humour: a subject of much debate
followingthemurdersinJanuarylastyearofstaffatthesatiricalmagazineCharlieHebdo.
Inassociationwiththisyear’sconference,RareBooksatFisherLibraryismountinganexhibitionthatshowcasesthe
historyofAustraliancomicartandcartooning.‘LaughLinesandOtherDistractions’,iscuratedbyLindsayFoyleand
PeterKirkpatrickfromtheAHSN,withJuliePriceandMarissaCassonfromFisherLibrary.Theexhibitionisbuiltinto
theconferenceprogram,andwillbelaunchedbyAlanMoir,chiefpoliticalcartoonistoftheSydneyMorningHerald,at
10.30a.m.onMondaymorning,followingtheplenarysession‘OnCartoons&Cartoonists’.Wehopethatyou’lltake
sometimeouttoexploreit.
Verybestwishesfromtheorganisingcommittee.
PeterKirkpatrick
JessicaMilnerDavis
WillVisconti
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22ndAUSTRALASIANHUMOURSTUDIESNETWORKCONFERENCE,
WOMEN’SCOLLEGE,UNIVERSITYOFSYDNEY
PROGRAM
SATURDAY6FEBRUARY2016
12.30-1.15
Foyer
1.15-1.30
MainCommon
Room
1.30-2.30
MainCommon
Room
2.30-3.00
3.00-5.00
MainCommon
Room
5.00-6.00
6.00-
Registration/Refreshments
Welcome:PeterKirkpatrick,onbehalfoftheorganisingcommittee
Launch:MarkHumphriesfromABC’sTheRoast
PLENARYSESSION:KEYNOTEADDRESS
MichaelEwans,Humanities&SocialSciences,UniversityofNewcastle
AttheLimitsofHumour
AfternoonTea
PLENARYSESSION:ONSATIRE
ConalCondren
YesMinister:TheTheoreticalDimension
CaleBain
What’stheNews?HowComedyandTraditionalNewsContentCompare
BéatriceBijon
TheCheekofCharlieHebdo:Laughter,Power,Authority
BridgetBoyle&DavidMegaritty
OnstageCouplings:ExploringtheLimitsoftheMale/FemaleComedyDuo
Drinks
Conferencegoersmaketheirowndinnerarrangements
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SUNDAY7FEBRUARY2016
PLENARYSESSION:KEYNOTEADDRESS
MichaelHaugh,Languages&Linguistics,GriffithUniversity
JocularMockery,JocularAbuseandtheTakingofOffence
9.00-10.00
MainCommon
Room
10.00-10.30
MorningTea
10.30-12.00
PARALLELSESSIONS
MainCommonRoom
PSYCHOLOGY
BruceFindlay
PsychologicalWell-Being:What’sHumour
GottoDowithIt?
AngusMcLachlan
PossibleImplicationsofLaughingatthe
Beginning,During,orattheEndofaSpeaking
Turn
MarenRawlings
DisparagementofSelf–WhoWouldDoThat!
12.00-1.00
Lunch
1.00-2.30
PARALLELSESSIONS
MainCommonRoom
LANGUAGE/LINGUISTICS
CliffGoddard
TheSemanticsof‘Sarcasm’
ScottGardner
FunctionsandFailingsofHumourinLanguage
LearnerErrorCorrection
KerryMullan,ChristineBéal
&VéroniqueTraverso
ConversationalHumourinFrenchand
AustralianEnglish:WhatMakesanUtterance
Unfunny?
2.30-3.00
AfternoonTea
Library
LITERARYSTUDIES
MartyMurphy
WeOnlyLaughWhenItDoesn’tHurt:ComicEffectand
theAbstractionofViolenceinLiteraryComedyNarratives
ClaireDuffy
RadicalisingtheFeminineGrotesque:AngelaCarter’s
NightsattheCircusandMarieDarrieussecq’sPigTales
BenEldridge
‘FlexibleEthicsforaComplexWorld’:Retrofittingthe
VampireinPeterWatts’Blindsight
Library
COMMUNICATINGHUMOUR
AlfredVincent
TheDonkey’sTale:LaughterandItsLimitsinMedieval
Greece
MichaelMeany
Twittering:PickingonthePowerful
JessicaMilnerDavis
TheHumourTransaction:AConceptualModel
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3.00-5.00
MainCommon
Room
5.00-6.00
6.30-Late
PLENARYSESSION:PANEL
OnSatire&OffenceinSingapore,Malaysia,Indonesia
&thePeople’sRepublicofChina
ShumingBai
Singapore-BasedSatiricalHumour:InterpretativeAnalysisofSatireNewsfrom
NewNation.sg
Khin-WeeChen
AParliamentarianPlaystheFool:AnExaminationoftheConsequencesofTeresaKok’s
SatiricalVideo
AnnElizabethLever(AnnLee)
‘PushMe,PullYou’:TheComplexRelationsofAudience,CensorshipandPolitical
SatiricalTheatreinMalaysiaandIndonesia
JocelynChey
Cantonese‘Sardonicism’:WitandHumourinaRegionalCultureUnderThreat
Freetime
ConferenceDinner:ThaiPothongRestaurant,Newtown(15minswalk)
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MONDAY8FEBRUARY2016
8.45-9.00
9.00-10.30
FisherLibrary
SeminarRoom,
Level2
WalktoFisherLibrary
PLENARYSESSION:ONCARTOONS&CARTOONISTS
RonaldStewart
‘ExtremelyRegrettable’Cartoons:TheLimitsofPoliticalCartoonsAcrossBordersinthe
WakeofJapan’s3.11Disaster
SusanElizabethFoster
ThePressGang:TheRoleofEditorsintheCareersofThreeNewZealandPolitical
Cartoonists
LindsayFoyle
NotAlwaysUnfunny:PoliticalCartoonists
10.30-10.45
Launchof‘LaughLines’exhibitionofAustraliancomicart:
FisherLibrary
AlanMoir,introducedbyLindsayFoyle
SeminarRoom,
Level2
10.45-11.30
MorningTeaatFisher,walkbacktoWomen’sCollege
11.30-1.00
PARALLELSESSIONS
MainCommonRoom
Library
COMEDY&FILM
MUSICALTHEATRE
Sung-JuSuyaLee
JohnCarmody
Bridesmaids:ACriticalAnalysisoftheFarce
DieMeistersingervonNürnbergasComicOpera:Cana
ComedyintheCaseStudyofaSuccessful
WorkofArtbeSimultaneouslyHumorousandAntiProducedScreenplay
Semitic?
DebraAarons&MarcMierowsky
ElishaMcIntyre
SarahSilverman,PublicConscienceofthe
HasaDigaBegYourPardon!Latter-daySaintResponsesto
‘ChosenPeople’
TheBookofMormonTheMusical
JoshWheatley
WillVisconti
FilthyOpeningsandThresholds:Trashas
ThePersonalandthePoliticalinContemporaryCabaret
PhilosophyinPinkFlamingos
1.00-2.00
Lunch
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2.00-3.30
PARALLELSESSIONS
MainCommonRoom
Library
HUMOUR&THEWORKPLACE
PERFORMANCE
DarylPeebles
HelenWalters
ThePriceofInappropriateHumourinthe
AFrolicofFancyDressers:HowtoLookGoodasa
Workplace
Pumpkin?
AnjaPabel
AntonCrouch
TheDownsidesofHumourUsedDuring
InsultasHumorousEntertainment–TheCaseofthe
TourismExperiences
Dozens
SarahAttfield&LizGiuffre
SaraTomkins
SurelyYouCan’tbeSerious?:Considering
TheAmbivalenceofthe‘MegaBigot’andJewishnessin
theLimitsofUsingHumourinTeachingand
theComedyofSarahSilverman
Communication
3.30-4.00
AfternoonTea
4.00-5.00
PLENARYSESSION:KEYNOTEADDRESS
MainCommon MoiraMarsh,IndianaUniversityBloomington
Room
Unlaughter,theUnfunny,andtheDreadnought
5.00-6.00
Farewelldrinks
6.00-7.30
AHSNReviewPanelmeetsoverdinner
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CONFERENCEDINNER
6.30Sunday7February
ThaiPothongRestaurant
294KingSt,Newtown,closetoNewtownStation
ThaiPothong
(KingStreet:15minutewalk)
Women’sCollege
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Aarons,Debra
UniversityofNewSouthWales
Mierowsky,Marc
Queens’College,Cambridge
SarahSilverman,PublicConscienceofthe‘ChosenPeople’
InTheAtlanticmagazine(May2015)anarticlebyMeganGarbertitled,‘HowComediansBecame
PublicIntellectuals’,echoedanoftenmadeclaimthatstand-upcomedyis,atitscore,culturalcriticism.
IntheUSA,particularly,arenewedfieldofinterestappearstobeemerging,investigatingthisideaasa
seriousacademicpursuit.InthispresentationwefocusonSarahSilverman,acomedianwho
throughouthermorethan25-yearcareerhasconsistentlyseizeduponthehypocrisiesand
contradictionsinherentinAmericanattitudestowardsreligion,sexandpoliticalculture.Premisedon
thesetupthatsheisjustaninnocentJewishgirl,sheskewersbothmainstreamand,specifically,Jewish,
culturalattitudesandpractices.Inthispresentation,weexamineSilverman’scontributionto
promotingconsciousnessandactivisminthedevelopmentofaprogressivepublicthrough
considerationofherstand-upcomedy,socialmediapresence,andthepublicserviceannouncements
(PSAs)shehasmadeforprogressivepoliticalcauses.Wefocus,particularly,onthewayshehas
targetedanimaginedJewishaudience.
Drawingonourpreviouswork(Aarons&Mierowsky,2014)tracingthearcofoutrageousnessand
licenceinJewishcomedyassocialcriticism,wesituateSilvermanwithinarobusttraditionofranters,
ravers,andkvetchers,amongstthemLennyBruce,PhilipRoth,JonStewart,andRoseanneBarr.
Focusingontwoofhercomedyspecials,JesusisMagic(2005)andWeareMiracles(2013),wefirst
addressSilverman’sgeneralcritiqueofreligionandbelievers.Imaginingaconversationexplaining
belieftothehypotheticalchildofaninterfaithrelationship(herswithJimmyKimmel),sheconcludes,
‘MommyisoneofthechosenpeopleandDaddybelievesJesusismagic’.Jokessuchasthisoneare
directedattwoseparatebutoverlappingpublics:thewiderpublicaudience,andamorenarrowlyfocusedtarget,‘thechosenpeople’.ThefocusofSilverman’spoliticalactivismistoassaultthe
sensibilitiesofboththeseaudiences.WeconcentrateontheattackonherimaginedJewishaudience,
‘thechosenpeople’.InSilverman’scomedythisironicusageisintendedtoactivatetheJewish
conscience,aswellasdeliveringakickinthecollectiveballsofthataudience.
Althoughunlikelytoseeherselfasapublicintellectual,Silverman’sperformancesbeliethis.HerPSAs
aregearedtowardsawakeningpoliticalactivisminunder-representedandunder-informed
communities.‘TheGreatSchlep’,urgingyoungJewishpeopletogettheirgrandparentstovotefor
Obama,wasaimedatthegrandchildrenofpoorlyinformedandunder-motivatedJewishretireesin
Florida.Intheeventthatthegoodreasonsshesuppliedfailed,sherecommendedtheysimplythreaten
nottovisittheirelderlygrandparents.Wieldingthemuch-mockedculturalweapon,guilt,shebrought
animportantconstituencytoObama’scausein2008.Inthe2012presidentialcampaign,sheutilised
outrageouslyprovocativesexualtauntingtotargetJewishbillionaireSheldonAdelsoninorderto
embarrasshimfordonatingmoneytotheRepublicancandidate,MittRomney.InthePSA,‘An
IndecentProposal’,sheaddressesAdelsondirectly,offeringto‘scissorhimtofruition’ifhedonates
$100milliontoObama’scampaigninstead,askinghowmanybillionairescansaythey’vebeen
‘scissoredbyaniceJewishgirlwithbignaturals’.
Weshowhow,alsoin2012,Silverman’scampaignagainstunfairvoterIDlawsisframedbya
deliberatelyJewishperspective.Silvermanintroducesherselfas‘yourJewishfriend,Sarah’andthe
campaign’swebsitename,www.letmypeoplevote.com,invokesthebiblicalandhistoricaloppression
ofJews.LikeallherPSAs,thisonereliesonthehistoricalassociationofJewishAmericanswithliberal
andprogressivecauses;inthiscaseonethatralliessupportfortheelderly,poor,disabled,illiterate
andotherwisedisaffectedcitizenswhomtheselawswouldfurtherdisenfranchise.Herdescriptionof
theeffectofthelawstakespoliticalbawdytonewextremes.
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WearguethatwhatmakesSilvermanmorethanacampaignerandalobbyist,ishergeniusinturning
herbitingcritiqueinwards,focusingon‘thechosenpeople’.Thischangingperspectivemakespublic
thoseinsularaspectsofJewishcommunityandidentitythatembodypowerful,ignorantandentitled
behaviour.Shelampoonsthesevaluesandattitudesinanapparentlylight-heartedroutinethatstabs
attheculturalhypocrisyinherroutineaboutbeingrapedbyaJewishdoctor:‘Itwasabitter-sweet
experienceforaJewishgirl.’
Ourprimarypurposeinthispresentation,then,istoshowhowSilverman’sironicuseof‘thechosen
people’ serves to highlight the many different hypocrisies – religious, cultural and political – she
exposes.Herroleasapublicintellectualandculturalcriticismostevidentinherrelentlessmockeryof
thispublic.
Bionotes
DebraAarons,Linguistics,UniversityofNewSouthWales,Sydney,Australia,isco-author,withMarc
Mierowsky,ofObscenity,DirtinessandLicenceinJewishComedy(2014).Hermonograph,Jokesand
theLinguisticMind,waspublishedbyTaylor&Francisin2012.
MarcMierowsky,FacultyofEnglish,Queens’CollegeCambridge,Cambridge,isco-author,withDebra
Aarons,ofObscenity,DirtinessandLicenceinJewishComedy.Hisdoctoralthesisisonpopular
sovereigntyandpoliticaleducationinseventeenthandeighteenth-centuryBritain.
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Attfield,Sarah
Giuffre,Liz
UniversityofTechnologySydney
SurelyYouCan’tbeSerious?:
ConsideringtheLimitsofUsingHumourinTeachingandCommunication
Thereisagrowingbodyofresearchworknowdedicatedtoeffectiveuseofcomedyasamodeof
addressbeyondthecreativeindustries.Comedycanserveasausefulicebreakerin‘serious’
communicationsettingssuchasformalprofession-basedtrainingandworkshopsessions,aswellasa
legitimatemethodofdeliveringotherwise‘difficult’contentineducationalsettings(Gamer,2006;
Banasetal.,2011;Chongetal.,2015).Buildingonthisbodyofworkweexplorethelimitsofusing
humourinthisway,particularlyinrelationtoteachinginhighereducationtoadiversestudentcohort.
Therearecertainuniversalitiesthatareimpliedwiththeuseofhumourasaformofcommunication
(forexample,theuseofabasictechniquesuchasinversionwhichcanbeemployedasacomedic
devicetoengagestudentswhomaybeotherwisefrustratedoruninterestedinadifficulttopic),
howeverthereremainissuesinusingthesewhenitcomestoknowinghowto‘pitch’toagroupof
studentswhomayhaveavarietyofexpectationsoftheteacher/studentrelationshipandhavevarying
typesofexistingculturalcapital(Cheng,2003).Nearly100yearsagosarcasmwasisolatedasa
particularlyineffective,ifnotdetrimentalformofclassroomengagement(Briggs,1928),butother
devicesliketheunexpecteduseof‘inappropriate’languagehavebeennotedasrelativelyusefulas
waystobridgeotherwisedifficultgapsinotherwiseformallearningspaces(Generousetal.,2014;
Wanzeretal,2006).Weofferawork-in-progressexaminationoftheutilityofusinghumourin
teaching,notingcurrentexperienceswherehumourwasmoreofahindrancethanahelptoeffective
communication.
References
Attfield,Sarah&Giuffre,Liz(2015).‘LaughingWhileLearning:UsingComedicCommentaryand
ReportingintheClassroom.’InCaine,R.,Weaton,H.&Massey,L.(eds),BridgingGaps:Higher
Education,MediaandSociety.WaterhillPublishing,56-63.
Banas,JohnA.;Dunbar,Norah;Rodriguez,Dariela&Liu,Shr-Jie(2011).‘AReviewofHumorin
EducationalSettings:FourDecadesofResearch.’CommunicationEducation60.1,115-144.
Briggs,ThomasH.(1928).‘Sarcasm.’TheSchoolReview36.9,685-695
Cheng,Winnie(2003).‘HumorinInterculturalConversations.’Semiotica146.1/4,287–306.
Chong,YitSean&Ahmed,PervaizK.(2015).‘StudentMotivationandthe“FeelGood”Factor:An
EmpiricalExaminationofMotivationalPredictorsofUniversityServiceQualityEvaluation.’Studiesin
HigherEducation40.1,158-177.
Garner,R.L.(2006).‘HumorinPedagogy:HowHa-HaCanLeadtoAha!’CollegeTeaching54.1,177180.
Generous,MarkA.;Frei,SethS.&Houser,MarianL.(2014).‘WhenanInstructorSwearsinClass:
FunctionsandTargetsofInstructorSwearingfromCollegeStudents’RetrospectiveAccounts.’
CommunicationReports,1-13.
Torok,S.E.;McMorris,R.E.&Lin,W.C.(2004).‘IsHumoranAppreciatedTeachingTool?Perceptionsof
Professors’TeachingStylesandUsesofHumor.’CollegeTeaching52.1,14-20.
Wanzer,MelissaBekelja;Frymier,AnnBainbridge;Wojtaszczyk,AnnM.,&Smith,Tony(2006).
‘AppropriateandInappropriateUsesofHumorbyTeachers.’CommunicationEducation55.2,178-196.
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Bionotes
DrSarahAttfieldisanAssociateLecturerintheSchoolofCommunication,UniversityofTechnology
Sydney.Herresearchisfocusedonthewaysinwhichworkingclassexperienceisrepresentedin
literatureandpopularculture,andshehaswrittenonworkingclassrepresentationinBritishand
Australiancomedy.Shealsohasaninterestintheusesofcomedyineducationalsettingsandrecently
co-authored(withLizGiuffre)apeer-reviewedchapterentitled‘LaughingWhileLearning:Using
ComedicCommentaryandReportingintheClassroom’publishedinabookonhighereducationand
mediabyWaterhillPublishing(USA).
DrLizGiuffreisaLecturerinCommunicationattheUniversityofTechnologySydney.Shehas
researchedandwrittenonavarietyoftopics.withpublicationsoncomedyincludingtheforthcoming
co-editedcollectionMusicinComedyTelevision(Routledge),aswellaschaptersincollectionsonfilm
comedyforEquinoxPublishing,andjournalarticlesonnewformsofonlinecomedyandsound.She
hasalsowrittenoncomedy'sroleinlearningandteaching,withtheco-authoredpeerreviewed
chapter,‘LaughingWhileLearning:UsingComedicCommentaryandReportingintheClassroom’.
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Bai,Shuming
NationalInstituteofEducation,NanyangTechnologicalUniversity
Singapore-BasedSatiricalHumour:InterpretiveAnalysisofSatireNews
fromNewNation.sg
NewNation.sgisSingapore’sprincipalsatiricalnewswebsite.SinceDecember2010,morethan2500
satiricalnewsitemshavebeenpostedbyNewNation.sg,withanaveragemonthlyuniquevisitors’
countof100,000.ThelistedmissionofNewNation.sgisto‘report50%realnewsusing50%
investigativejournalismfor25%factualaccuracy,withanefforttowritefunnycommentary’.However,
notallsatiricalarticlesarewrittenwiththesamequalityorgainthesameappreciation.Intheyearof
2014,thetop10percentileofarticleshadanaverageof5000likes,whilethebottom10percentileof
articleshadanaverageof50likes.Therearesatiricalnewsitemsinbad-tastewhichareprincipally
offensive,aswellaswell-craftedsatiricalcontenttostimulateconstructivecriticalthinkingaboutthe
widerissuesinsociety.ApplyingtheGeneralTheoryofVerbalHumour(GTVH)frameworkand
contextualinterpretativeanalysis,Ipresentacorpusofthemostpopularlylikedandleastpopularly
likedsatiricalnewsitems.Specifically,Iaimtocoverthearticleslistedbelow:
Bad-taste:
http://newnation.sg/2015/02/tanjong-pagar-grc-residents-fail-to-send-much-needed-facebook-likesto-help-lee-kuan-yew-get-better/-43likes
http://newnation.sg/2015/04/spore-made-movie-unlucky-plaza-to-inflict-critical-thinking-onsporeans-using-unchaste-woman-pastor-pinoy/-72likes
http://newnation.sg/2014/10/what-drinks-will-sporeans-order-at-koi-outlet-at-boon-lay-mrt/-26likes
Well-crafted:
http://newnation.sg/2014/11/economy-rice-seller-demands-sim-lim-square-scam-shop-owner-pay1000-for-cai-png-warranty/-46,000likes:highestever
Bionote
ShumingBAIisaPhDstudentinAppliedLinguisticsatNationalInstituteofEducation,Nanyang
TechnologicalUniversity,Singapore.HecompletedhisBachelorofArtsinPsychologyin2014.His
doctoraldissertationinvestigateshumourasrhetoricinthewinningToastmasters’speeches.
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Bain,Cale
UniversityofTechnologySydney
What’stheNews?HowComedyandTraditionalNewsContentCompare
Comedynewsisathingforrealnow.Satiricalnewsinformscertainaudiences,insomecases,more
effectivelythantraditionalnews(PEW2004,2008),andcomedynewsmakershaveshownalevelof
professionalismthatisparalleltoand,insomeregards,morestringentthanthatoftraditional
newsmakers(Bain,2015).Thislevelofprofessionalismstrengthensanaudience’strustinnewsmakers
(PEW,2014)andcanincreasepoliticalengagement(Ariely,2015).Ifaudiencesareaffectedbycomedy
newsinwaystheyarguablyshouldbebytraditionalnews,andifproducersareoperatinginthesame
veinastraditionalnewsmakers,what,then,aretheparallelsintheactualcontentsoftraditionaland
comedynews?ThiscontentanalysiswilllookatspecificnewsitemsthattakeplaceinbothAustralian
publicandcommercialtelevisionnewsandcurrentaffairsandcomparestheirrepresentationwiththat
ofthenewsrepresentationsfoundincomedynewsofthesamestories.Theanalysisalsocompares
whatnewsitemsareandarenotincludedinparticulardailynewscycles.XenosandBecker(2009)
haveassertedthatcomedynewscanexpandanaudience’sunderstandingofnewsandcurrentevents
bybroadeningthediscoursesaroundparticularnewsitems(Burton,2010).Thisstudyaimsto
empiricallyprovethatthecontentismorein-depthandrigorousincomedynewsthantraditional
news,andtoshowwhatthedisparitiesarebetweenthecontentsofthetwo.
Bionote
CaleBainisanacademic,journalistandcomedyimproviser.Hehasworkedinmagazines,printand
radioinCanadaandAustralia.CaleistheartisticdirectorofImprovTheatreSydneyandhasbeen
lecturingandteachinginmediastudiesandjournalismattheUniversityofTechnologySydneysince
2009.Heiscurrentlyundertakingapart-timePhD,examingtheconfluenceofcomedyandnewsand
itsimpactsondemocracy.
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Bijon,Béatrice
UniversityofSaint-Etienne,Lyon,France
WesternSydneyUniversity
TheCheekofCharlieHebdo:Laughter,Power,Authority
Blackhumourhasbeenlikenedtoacidthatdissolvesorder.Thisisthestartingpointforapaperthat
explores‘theperilousterrain…betweenhumourandoffensiveness’,referredtointhecallforpapers.I
amalong-termreaderofCharlieHebdoandwasvisitingmynativecountry,France,whenthemass
murderofthemagazine’sstaffoccurredon7January2015.WhileIofferapersonalreflectiononthe
placeofCharlieHebdo’sdistinctivestyleofsatireinFrance’spoliticalculture,Iwanttoexplorethe
relationshipbetweenthemagazine’sirreverentvisualhumourandthescripturalauthorityit
lambasted.InSuddenGlory:LaughterasSubversiveHistory(1995),BarrySanderspointedtoa
tendency,firstidentifiedbyPlato,inwhichwritingandliteracycentraliseauthority.Laughter,says
Sanders,‘worksjusttheoppositeeffect,decentralizingpowerbysituatingitineachindividual.’Inthis
closereadingofCharlieHebdocartoons,andofthenarrativessurroundingthedeathsoftheircreators,
IwillconsidertheplaceofsecularisminFrenchsociety,rootedasitisintheconceptoflaicité(the
separationofstateandchurch,asenshrinedinFrenchlawsince1905).Secularismandreligiousdogma
collidedintheCharlieatrocityinawaythatrevealsmuchaboutthelimitsandpossibilitiesofhumour.
Bionote
BéatriceBijonisaSeniorLecturerattheUniversityofSaint-Etienne,Lyon,inFranceandanAdjunct
FellowatWesternSydneyUniversity.SheisanEnglishliteraturescholarwithaparticularinterestin
women’swritingandculture.ShehaspublishedwidelyonAngelaCarter,JeanetteWinterson,Janet
Frame,ArundhatiRoy,andShirleyHazzard.Shehaseditedbooksonwomen’stravelnarrativesand
postcolonialliteratures.In2011,shewasHaroldWhiteFellowattheNationalLibraryofAustralia
wheresheresearchedwomen’ssuffrage.HernextbookisastudyoftheBritishandAmerican
women’ssuffragemovementtobepublishedinFrench.
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Boyle,Bridget
Independentscholar
DavidMegaritty
QueenslandUniversityofTechnology
OnstageCouplings:ExploringtheLimitsoftheMale/FemaleComedyDuo
Thisperformativepaperwillexplorethelimitsofcomedyasembodiedbythemale/femalemusical
comedyduo.Extantresearchdemonstratesthatsuchcomedyactsareanextremelyrarepairing,
particularlyintermsofliveperformance.Certainpreconceptionsaboutgenderandcomedy
complicatethefield,andindeedthecomictropesofthedoubleact,makingtheheterosexual
male/femaleduosomethingofaboundary-ridingcomicproposal.
LenaandLukeWarmwaterare‘Warmwaters’,a(straight,cisgenderedfemale/male)pairof
performancepersonaethatpresentasadysfunctionalfolkduo,whosesongsallseemtobeaboutsex
andotherbodilyfunctions.Theonlypeoplethatdon’tseemtogetthisaretheWarmwaters.This
creativepracticeasresearchhasdevelopedviaaniterativecycleofwriting,performanceand
videographyovertwoyearsinvenuesrangingfromsmallcafestotheWoodfordFolkFestival,resulting
inafull-lengthperformancepremieringattheBrisbanePowerhouse’sQueenslandCabaretFestivalin
2015.
Throughperformingthreeclassicformulationsofthecomicduoastheyaremanifestedatcritical
incidentsintheWarmwaters’show,thestudyexaminesthesemomentsintermsofcomic
functionalityandgender,whilstworkingtowardsabetterunderstandingoftherelativescarcityofthe
male/femalemusicalcomedyduo.
Bionotes
BridgetBoyleisaco-founderofdebaseproductionsandteachesintheDramaDepartmentatQUT.She
hasworkedextensivelyinthefieldofclowningasadirector,performerandteacher,havingstudied
withPhilippeGaulierin2001.Herdoctoralthesis(2015)wastitledBitsandBumps:Understanding
GenderinContemporaryPhysicalComedy.Withdebaseproductionsshehasbeeninvolvedinthe
creationofmanynewcomicworks,themostrecentbeingTheFurzeFamilyVarietyHour,whichwas
stagedaspartoftheBrisbaneFestivalin2014.OtherworksincludeHurryupandWait(withLizSkitch)
whichtouredJapaninaco-productionwithKazenokoTheatreCompanyin2012andLilyCan’tSleep
(withLizSkitchandDavidMegarrity),whichwasrecentlyrestagedatPerth’sAwesomeFestival,and
whichtouredSingapore,KualaLumpur,MelbourneandQueenslandafterapremierseasoninQPAC’s
OutoftheBoxFestival.
DrDavidMegarrityisawriter,composer,musicianandperformercreatingattheintersectionofmusic,
performanceandprojectedimage.Completelyfocussedonthecreationofnewwork,often
musicalisingtheatreandtheatricalisingmusic,he’scompelledtoentertainwhilstinnovatinginform
withalongtrackrecordonnationalstages.RecipientofaBrisbaneLordMayor’sPerformingArts
Fellowshipin1998,hisshowsforchildrenincludeBackseatDrivers(QTC’sfirstoverseastour),Ukulele
Mekulele(LaBoite),Show(QTC),andLilyCan’tSleep(withdebase),BearwithMeandTheEmptyCity
forMetroArts.
HisproductionsplayedatvenuessuchastheSydneyOperaHouseacrossAustraliaandabroad.He’s
alsowrittenanumberoflarge-castscriptsforyoungpeoplesuchasBitterStreak,Gate38,and
Destinations(Playlab)acollectionofthreeplays.In2012hewasafinalistintheInscriptionsEdward
AlbeeScholarship,andmanyotherworkshavebeencreativelydevelopedwiththesupportofbodies
suchastheAustraliaCouncil,ArtsQueenslandandHothouseTheatre.
18
Carmody,John
UniversityofSydney
DieMeistersingervonNürnbergasComicOpera:
CanaWorkofArtbeSimultaneouslyHumorousandAnti-Semitic?
Humourcan,likebeauty,reside‘intheeyeofthebeholder’.Itmaybeemollientorcaustic,yetremain
legitimatelyfunny(orwitty).Itmaybelearnedorcaricature:politicalcartoonscancertainlybehurtful
astheyexaggeratetheirvictims’physiognomytomakesharpsocialorpoliticalcomment.
Thephysicalcharacteristicsofthosetargetsarenomoretheir‘fault’thanskincolouror‘race’,yetthe
expressionofthoselattercharacteristics(andothers)isoftensubjecttolegallimitation.Sowhatof
art?TherecentBillHensoncontroversyinAustraliaindicatesthatitisnotlegallyimmuneeither.
When,therefore,iscruelhumourlegitimateinart?
RichardWagnerhaslongbeenacontentiousfigureandmanyofhisoperas(includingDie
MeistersingervonNürnberg)havebeencriticisedforanti-Semitism(thoughtheirsignificantantiCatholicismhasbeennoticedlessoften).Thatlateoperaiscommonlycalledacomedy:Burbidge
(1979)wrotethatit‘isoneofthegreatcomicmasterpiecesofthelyrictheatre’.YetMillington(1991)
considersitseriouslyanti-Semitic:sodoI.Theessentialquestionofthispaperis,then:Canitreallybe
sucha‘comicmasterpiece’ifitisgenuinelyanti-Semitic?Acognateproblemtouchesonone’s
‘approachavoidanceconflict’withtheseoperas:thefactthatthemusicissoemotionallypowerfulyet
theirtextssomorallyturbid.
Millington,forinstance,drewonWagner’srebarbativeessay,DasJudentuminderMusik(1850)for
thecomposer’sviewsonthemannerinwhichJews’speakandsingandanalysedtherhythmic
infelicitiesofBeckmesser’smusicwhichheconsidersamusicalrealisationofWagner’sassertions.The
importantbackgroundisthat,almostfromtheoutset,BeckmesserwasacaricatureofEduardHanslick,
thepowerfulViennesemusiccriticandWagner-antagonist,whowasJewish(thecharacterwasHans
Lichinearlydrafts).
Justasdisturbing,forme,isthe‘comic’climaxofAct2,where,inasceneofmayhemandmalice,the
townspeoplerepeatedlyassaultBeckmesser.HowcansuchviolencetowardsaJewishcharacterbe
consideredcomedy?
Thedisgraceful(andcrasslytopical)anti-FrenchattitudesofHansSachs’sperorationtoGermanArtin
Act3arenotquiteatthatoffensivelevel,buttheparallelconclusiontoAct1isanothermatter
entirely.Millingtondrewacogentparallelbetweenitstext(whichisdifficulttohearinthemusicodramaticturbulenceatthatpoint)andtheGrimms’appallingstory,DerJudeimDorntowhich,he
argues,itrefers.
Atitskernel,thisoperaisasunpleasantasitislackinginrealhumour.
References
Burbidge,P.(1979).‘RichardWagner:ManandArtist.’InTheWagnerCompanion,ed.P.Burbidge&R.
Sutton.Faber&Faber.
Millington,B.(1991).‘NurembergTrial:IsthereAnti-SemitisminDieMeistersinger?.’CambridgeOpera
Journal3,247-260.
Wagner,R.(1995).‘DasJudentuminderMusik’(1859;W.A.Ellis,translator).UniversityofNebraska
Press.
Bionote
JohnCarmodystudiedmedicineattheUniversityofQueensland.Duringthattime,undertheinfluence
ofaninspiring(andeccentricallyentertaining)ProfessorofPhysiology,hebecameenthralledby
19
physiologyasthemostwonderfulformofsciencethathehadevenencountered–aviewwhichhestill
holds.Thisled,eventually,toamovetothenewly-bornFacultyofMedicineatUNSW–andmeeting
JessicaMilner(anotherlife-longfriendship)–andadeepinvolvementinthewideracademiclifethere
(longinvolvementswiththeAcademicBoard,theBiomedicalLibraryandthegoverningCouncil,for
example).
ThroughouthistimeatUQhewasalsocontinuouslyinvolvedwithmusic,journalismandstudent
politics,notablyaseditorofSemperFloreat(thenewspaperoftheUniversityUnion)andco-editorof
Galmahra(theliterarymagazinethere).
DuringhisyearsatUNSWhespentanumberofperiodsofsabbaticalresearchinGermanyand
attendedinternational(andnational)professionalconferencesasoftenaspossible:theseallowedhim
togreatlybroadenhisknowledgeoftheoperaticandconcertrepertoire(aswellasofhistory)and
emboldenedhimtoaccepttheoffer,in1978,tosucceedDavidMaloufastheoperaticwriterofthe
NationalTimesnewspaper.HesubsequentlycontributedmusicreviewstotheAustralianFinancial
Review,theSun-Herald,theSydneyMorningHeraldandOpera-Opera,aswellaswritingbookreviews
formostsignificantAustralianpublicationsanddoingnumerousbroadcasts(notablyonmusic,science
andmedicine)forABCradio.HehascontributedtoOpera(UK)andOpernwelt(Germany)formany
years.
HehashadanextensiveinvolvementwiththeAustralianDictionaryofBiographyhavingcontributed
overtwenty-fiveentriestoitandhaswrittenseveralencyclopaediaarticles.
Hehaslongconsideredlecturingandwritingasaformofperformance–soanoftentangential
involvementwithhumourstudiesseemsalmostfated.
20
Chen,Khin-Wee
UniversityofCanterbury,NewZealand
AParliamentarianPlaystheFool:
AnExaminationoftheConsequencesofTeresaKok’sSatiricalVideo
MalaysianoppositionMemberofParliamentTeresaKok’ssatiricalvideosonFacebookandYouTube
echoedPresidentObama’suseofhumourtocounterattackhiscritics(Frizell,2014).Obama’smedia
eventissignificantbecauseitmarkedarenewedbreachoftraditionalboundariesbetweenjournalism,
entertainmentandpublicaffairsfirstobservedintheadventoffauxnewsprogrammesliketheDaily
Show(2012).Kok’svideo,‘ONEderfulMalaysiaCNY2014Video’,postedon28January2014,is
similarlysignificantintheMalaysiancontextbecausetraditionalboundariesherehavehitherto
remainedintact.Hervideowentviral,polarisedMalaysians(includingherownsupportersandfans),
anditprovidedanopportunityforherpoliticalenemiestotwistherwordsandattackher(including
levellingaseditionchargeagainsther).However,hermulti-modalperformativityalsoallowedherto
bringissuesshecouldnotofficiallyraiseinparliamentintonewpoliticalmomentsbyforcingher
targetsandmainstreammediatorespond.Theuseofhumourexcusedherfromparliamentarianor
journalisticstandardsandshecircumventedrestrictionstoexerciseconsiderablepowertocritiqueand
interrogatetherulingregime.ThevalueofthispaperwillbeinthecloseanalysisofhowKokbreached
conventionandoftheconsequencesofthisbreach.
Bionote
Khin-WeeChenisapart-timelecturerinMediaandCommunicationsattheUniversityofCanterbury,
NewZealand,whereheisclosetocompletinghisPhDthesis.ThisdealswithcitizensatireinMalaysia
andSingapore,askingwhyandhowsocio-politicalhumourcommunicatesdissentonFacebook.His
2010(Englishlanguage)MEdthesisatNanyangTechnologicalUniversity,Singapore,investigatedthe
useoflinguistichumouramongSingaporeyouth.Khin-Weehaspublished‘TheSingaporeMassRapid
Transport:Αcasestudyoftheefficacyofademocratisedpoliticalhumourlandscapeinacritical
engagementinthepublicsphere’,TheEuropeanJournalofHumourResearch(2013:1/2)andreviewed
forMediaInternationalAustralia.Hispaper,‘MalaysianKangkungPolitics:HarvestingInternetVisual
MemesforRhetoricalActs’,presentedatthe2014Media,PersuasionandHumanRightsConference
(BangorUniversity,UK),wonBestStudentResearchPaperAward.WithRobertPhiddianandRon
Stewart,heiscurrentlypreparing‘WhoDoesDisciplinedResearchintoPoliticalCartoonsandToWhat
Ends?AMeta-analysisofaWidelyDisparateField’,asachapterforaforthcomingPalgraveMacmillan
bookonpoliticsandsatire.
21
Chey,Jocelyn
UniversityofSydney
Cantonese‘Sardonicism’:WitandHumourinaRegionalCultureUnderThreat
ThecontinuedpopularityofCantonesehumourformsassumesextrasignificancebecausethe
languageitselfisunderthreat.Thispaperexaminesitscurrentstatusinthelightofthepresently
fraughtrelationshipbetweenthecentralgovernmentofChinaandtheCantonese-speakingregion,
recentgovernmentcampaignstorestricttheuseoflocaldialectsandlanguages,andlocalresistancein
HongKongandonthemainland.ItshouldbenotedthatwithintheSinospheretherearemany
regionalanddialectculturesofwhichCantoneseisoneofthestrongest,beingspokenbyover100
millionpeopleworldwide.
Cantoneselanguagehumourmaybedescribedas‘sardonic’,usingthatterminthesenseproposedby
VladimirProppinhis1928studyofRussianfolktales:‘Laughteraccompaniesthepassagefromdeath
tolife;itcreateslifeandaccompaniesbirth.Consequently,laughteraccompanyingkillingtransforms
deathintoanewbirth,nullifiesmurderassuch,andisanactofpietythattransformsdeathintoanew
life’(134).Similarly,itwillbeargued,Cantonesespeakershopethatthroughhumourtheymaybeable
togiverebirthtotheirlocalculture.
ExamplesofpopularCantonesehumourandproverbstobediscussedincludeimportantlytheform
knownasxiehouyu.Thesedependonunstatedbutsharedculturalknowledgeandassuchcanonlybe
sharedwithotherswhobelongtothesame‘in-group’.Theyarecommonfiguresofspeechinstandard
Chineseandrelatedlanguagesanddialects,thetermoftenbeingtranslatedintoEnglishas‘aproverb
withthesecondpartsuspended.’
Reference
VladimirPropp(1928/1984).TheoryandHistoryofFolklore.Trans.AriadnaY.MartinandRichardP.
Martin.Manchester,UK:ManchesterUniversityPress.
Bionote
JocelynCheyisaVisitingProfessorintheSchoolofLanguagesandCultures,UniversityofSydney,and
aconsultantonAustralia-Chinarelations.Sheholdshermaster’sdegreefromtheUniversityofHong
KongandherdoctoratefromtheUniversityofSydney.Shehasheldseniorpositionsinboththe
Australiandiplomaticserviceandacademiclife.AfterlecturinginChineseStudiesattheUniversityof
Sydney,in1973shejoinedtheAustralianCommonwealthPublicServiceandintheDepartmentsof
TradeandForeignAffairscontributedtothedevelopmentofAustralia-Chinarelationsforovertwenty
years.ShewaspostedthreetimesinChinaandHongKong,includingasConsul-GeneralinHongKong
1992-1995.AtthefoundationoftheAustralia–ChinaCouncilin1979,sheservedasExecutiveDirector,
buildingitsactivitiesandreputation.DrCheyisHonoraryFellowoftheOrientalSocietyofAustralia,
FellowoftheAustralianInstituteofInternationalAffairsandreceivedamedalfromtheAustralia-China
CouncilandmembershipoftheOrderofAustraliain2009forhercontributionstotheAustralia-China
relationship.
22
Condren,Conal
UniversityofNewSouthWales
YesMinister:TheTheoreticalDimension
Abstract
Todelineatehumourwithreferencetosocialorpoliticalacceptabilityisimportantbutprovidesan
unstableandcontingentpointofreference.Morepromisingforunderstandinghumourpersemight
beitsdemarcationfromtheserious.AsTerrellCarveronceremarkedinananalysisofSomeLikeItHot,
politicsistherealmoftheserious.ItiswithbeliefslikethisinmindthatIshalllookattheYes
Minister/YesPrimeMinistertelevisioncomedies.Inonewaytheyareframedfromtheseriousbusiness
ofpolitics;butinmoreimportantonestheywerepartofthepoliticalprocessesandcultureoftheUK
duringtheThatcheryears.Ishalldrawattentiontotheuseofstatisticsandgenuinepoliticalsituations;
thepopularisationofcontemporarytheoriesofbureaucracyandconstitutionalconvention;andofthe
comediesbeingtakenaspropagandaforpoliticalreform.Theseaspectsoftheseriestogetherwithan
acuteandinformativeunderstandingofpoliticallanguageuseandsymbolism,raisethequestionof
howfaranyharddistinctionbetweenthehumorousandseriousreallyholdswater.Theresultmight
betounderminesimpleunderstandingsofhumourandenhancethoseofpolitics.
Bionote
ConalCondrenisanEmeritusScientiaProfessoratUNSWandHonoraryProfessorinTheInstituteof
AdvancedStudiesintheHumanities,UniversityofQueensland.Hismostrecentpublicationshavebeen
onEnglishtranslationsofHomerinearlymodernEngland.Heiscurrentlyfinishingamonographon
languagechangeinpolitics.
23
Crouch,Anton
Independentscholar
InsultasHumorousEntertainment–TheCaseoftheDozens
TheoccurrenceoffemalebawdyintheblueshasemergedasathreadatrecentAHSNconferences–
seeGibb,2013andAarons,2015.Thispaperconsidersalate1920sconcomitant–thesettingofthe
interactivegameofinsultsknownas‘theDozens’torecordedblues.
Dollard(1939)defines‘theDozens’as‘apatternofinteractiveinsultwhichisusedamongsome
AmericanNegroes.’Henotesthatitisguidedbywellrecognizedruleswhichatoncepermitand
governtheemotionalexpressionandthatitisforsomeagametheonlypurposeofwhichseemstobe
theamusementofparticipantsandonlookers.Denigrationofanopponent’smotheriscommonplace
andthe‘dirty’versionofthegameischaracterisedbyreferencestosexualmatterssuchasadultery
andincest.
Examplesare:
Participant1:‘IhearyourmotherplaysthirdbaseforthePhillies.’
Participant2:‘Yourmotherisabricklayerandstrongerthanyourfather.’
Participant1:‘Yourmothereatsshit.’
Participant2:‘Yourmothereatsshitandmustard.’
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dozens)
IfyouwantaplaytheDozens
Playthemfast.
I'lltellyouhowmanybull-dogs
Yourmammyhad.
Shedidn'thaveone;
Shedidn'thavetwo;
Shehadninedamneddozens
Andthenshehadyou.
(Dollard,1939)
TheOEDOnline(2015),initsentryon‘theDozens’,givesafirstusageofthephrasein1928butmakes
noreferencetoa‘dirty’versionoranyrecordedmusicalversion.Therewereinfact9commercial
gramophonerecordingsofamusicalversion,titled‘Thedirtydozen’,intheperiod1929to1940.
AlthoughtherecordedmusicalversionsareclearlyrelatedtothegamedescribedbyDollard,thereis
animportantdifference–the‘dirtiness’ofthepublished‘dirty’musicalversionsiseuphemistic,
reflectingrecordcompanyavoidanceofobscenity.Thetreatmentofsexisbythestandardjazzand
bluesuseofdoubleentendreandmetaphor.
Thepresentationwillbeintwoparts:a)anoverviewofthesociological/anthropologicalaccountsof
theoriginandnamingofthegame;andb)anexaminationofsomeoftheearlymusicalversions.The
contrastbetweenthecontrolledaggressiveandinsultingnatureofthegameinasocialsettingandthe
humorousandapparentlyhokumnatureofthebluesrecordingswillbeanalysed.
References
Aarons,Debra(2015).‘Blue(s)Women:BawdiesorBodies.’21stAustralasianHumourStudiesNetwork
Conference,FlindersInstituteforResearchintheHumanitiesandStateLibraryofSouthAustralia,4-6
February2015.
Dollard,John(1939).‘TheDozens:DialecticofInsult.’AmericanImago1,3-25.
Gibb,Dirk(2013).‘“OhHeCouldGrindMyCoffee”:FemaleBawdyandthe“Hokum”TraditioninPreWarBlues.’NineteenthColloquiumon‘HumourandCreativity’.AustralasianHumourStudiesNetwork,
UniversityofNewcastle,7-9February2013.
24
OxfordEnglishDictionaryOnline,June2015:‘dozen,n.’.OxfordUniversityPress(accessed20August
2015).
Bionote
AntonCrouchisaretiredgeologistresearchingtheapplicabilityofbiologicalclassificationtocultural
phenomena.Presentstudiesarebasedontherecognitionofsoundrecordingsasbodyfossilsofpalaeo
taxaandparticularattentionisbeingpaidtotherelationshipbetweenlateninetenth-century
vaudevilleandtheemergenceofjazzandblues.
25
Duffy,Claire
DeakinUniversity,Geelong
RadicalisingtheFeminineGrotesque:
AngelaCarter’sNightsattheCircusandMarieDarrieussecq’sPigTales
Thegrotesqueisinextricablylinkedtothebodyandoftentowomen’sbodies.Itisalsotypically
associatedwithnotonlyhorrorbutalsohumour.ThispaperwillanalysethewaysinwhichAngela
Carter’sNightsattheCircusandMarieDarrieussecq’sPigTalesproclaimthegrotesquefemalebodyas
asiteofpower.Thesenovelsportrayfantasticallyandcomicallygrotesquefemalecharacters,whoblur
theboundarybetweenhumanandanimal,inapowerfulreclamationoffemalesubjectivityina
patriarchalorder.MobilisingJuliaKristeva’snotionofabjectiontotheorisethegrotesque,thispaper
arguesthatthegrotesque,likeabjection,reflectsatensionbetweenthesecurityof(masculine)
subjectivityandtherepulsionofthe(feminine)other.Theotherortheabject,asrepresentedin
grotesquefigures,canneverbeseparatedfromtheself.Humourprovidesanavenuethroughwhich
anxietyaboutthegrotesque’smonstrousreflectionsofhumansubjectivitycanbealleviated.However,
thispaperalsoargues,utilisingRabelais’notionofcarnival,thatthecomicallygrotesqueworksto
disruptthepatriarchalsocialorder,accordingtowhichwomenareabject.Carter’sandDarrieussecq’s
feministtextsusegrotesquehumourinconfrontationalwaystoencouragearethinkingoffixedideas
ofgenderidentity.
Bionote
ClaireDuffyisaPhDcandidateatDeakinUniversity,Geelong.Sheisinterestedinthetransformative
powerofhumourinfeministliterature.Sheviewswritingasapowerfultoolforvoicingthatwhichis
notobvious,andthatwhichisnoteasy–acatalystfortransformation.Hecate,Swamp,Verandah,
AntiTHESIS,InStead,IntellectualRefuge(US),andGoldDust(UK)havepublishedhershortstories.
26
Eldridge,Ben
UniversityofSydney
‘FlexibleEthicsforaComplexWorld’:
RetrofittingtheVampireinPeterWatts’Blindsight
‘WheneverIfindmywilltolivebecomingtoostrong,IreadPeterWatts’–JamesNicoll,bookcritic
ThefictionofPeterWattsisfrequentlydescribedasbleak,misanthropicanddystopian,amongsta
wholerangeofotherequallygrimepithets.Andindeed,PeterWatts’Blindsight(2006)is,toagreat
extent,oneofthedarkestandmosthorrifyingnovelstoemergeinthelastdecade;populatedbyacast
ofradicallytranshumancharacters–ledbyareconstitutedbiological‘vampire’–whoaresentto
establishfirstcontactwithanunwillingalienintelligence.But,isthisterrorasunrelentingaspopular
consensussuggests?ThroughareconsiderationofBlindsight,Iwouldliketosuggestthatthereis
actuallynodefinitivelinetobedrawnbetweenthepreviouslyoverlookedhumourandtheobvious
horrorinWatts’ostensiblydeterministicnovel.Thenarrativeofthenovelconstantlysubverts
recognisablegenericandgrammaticalstructuring,andthisdisruptivetendencyisfurtherreinforcedby
destablisingparatextualmaterialofbothanepitextual(interior)andperitextual(exterior)nature.By
engagingwithelementsbothwithinthenarrative,andonitsperiphery,Iwillbegintodismantlethe
perceptionofthenovelasanunremittinglynihilisticpiece;Ihopetoreplacethisbluntlysombre
estimationwithsomethingthatbeginstoaccountforthetext’sincredibleambiguity(andoverlooked
nuance)inamoreproductivemanner.Infact,itwillbecomeclearthatmuchofthehorrorisentirely
informedbythenovel’ssatiricalextrapolationofcontemporaryscientific,technological,politicaland
evenphilosophicalconstraints.However,aspreviouslyintimated,notonlydoesthebasenarrativeof
novelexistasablackenedsocialsatire,itscomplexgenericconstitutionalsosimultaneouslyharnesses
andsabotagesgenericexpectations;overtlyactingtocritiquetheveryscience-fictionaltraditionwithin
whichBlindsightitselfexists.Accordingly,thispaperwillbeconcernedwiththemannerinwhichthe
textblurslimits,complicatingparadigmstoultimatelycreateanextremelydisturbing(perhaps
uncanny)blendofbothhumourandhorror.
Bionote
BenEldridgeisapostgraduatestudentintheDepartmentofEnglishattheUniversityofSydney.
27
Ewans,Michael
UniversityofNewcastle
KeynotePresentation
AttheLimitsofHumour
Aretherelimitstowhatishumourous?Theshortansweris‘yes,buttheyareinconstantflux’.Wewill
examinesomeexamplesofworkbycomedianswhichstretchesthelimitsofhumourinaparticular
society,andinvestigatetheissuesinvolved.
1:Rapejokes
MystudywillbeginwiththejokesmadebyTinaFeyandAmyPoehler,introducingthe2015Golden
Globeawards,abouttheaccusationsofrapethathadthenrecentlybeenleveledagainstBillCosby.
Theirperformanceraisescomplexissues.Indeedthe‘rapejoke’isproblematic;itneeds–andwill
receive–closeexamination,withparticularattentiontotheworkofAdrienneTruscott.
2:Excrementaljokes
Thenwewillfocusontwomoretypesof‘atthelimit’humour–excrementaljokes,andanti-religious
jokes.ExamplesofjokesaboutshitwillbedrawnfromAristophanes(Peace,421BCE)andTimandEric
AwesomeShowGreatJob(2015).
3:Racisthumour
Thechosenexampleisafin-de-sièclecasestudy;ascenefromtheWilde/StraussoperaSalome(1905).
ItsatirisesJewsmercilessly–butforwhataudience?
4:CartoonssatirisingIslam
Nextwewillskipover100yearstosomenotoriousDanishandFrenchcontemporarycartoonswhich
havebeenregardedbysomeMuslimsasnotmerelyhighlyoffensive,butdeservingofamurderous
response.
Finallyafter(5:Summary)
In6:Conclusion
Iwilladdresstheissuewithwhichthepaperbegan,inthelightofwhatwehavelearntfromthe
examples;Iwillsuggestatentativeanswertothequestionshowandwhythelimitsofhumourarein
flux.
Bionote
MichaelEwansretiredfromtheChairofDramaattheUniversityofNewcastle,Australiain2011;heis
nowaConjointProfessorintheSchoolofHumanitiesandSocialScience.Hiselevenbooksincludefour
volumesofGreektragedy,andtwovolumesofAristophaniccomedy,translatedforperformanceand
withtheatricalcommentaries.InhisotherresearchfieldofoperahisbooksareJanáček’sTragic
Operas,WagnerandAeschylus:The‘Ring’andthe‘Oresteia’,OperafromtheGreek,andhisnewbook,
tobepublishedinFebruarybyBloomsburyMethuen:PerformingOpera:aPracticalGuideforSingers
andDirectors.Hehasalsopublishedmanyarticles,bookchaptersandreviewsinbothfields,and
contributedtotheEncyclopediaofHumorStudies.Hehasdirectedbothplaysandchamberoperas.He
waselectedaFellowoftheAustralianAcademyoftheHumanitiesin2005.
28
Findlay,Bruce
SwinburneUniversityofTechnology,Melbourne
PsychologicalWell-Being:What’sHumourGottoDowithIt?
RuchandHeintz(2013)reportedonthefindingthat,oncecontrollingforpersonality,humour,
assessedbytheHumourStylesQuestionnaire(HSQ),addslittletothepredictionofpsychologicalwellbeing.Theyofferedtheexplanationthatperhapsthereissomuchoverlapbetweenpersonalityitems
andtheactualitemsoftheHSQthatthepersonalitymeasuresswampthehumourmeasuresinany
assessmentoftheirrelationshipwithpsychologicalwell-being.Theytestedtheirassumptionby
creatingtwoscales:oneofthepersonalitycontextineachHSQitem,andthesecondofjustthe
humourpartsofeachitem,withoutcontext.Theyfound,usinghierarchicalregression,thatonce
controllingforpersonalitycontext,thehumourscaleaddedessentiallynoextravarianceinpredicting
variousmeasuresofpsychologicalwell-being.ThecurrentpresentationwilldescribeindetailtheRuch
andHeintz(2013)studies,withfurtherreferencetodiarystudiesbyGuenteretal.(2013)andCaird
andMartin(2014).AconferencepresentationbyHeintz(2015)andapaperbyHeintzandRuch(2015),
suggestingthattheconvergencebetweentheconceptsofthehumourstylesasdefinedbyMartinet
al.(2003)andtheiroperationalisationintheHSQleavesomethingtobedesiredmayalsoshowsome
lightonthesefindings.Theimplicationsofthiswillbediscussed.
Bionote
BruceFindlayisasocialpsychologistwithresearchinterestsinhumour,relationshipsandpsychological
well-being.Heisnowretired,butholdsanadjunctpositionatSwinburneUniversityofTechnologyin
Melbourne.Heisalong-standingmemberofAHSNandiscurrentlyChairofitsReviewPanel.
29
Foster,SusanElizabeth
Independentscholar
ThePressGang:
TheRoleofEditorsintheCareersofThreeNewZealandPoliticalCartoonists
Cancartoonistsonlybeasgoodastheireditors?Inthelate1970s/early1980s,anartdirectoratThe
Press(Christchurch),BillPaynter,hiredTraceHodgsonandAlNisbetasadvertisingartistsandinso
doingestablishedanunofficialnurseryofcartoontalent,aplaceofcross-fertilisationofgraphicstyles,
politicalbeliefsandblack,Pythonesquehumour.Allthreehadbeendrawingsincetheywerecrawling.
Eachaspiredtohavetheircartoonsandcaricaturespublished.Allsharedahatredforsocialinjustice.
Althoughnotseeinganeedforaneditorialcartoonist,ThePresswaspreparedtoconsidersubmissions
onapay-for-what-was-publishedbasis.InspiredbyPaynter,whosometimesworkedallnightona
cartoon,HodgsonandNisbetjoinedhiminwhatbecameanunspoken,three-waycompetitiontoscore
apublishedcartoononceortwiceaweek.Fromthecartoonstheyhadrejected,itsoonbecameclear
thatanythingtoocontentious,anythingthatmightupsetthecityfathers,hadlesschanceofbeing
approved.ForeachmemberofwhatIhavedubbed‘ThePressGang’,theiropportunitytoflourishand
succeedascartoonistscamelaterinothernewspapersandmagazinesundersignificantlymoreliberal
editorships.
Thispaperlooksatthehighpointsintheircareerswheneachwasproducingsomeoftheirbestwork,
andexploreshowmuchthestrengthoftheiroutputcanbeattributedtothesupport,mentoringand
freedomtoexpresstheiropinionsthattheyreceivedfromsubsequenteditors.Today,many
cartoonistsarelamentinganincreasedcensorshipinchoiceoftopic,graphicstyleandapproach,
captionsanddialogue.OnlyrecentlyAlNisbetwasaskedbyaneditortoreplacetheadjective‘friggin’’
with‘flamin’’yetbackin1989Paynterusedwordslike‘wanker’withimpunity.Thispaperalso
exploreswhatfactorshaveinfluencedtheswingfromeditorialconservatisminthelate70s,togreater
liberalisminthe1980sand90s,andareturninrecentyearstoablander,play-safe,politically-correct
tasteingraphicsatire.Thebasisofmyresearchwillbedrawnfrommaterialfromoralhistory
interviewswithNewZealandpoliticalcartoonists,includingBillPaynter,TraceHodgsonandAlNisbet,
aswellasinterviewswithformerandcurrentnewspapereditors.
Bionote
Independentscholar;oralhistorian;previouslyManager/Curator,NewZealandCartoonArchiveTrust
(1992–2000),establishedacartooncollectionnowbasedintheNationalLibraryofNewZealand,
developedasubstantialfundtosupporttheArchivethroughrevenue-generatingactivitiessuchasa
programmeoftouringexhibitions;ExecutiveDirector,MuseumDirectors’Federation(1981-1991);
ExhibitionOfficer,WellingtonCityArtGallery;CuratorialAssistant,RobertMcDougallArtGallery.BA
(ArtHistory).Recentlypublished:Foster,S.E.,‘WhentheQuipHitstheFan:WhatCartoonComplaints
RevealaboutChangesinSiocialAttitudestoRaceandEthnicity’,TheEuropeanJournalofHumour
Research2.4(2014).
30
Foyle,Lindsay
Independentscholar
NotAlwaysUnfunny:PoliticalCartoonists
Politicalcartoonistshavetraditionallyfilledthevoidbetweenhumourandoffensiveness.Sometimes
intentionallyandsometimestotallyunintentionally.
Theproblemhasbeenthatdefiningwhatmakespeoplelaughisnoteasy.Youcanuseadictionary
definitionandendupwith‘anexpressionofemotion,typicallymirth’,butnobodyisgoingtolaughat
that.Nobodyisgoingtolaughatthedictionarydefinitionofacartooneither,‘adrawingina
newspaper,magazineorthelike,oftenaccompaniedbyacaptionwhichdepictsahumoroussituation
ormakesasatiricalcommentonasubjectofcurrentpublicinterest’.
Butthelastpartofeachdefinitionisthemostimportant–‘mirth’and‘currentpublicinterest’arethe
mainingredientsofsuccessfulcartoons.Thetroubleisthatpublicinterestiscontinuallyevolvingand
whatmadeAustralialaughattheturnofthecentury,orlastweekforthatmatter,isnotnecessarily
goingtogetthesameresultthisweek.
Thenthereisthedictionarydefinitionofoffence,‘anillegalact’or‘awoundingoffeelings’.Again
nothingfunnyaboutthosedefinitions,howeveritispossibletomakesomepeoplelaughwhile
offendingothers.
Offencefromhumourhasbeengoingoneversincecartooniststartedmakingfunofpeopleinpolitical
th
cartoonsfromaroundthemiddleofthe18 century.
Theintentionofthispaperistolookatthehistoryofoffendingpeoplewhilebeingatthelimitsof
beingfunny.
Bionote
LindsayFoylehasbeendrawingpoliticalcartoonssince1976andwritingonthehistoryofcartooning
forthreedecades.
31
Gardner,Scott
OkayamaUniversity,Japan
FunctionsandFailingsofHumourinLanguageLearnerErrorCorrection
Howwouldatypicalteacherrespondtoastudentpaperwiththefollowingassertioninit?
Afteropeningofthecountrytotheworld,manywesternthingsthatareessentialforourmodernlife
flewintoJapan.Sodidbicycles.
IfshewereateacherofEnglishasaForeignLanguage(EFL),shemightsimplychuckleabit,makeafew
correctingmarks,andcontinuereading.Orperhapsshewouldpointouttheerrorwiththequestion
‘Bicyclesfly?!’andasmileyfacescrawledinthemargin.Butwhatifsheweretotakethepassageasis
andmakeahumorousexampleofitinclassthenextday?Wouldtherebeanyinstructionalvaluein
doingso?
EFLteacherschoosetorespondtostudenterrors—spoken,written,orotherwise—indifferentways,
accordingtotheirownexperience,research,andphilosophies,suchthatoneteacher’sostensibly
sensitiveoreffectiveapproachtowarderrorcorrectionmaybeseenbyanotherassoftornegligent.
Thusitisnotwithoutcontroversythatsometeachersmaytakestudentsamplesasmodels—goodor
bad—forotherstudentstolearnfrom.
Inthecaseofunintentionallyfunnystudenterrors,theissueisevenmorecomplicated.SomeEnglish
teachershavemadelucrativewritingcareerslaughingatstudenterrors(e.g.,RichardLederer’s
AnguishedEnglishseries),confirmingtheirentertainmentvalue.Butcouldteachersstrategicallyuse
humorousstudentoutputasclassmaterial—nottoinsult,buttoinstruct?Andhowmucherror
exposurewouldstudentsbewillingtoallow?Theseareinterestingquestionsforanyeducator,but
maybeofparticularinteresttolanguageteachers,whosestudentsareuniquelyfocusedonthe
linguisticandculturalaspectsofcommunicatinginanotherlanguage.
Inmypresentation,afterconsideringresearchinbotherrortreatmentandtherecentlysurgingareaof
humourinlanguagepedagogy(ledbyNancyBell),Iwillshowmyownevolvingapproachtohumorous
EFLerrorcorrectionandclassinstruction.Thisapproachusesoutsidesources,includingpopularmedia
(miscommunicationinfilms,textingautocorrects,mondegreens,etc.)andmovesgentlyintostudents'
ownhumorouserrors.Aprimaryconcernintheprocessislocatingthepointwherethejokingceases
tobe‘playfuljudgment’(Fischer,1889,citedinFreud,1905/1960)and‘reproachoferror’(Aristotle,
PoeticsII)andbecomesgratuitousridicule.Importantly,thispointcanvarybycultureandindividual.In
allIhopetoshowstudentsthatrealandperceivedlanguageerrorisubiquitousamongnativespeakers
aswellaslanguagelearners,andthaterrorsneednotbesomethingtoregretandsuppress,butrather
somethingtolaughatandlearnfrom.
ThisresearchispartofaJapanesegovernmentfundedprojectfindingusefulwaystoteachEnglish
languagelearnersaboutpragmatics,politeness,and(tosomeextent)humour’sroleinEnglish
languagecommunication.
Bionote
ScottGardnerhasbeenteachingEnglishandCommunicationatOkayamaUniversityinJapansince
1998.Hismainresearchinterestsareutilisingclassroomhumour,dialogismineducation,and
improvingstudentwriting.
32
Goddard,Cliff
GriffithUniversity,Brisbane
TheSemanticsof‘Sarcasm’
Thisstudybringslinguistictechniquesofmeaninganalysistobearonthemeaning(orrather,
meanings)oftheword‘sarcasm’ineverydaycontemporaryEnglish.Dataabouttheuseofthewords
‘sarcasm’and‘sarcastic’ispresentedfromlinguisticcorpora(suchasWordBanksOnline)andother
sourcesofnaturally-occurringusage,andonthebasisofthisandotherevidence,severalsemantic
explicationsareproposed,accordingtotheprinciplesoftheNSM(NaturalSemanticMetalanguage)
approachtomeaninganalysis(Goddard/Wierzbicka2014).Semanticexplicationsareexplanatory
paraphrasescomposedofverysimple,cross-translatablewords.Despitethelargenumberoflinguistic
pragmaticstudiesintotheusesandfunctionsofsarcasminspeech,therehavebeenfew,ifany,
previousattemptsatasystematiclexicalsemanticanalysis.
Althoughpinningdownthemeaningsofwordslike‘sarcasm’and‘sarcastic’indeedposesaninherently
interestingchallengetolexicalsemantics,theexercisehasimplicationsthatreachbeyondlinguistics
andintothecross-disciplinaryfieldofhumourstudies.First,elucidatingthemeaningsofthese
important‘folkterms’canhelpshedlightonsharedinsiderunderstandingsof‘humour-related’speech
practicesinmainstreamAngloculture.Second,sincetheterm‘sarcasm’isusedasadescriptivetermof-artinhumourstudies,clarifyingthemeaningsatplayineverydayusagecancontributetoresolving,
dissolvingorcircumventingsomeofthetechnicaldefinitionaldebatessurrounding‘sarcasm’andits
evenmoreproblematicalpartnerterm‘irony’.Thirdly,‘sarcasm’is(aswillbeshown)ahighlyEnglishspecificterm,sosemanticexegesiscanhelpputhumourstudiesonafirmerfootingforcontrastive
cross-culturalwork.
Selectreferences
Goddard,CliffandWierzbicka,Anna.2014.WordsandMeanings:LexicalSemanticsacrossDomains,
LanguagesandCultures.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress.
Haiman,John.1998.TalkisCheap:Sarcasm,Alienation,andtheEvolutionofLanguage.Oxford:Oxford
UniversityPress.
Partington,Alan.2006.TheLinguisticsofLaughter.ACorpus-AssistedStudyofLaughter-Talk.Oxford:
RoutledgeStudiesinLinguistics.
Bionote
CliffGoddardisProfessorinLinguisticsatGriffithUniversity.Hisresearchliesattheintersectionof
language,meaning,andculture.Hehaspublishedwidelyintheoreticalanddescriptivesemantics,
interculturalpragmatics,languagedescriptionandtypology,andAustralianEnglish.Goddardworks
primarilyintheNaturalSemanticMetalanguage(NSM)approachtothestudyofmeaninginlanguage
andinitspragmatic‘sistertheory’,knownasethnopragmatics.Hehaspublishedmanystudiesin
collaborationwithAnnaWierzbicka,theoriginatoroftheNSMapproach.Hehasauthoredtwo
textbooks,bothwithOxfordUniversityPress.
33
Haugh,Michael
GriffithUniversity,Brisbane
KeynotePresentation
JocularMockery,JocularAbuseandtheTakingofOffence
Teasingandinsultingareoftenassociatedwithchildhood,buttheyhavebeenfoundtobeubiquitous,
arisingacrossawiderangeofdifferentinteractionalsettingsindifferentlanguagesandcultures.While
therearevariousformsofteasingandinsulting,inthispaperIfocusontwotypes,jocularmockeryand
jocularabuse.Theformerreferstoactionswherethespeakersomehowdiminishesorridicules
somethingofrelevancetoself,otheroranon-co-presentthirdpartywithinanon-serious,jocularor
playfulframe,whilethelatterrefersinstanceswherethespeakercaststhetargetintoanundesirable
categoryorashavingundesirableattributesusingaconventionallyoffensiveexpressionwithinanonserious,jocularorplayfulframe.Inbothcases,then,participantsareinvariablymixingelementsof
provocationandnon-seriousness.Yetwhiletheyareconstruedasnon-seriousbyparticipants,orat
leastostensiblyso,jocularmockeryandabusecanneverthelessgiverisetooffenceinsomeinstances.
DrawingfromanalysesofinteractionsamongstAmerican,AustralianandBritishspeakersofEnglish,I
explorethecircumstancesinwhichoffencemayberegistered,aswellasthemoralconstraintson
doingso,giventhetakingofoffenceatinstancesofjocularmockeryandabuseisitselfveryoftena
sanctionableactionamongst(Anglo)speakersofEnglish.
Bionote
MichaelHaughisProfessorinLinguisticsandEnglishatGriffithUniversity.Hisresearchinterests
includepragmatics,interculturalcommunicationandconversationanalysis,withafocustodateon
analysingkeypragmaticphenomenasuchasface,(im)politeness,teasingandhumour,intentionand
implicatureininterpersonalinteractions.Heworksinparticularwithtranscriptionsofspoken
interactionsaswellasinteractionalCMCdataacrossanumberoflanguages(English,Japanese,
Chinese),asheisinterestedinthewaysinwhichpragmaticphenomenahavetheirowndistinctlocal
flavoursacross(andwithin)languagesandcultures.Anareaofemergingimportanceinhisviewisthe
rolethatcorporacanplayinpragmaticsandlinguisticanalysismorebroadly,andhasbeeninvolvedin
theestablishmentoftheAustralianNationalCorpus.Hehaspublishedwidelyinjournalsandedited
volumes,andrecentbooksincludeIm/PolitenessImplicatures(2015,MoutondeGruyter),Pragmatics
andtheEnglishLanguage(2014,PalgraveMacmillan,withJonathanCulpeper),andUnderstanding
Politeness(2013,CambridgeUniversityPress,withDánielZ.Kádar).Hehasalsoco-editedanumberof
books,includingBestPracticesforSpokenCorporainLinguisticsResearch(2014,CambridgeScholars
Press)andSituatedPoliteness(2011,Continuum),andisalsoco-EditorinChiefoftheJournalof
Pragmatics(Elsevier).
34
Lee,Sung-JuSuya
RoyalMelbourneInstituteofTechnology(RMIT)University
Bridesmaids:ACriticalAnalysisoftheFarceComedy
intheCaseStudyofaSuccessfulProducedScreenplay
Thispaperpresentsaresearch-in-progressofaPhDinfarcecomedyscreenwriting.Farcecomediescan
bemoneymakerssuchastherecentBridesmaidsandTheHangoverfranchise.Yet,thereisagapinthe
literatureonfarcescreenwriting,bothacademicallyandinindustry/professionaldiscourse;thereare
numerousbooksandtextsoncomedytheoryandcomedywriting,andahandfulofavailablebookson
farcetheory(i.e.,theatrical).Thereisonebookonhowtowriteafarce,butitisfortheatre(Ellis,
1948).Thegapinliteratureishighlightedinordertohelpinformnotonlycomedyand/orgenre
researchers,butaswellasotherpractitioners(i.e.,futurescreenwriters).Sincethereislimited
analysesandresearchfromscreenwritingandcomedytheorists,myresearchledmetotheatrical
genretheoristssuchasEricBentley.Bentleydividesgenresintofivecategories:comedy,melodrama,
tragedy,farceandtragicomedy.Asecondarytheatricaltheorist,JohnStyan,complementsBentley’s
genretheoriesonfarce.Audiences,criticsandacademicsdonotgenerallyacknowledgewhattheyare
watchingasafarce.Mostprefertojustcategoriseitascomedy.Currenttypesoftheothercomedy
genressuchasslapstick,satireandparodyhavecomponentsoffarce,andsometheoristsconsider
thesetostemfromfarceoriginally.Bentley’s10farceelementshavebeennarroweddowntosix:
violenceandaggression,mocking,humour,plotandstyle,character,andfinally,paceandtempo.In
keepingwiththisconference’sthemeof‘Unfunny:TheLimitsofHumour’,Iwillfocusmypaper
presentationonthetheme/topicof‘humour,mockeryandaggression’,whicharethefirst3of
Bentley’sfarcetropeelements.EricBentley,JessicaDavisandAlbertBermelareconsideredthe
eminenttheoristsonfarce.Theirtheoriesonthesefarcetropeswillbeexaminedinordertoanswer
thequestionofhowtowritethefarcecomedyscreenplay.ThispaperaimstoinvestigateifBentley,
Styanandtheothertheorists(genretheorists,screenwritingtheoristsandcomedytheorists)agree
withthetropes,conventionsandtechniquesoffarceinordertosufficientlylayoutaframeworkfor
thewould-bescreenwritertoutiliseinordertowriteafarcescreenplay.Hence,acriticalin-depthcase
studyanalysisofthethreefarcetropeelementsofthescreenplayofBridesmaidswillbepresented.
Bionote
Sung-JuSuyaLeeisaPhDCandidateatRMITUniversity.Herresearchisinfarcecomedyscreenwriting,
andhercreativeprojectisafarcecomedyscreenplay.ShehasanMBA(withMerit)fromBradford
UniversitySchoolofManagement,UK,andaBFAHonours(FineArts)fromYorkUniversity,Canada.
Hershortfilm,NotCommitted,wenttotheCannesFilmFestival.ShewontheOpenDoorPitchContest
attheInnoversityCreativeSummit,Canada,andwonaTVdevelopmentdealwithAllianceAtlantis.
Shehasbeeninnumerousplays,cabarets,radioshows,otherstageeventsandshortfilms,both
behindandinfrontofthecamera.
35
Lever,AnnElizabethLever(AnnLee)
NationalUniversityofSingapore
‘PushMe,PullYou’:TheComplexRelationsofAudience,
CensorshipandPoliticalSatiricalTheatreinMalaysiaandIndonesia
TakingasitsstartingpointFredricV.Bogel’sdoublestructureofsatireandapplyingthattotwo
politicalsatiricaltheatreshowsbyInstantCafétheatre(Malaysia)andTeaterKoma(Indonesia),this
paperarguesthattherelationshipbetweensatirist,subject,andaudienceisindeedcomplexandthat
itcanbemoreaccuratelyseenasblurredby‘crossover’betweenthedifferentroles.Thisnecessitates
makingmorefine-graineddistinctionsaboutaudiencethanisnormallydone,includinginthose
extendedfromStuartHall’sreceptiontheories,makingforabetterunderstandingofthedynamicsof
politicalsatiricaltheatre.Itisproposedthatadistinctionismadefirstbetween‘theState’asaudience
and‘regular’audiencemembers,withthelattersubdividedinto‘present’,‘proximate’and
‘professional’,termswhichwillbeelaboratedinpresentation.Consideringthepracticeofcensorship,
differentstructures–censorshiplaws,theirinterpretationbystatebodies,andthepracticeofselfcensorship–showthattheState(asbothaudienceandsubject)isoftennotasprogrammatic,
consistentoreffectiveasiscommonlybelievedinitsproscribingofsatireinthecountriesbeing
studied.
Reference
FredricV.Bogel.2001.TheDifferenceSatireMakes:RhetoricandReadingfromJonsontoByron.Ithaca
NY:CornellUniversityPress.
Bionote
AnnElizabethLever(alsoknownasAnnLEE)isaLeeKongChianscholar,readingforherPhDin
SoutheastAsianStudiesattheNationalUniversityofSingapore.Sheholdsadegreeinfilmstudies
fromtheUniversityofWestminsterandherMScinHistoryofScience,MedicineandTechnologyfrom
theUniversityofOxford.Annisalsoanaward-winningplaywright.Herplays,orexcerpts,havebeen
performedinKualaLumpur,Bali,MelbourneandNewYork,andarecollectedintheanthologySex,
StageandState(KualiWorks,2011).ApastguestlectureratUniversitasIndonesia,AnnisaFellowof
theAsiaLeadershipFellowProgram(JapanFoundationandInternationalHouseofJapan).Shedivides
hertimebetweenMalaysiaandIndonesia.
36
McIntyre,Elisha
UniversityofSydney
HasaDigaBegYourPardon!
Latter-daySaintResponsestoTheBookofMormonTheMusical
In2011,thecreatorsofSouthParkteamedupwiththecreatorofAvenueQtocreateacomic
BroadwaymusicalaboutMormons.TheBookofMormonhasbeenasmashhiteversince,winning9
Tonyawardsandtoutedas‘hilarious’and/or‘blasphemous’.In2015,TheBookofMormontouredto
SaltLakeCity,wheretheheadquartersoftheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints(Mormons)is
located.Itisalsoaprominentbuttofjokeswithinthemusical.TheBookofMormonreceivedextensive
attentioninthemediauponitspremiere,whileMormonshavealsobeenveryvocalintheir
commentaryontheshow.Theresponsesrangefromoutrageandboycott,throughtoenjoymentand
praise.ManyMormonsweredeeplyoffended,someuninterested,whilesomewerehappythatthey
werebeingtalkedabout.RumoursspreadaboutincreasesinuptakeoftheactualBookofMormon,
whilemissionariesbegantoloiteroutsidethetheatreinordertousethemusicalasaspringboardfor
conversion.Eventually,theofficialchurchboughtfullpageadvertisementsintheplaybillsoftheshow.
MormonshaveacomplexanddiverserelationshipwithTheBookofMormonTheMusical.Thispaper
usesMormonmedia(blogs,newspapersandmagazinesandsocialmedia)toexamineMormon
responsestothemusical,bothpositiveandnegative,andarguesthatthismusicalpushesthe
boundariesofthisgroupandthediscoursethatsurroundsitrevealsmuchaboutMormon
relationshipswithhumour,therelationshipofhumourtoblasphemyandpersecution,andmuchabout
Mormoncultureingeneral.
Bionote
ElishaMcIntyrecompletedherPhDin2014intheDepartmentofStudiesinReligionattheUniversity
ofSydney.Herresearchinterestscomeunderthebroadumbrellaofreligionandpopularculturewith
aparticularemphasisonreligioninthecontemporaryWesternworld.Shehaspublishedarticleson
ChristianworshipmusicandChristianandMormonfilm.Herrecentresearchfocusesonreligionand
humourasexpressedinpopularreligiousentertainmentandmaterialculture.Currentlysheisfocusing
onTheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints(Mormons).Shehasthusfarmanagedtoinspire
interestinMormoncomedyfilm,andhopesthistrendwillcontinuetoearnaplaceforreligious
humourasaseriousfieldofstudywithinreligiousstudies.
37
McLachlan,Angus
FederationUniversity,Ballarat
PossibleImplicationsofLaughingattheBeginning,During,
orattheEndofaSpeakingTurn
Thesignificanceofthespecificlocationoflaughterwithinaspeaker’sturnisonlypartlyunderstood.
PotterandHepburn(2010)analysedlaughparticlesthatoccurredwithinaturnandconcludedthat
theseinterpolatedaspirationswereusedtomarktheaccompanyingspeechassomewhatproblematic
or‘tomodulatethenatureorstrengthoftheaction’thatwasbeingdiscussed.Theyarguedthatsuch
laughparticlesconstituteaphenomenonthatisdiscretefromthemorecoherentboutsoflaughter
occurringatthebeginningorendofaturn,asobserved,forexample,byGavioli(1995).Inthispaper,
materialdrawnfromdyadicexperimentaldiscussionswillbeexaminedwithparticularreferencetothe
segmentsoftalkduringwhichparticipantsestablishedwhethertheyhadagreedordisagreedwith
theirpartnerswithrespecttoanearlierdecision.ThepaperwillexploretheutilityofPotterand
Hepburn’sformulationinunderstandingthecuriousinstancesofinterpolatedlaughterthat
occasionallyaccompaniedspeakers’acknowledgementsthattheyagreedwiththeother,whenone
mighthavethoughtthatsuchlaughterwouldhavebeenmorelikelytoaccompanydisagreement.Why
disagreementshouldbemorecloselyassociatedwithlaughterattheendoftheturnwillalsobe
considered.
References
Potter,J.,&Hepburn,A.(2010).PuttingAspirationintoWords:‘LaughParticles’,ManagingDescriptive
TroubleandModulatingAction.JournalofPragmatics,42,1543-1555.
Gavioli,L.(1995).Turn-InitialversusTurn-FinalLaughter:TwoTechniquesforInitiatingRemedyin
English/ItalianBookshopServiceEncounters.DiscourseProcesses19,369-384.
Bionote
AngusMcLachlanlecturesinpsychologyatFederationUniversityAustralia.Hismainteachingareasare
socialpsychology,researchmethodology,andstatistics,whichoffershimampleopportunitytorant
againstthefailingsofhischosendiscipline.Inhisfirstyearasanundergraduatehewantedtostudy
philosophy,alongwithgeographyandanthropology,buttimetablingconstraintsmeantthatheended
upwithψinsteadofϕ.Hehasacontinuinginterestinlaughterandhumorousinteraction,extending
tonotionsofwhatitmeanstohaveasenseofhumour,whichpartlyexplainshiscontinuing
appearancesatAHSNconferences.Butreallyhejustenjoysthecompany.
38
Marsh,Moira
IndianaUniversityBloomington,USA
KeynotePresentation
Unlaughter,theUnfunny,andtheDreadnought
‘TheRoyalNavyisnotafitsubjectforjokes.’Thuswentoneoftheresponsestooneofthemost
notoriouspracticaljokesofthetwentiethcentury,whenagroupofprankstersdisguisedthemselvesas
AbyssinianpotentatesandsuccessfullyfooledtheBritishRoyalNavyintogivingthematourofHMS
Dreadnought,theprideoftheBritishfleet.ThehoaxwonheadlinesonbothsidesoftheAtlantic,butit
alsoprovokedcriticalquestionsinParliament,mockeryofAdmiraltyonthestreet,andritualized
physicalpunishmentofthehoaxers.
Giventhismixtureofpositiveandnegativeresponses,wemightaskwhethertheDreadnoughthoax
wasfunnyorunfunny,andwhetheritshouldbeconsideredasuccessorafailure.Weknowfroma
first-personaccountbyoneofthegroupthatthejokersconsideredtheirescapadeagreatsuccess,in
partbecauseofthefactthatnoteveryonewaslaughing.
ThispaperexaminesthemetadiscourseoftheDreadnoughthoaxandofjokingperformances
generally.Jokemetadiscourseiswherepeoplerespondtojokesandargueoverwhatisfunnyor
unfunny.Here,therhetoricoflaughtersignalswhatisfunny,butitsopposite,unlaughter,indicatesthe
presenceoftheunfunny.‘Unlaughter’wascoinedbyMichaelBillig(2005)torefertothosemoments
whenlaughterisdesiredorexpectedbutisnotforthcoming.Ineverydaydiscoursethesimpleabsence
oflaughterisneithermeaningfulnorremarkable,butwhenitfollowsanattemptedjokeitcarriesa
loadofcriticism,explicitorimplied,againstthejoker.
Supportforajokingperformancemaytakemanyformsbesidesliteralphysicallaughter.Similarly,
unlaughtermaytakemanyforms,includingretaliation,threatsofretaliation,andassertionsthatthe
topicofthejokeisinherentlyunfunnyandnotanappropriatesubjectforhumour.
Unlaughterdoesnotinevitablysilencelaughter.Acharacteristicfeatureofjokemetadiscourseisthat
neithersidedefinitivelydefeatstheother.Unlaughteritselfoftenbecomestheobjectofhumourand
ridicule,andbothpositionsarereadasexpressingthemoralfailingsorpersonalityflawsofthe
speakers.
‘Unfunnyhumour’wouldseemtobeanoxymoron.Yet,thedangerofbeingunfunnyisaconstant
elementinhumorousperformance.Riskispartofthechallengeandappealofjokes;thelouderthe
unlaughter,themorecreditgoestothejokersforhavingriskedit.Unlaughterisnotalways
understoodasasignoffailure.Asuccessfuljokemaybeoneinwhichunlaughterisnotavoided,but
activelycourtedandmanaged.
Takingthisobservationasteportwofurther,Billigsuggeststhat‘therhetoricalnatureoflaughteris
possiblebecausethereisacorrespondingrhetoricofunlaughter’(192).Inotherwords,laughterand
unlaughteraremutuallyconstitutive;theyneedeachother.TheDreadnoughthoaxsucceededasa
jokeonlybecausesomepeoplethoughtitwasnot.
Reference
Billig,Michael.2005.LaughterandRidicule:TowardsaSocialCritiqueofHumour.London:Sage.
Bionote
MoiraMarshisafolklorist(PhD,IndianaUniversity)whospecializesinhumourstudies.Theseinterests
beganwithherdissertation,TheRitualHumorofStudents(1988),whichwasastudyofcapping
festivalsinNewZealanduniversities.Thesefestivalsareritualizedandtraditionalwithastrong
emphasisonconstructingtown-gownidentitiesthroughhumourandplay.Morerecentlyshehas
followedupwithseveralarticlespublishedinbothhumourstudiesandfolklorejournals.Arecurring
39
themeinherapproachtohumourstudiesistouseexamplesofpracticaljokes(agenrethatisunderstudiedinthefield)toconsiderquestionsinhumourtheorygenerally,withaspecialfocusonhowwe
mightunderstandthereceptionofjokes,especiallythereceptionisnegative.Thesequestionsare
exploredinherrecentbook,PracticallyJoking(UtahStateUniversityPress,2015).
MoiraiscurrentlyoneofthethreebookrevieweditorsforthejournalHumor:TheInternational
JournalofHumorResearch.Hercurrentresearchtopicsincludethecross-culturalacousticsoflaughter
andaneditedvolumeofarticlesonthesubjectofunlaughter–thatis,exploringthesituationsin
whichlaughterisexpectedordesired,butforavarietyofreasonsdoesnotoccur.
40
Meany,Michael
UniversityofNewcastle
Twittering:PickingonthePowerful
ThispaperexplorestheuseofTwitterasaplatformfor'speakingtruthtopower'intheguiseof
humour.Itwillbearguedthe140-characterlimitimposedonTwittermessagesconstitutesa
technologicalconstraintthatfavoursironicandmetaphoricalstructures.Thisbrevityencouragesthe
useofcommunicativeformsthatallowthewritertoengagewithmultiplemeaningsinasingle
statement.Further,thesestructuresallowformultiplereadingsofthetext.
Theprocessof‘speakingtruthtopower’typicallypositionsthewriterasthelesspowerful(inoneor
morecontexts)andthetargetasthemorepowerful(alsocontextdependent).However,theironic
structureofa‘tweet’allowsthewriterandthetargettobe(re)positionedinvariousways.For
example,belowisatweetthatsuggeststheQueenhasnorightsbecauseshedoesn’tpaytaxes.
Further,inanextremereading,itsuggeststheQueenisananimal.
Outrageasroyalclaimsanimalsdon’thaverights‘becausetheydon'tpaytaxes’
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/princess-michael-kent-sparks-outrage6543850#ICID=sharebar_twitter…WhatdoesthatmeanfortheQueen?(Meany,2015)
The‘power’ofthepowerful,derivedfromtheirsocial,culturalandeconomiccapital(Bourdieu,1986),
makesthema‘fair’targetforahighlevelofmockeryandaggression.Powermakesthetarget
potentiallyvulnerable.Socialmediaallowsthewritertotradetheirculturalanddigitalcapital,their
abilitytowritewithinthetechnologicalconstraints,forsocialcapital.Thissocialcapital,ifonlyforthe
briefestmoment,allowsthewritertoperformfromapositionofpower.
‘Twitteraffordsaplatformforcondensedyetpotentiallyrichandvariablypublicorprivate
performancesoftheself’(Papacharissi,2012,p.1989).Theseconstructionsoftheselfrunthegamut
fromthesinceretotheironic.ThepaperconcludesbyarguingthattheperformancesofselfonTwitter
oscillatebetweenthesincereandtheironicdueto,inpart,thetechnologicalconstraintsofthe
medium.
References
Bourdieu,P.(1986).‘TheFormsofCapital.‘InJ.Richardson(Ed.),HandbookofTheoryandResearch
fortheSociologyofEducation(pp.241-258).NewYork:Greenwood.
Meany,M.M.(2015).Outrageasroyalclaimsanimalsdon'thaverights‘becausetheydon'tpaytaxes’
[Twitter30September,2015]Retrieved9October,2015,from
https://twitter.com/MichaelMeany/status/649146410823057412?lang=en
Papacharissi,Z.(2012).‘WithoutYou,I’mNothing:PerformancesoftheSelfonTwitter.’International
JournalofCommunication,6,1989–2006.
Bionote
DrMichaelMeanyisaSeniorLecturerinCommunicationattheUniversityofNewcastle,Australia.
Michael'sbackgroundincludescareersasafreelancewriter,atypesetterandpublicationdesigner,and
aplaywright.Fromthesevariedcareers,Michaelbringstohisresearchaneclecticmixofskills.His
researchinterestsincludecomedy,humour,creativity,scriptwritingandnarrative/interactivemedia
design.HegraduatedwithaPhDfromVictoriaUniversity,Melbourne,Australia.Thetopicofhis
researchprojectwas‘ThePerformanceofComedybyArtificialIntelligenceAgents’.
41
MilnerDavis,Jessica
UniversityofSydney
TheHumourTransaction:AConceptualModel
Humouriscreatedbyahumouristcombining(orrecitingapre-existingcombinationof)variablesthat
includestructure,medium,modalityandcontent.Alternatively,acombinationofelementsmay
accidentallypresentitselfready-madetoanaudience.Theso-calledthreeclassicaltheoriesofhumour
identifysomeoftheseelements,namely:superiority;festiverule-breaking;andmechanicalpatterning.
Incongruity(oftencitedasatheoryinitsownright)isintegraltoallthreeandprobablytoallinstances
ofhumour.However,humorousproductsvarywidelyinformandmedia,includingintheir‘comic
style’(humoroustoneorflavour,nowrecognisedinpsychologicalresearch).
Sincesuchelementsarenothumorousinandofthemselves,itremainsmysteriouswhattransforms
‘humourpotential’intoanactual‘humourproduct’recognisedasamusingbyitsaudience(as
necessaryforhumourasforanyotheraestheticexperience).Personologicalandenvironmentalfactors
alsoimpactaudiencereception.Theseandotherfactorsinformaschemawhichhasbeendeveloped
overseveralyearstodescribestagesinthistransformationalprocess.Whilethisconceptualapproach
doesnotpretendtoexplainwhyhumourishumorous,itmayassisthumourresearcherstoclarifythe
focalpoint/softheirselectedstudies.Thispaperrevisitsandrefinesthinkingoriginallypresentedat
theAHSNColloquiumin2003andmostrecentlyelaboratedatthe2015ISHSConferenceinSan
Francisco.
Bionote
JessicaMilnerDavisisanHonoraryAssociateintheSchoolofLetters,ArtandMediaattheUniversity
ofSydneyandco-ordinatestheAustralasianHumourStudiesNetworkat:
http://www.sydney.edu.au/humourstudies.
ShehasbeenaVisitingScholaratBristolandStanfordUniversities,AllSoulsCollegeOxford,Università
diBolognaandatClareHallCambridge,wheresheisaLifeMember.Sheresearcheshistoryandtheory
ofcomedyandcross-culturalhumourandlaughter.HerbooksincludeFarce(2003)andtwoco-edited
studiesofhumourinChineseculture,aswellasUnderstandingHumorinJapan(2007),winnerofthe
2008AssociationforAppliedandTherapeuticHumorhumourresearchbookprize.TwicePresidentof
theInternationalSocietyforHumorStudies(1996and2001),DrDaviswasaCommissioningEditorfor
theSageEncyclopediaofHumorStudies(2014),isamemberoftheEditorialBoardforHUMOR:
InternationalJournalofHumorResearchandanAffiliatedResearcherwiththeCentreforComedy
StudiesResearch,BrunelUniversityUK(CCSR).
42
Mullan,Kerry
RoyalMelbourneInstituteofTechnology(RMIT)University
Béal,Christine
UniversitéMontpellier3,France
Traverso,Véronique
UniversitéLyon2,France
ConversationalHumourinFrenchandAustralianEnglish:
WhatMakesanUtteranceUnfunny?
Thisstudyonconversationalhumourtakesplacewithintheframeworkofalargerprojectonsocial
interactioninFrenchandAustralianEnglish.Twocomparablecorporaofnaturallyoccurring
conversationsduringsocialvisitsamongfriendsinFranceandAustraliawereanalysedtoinvestigate
howspeakersusehumourspontaneouslyinthecourseofsocialvisitsinthetwocultures.Thedata
consistofaudiorecordingsoftwelvevisits(withsixteenspeakers)intheAustraliancorpusand
fourteenvisits(withelevenspeakers)intheFrenchcorpus.Thecorporawererecordedintwourban
environments(MelbourneandLyon),eachofthemmostlyinthesamelocation,i.e.thehost’shouse.
Approximatelyfivehoursofconversationwererecordedineachcorpus.
Ashasbeenshownelsewhere(Dynel2011),wefoundthattraditionalfolkcategoriesofhumoursuch
asjokes,anecdotes,wordplayorteasingarenotreadilysuitedtoacomparativecross-cultural
discourse-basedanalysisofhumour:humourisacomplexareawheremanydifferentaspectscome
intoplaysimultaneously,andwherethedifficultyliesinseparatingtheseaspects.Thisledustorevisit
theanalysisofconversationalhumourusingacross-culturalandinteractionalapproach,andtoshow
thattherearefourdimensionsinvolvedconcurrently:
1.
Thespeaker/target/recipientinterplay
2.
Thelanguagedimension:linguisticmechanismsand/ordiscursivestrategiesusedbyspeakers
3.
Thedifferentpragmaticfunctions
4.
Theinteractionaldimension
Ourearlierresearchhasfocussedonthepragmaticandinteractionaldimensions,showingthat
humourplaysanimportantpartinnegotiatingsociallysensitivemomentsininteraction,suchas
openingrituals(BéalandTraverso2010)orvariousface-threats(BéalandMullan2013).Wehavealso
shownthatAustraliansshowamarkedpreferenceforrecipient-orientedhumourinourcorpus
whereastheFrenchspeakersprefertoreinforcecomplicityattheexpenseofanabsentthirdparty.
Inthispresentationweconcentrateonseveralexamplesofwherehumourclearlydoesnotwork.As
wellasexaminingsomefailedattemptsathumourininteractionbyanalysingthelinguistic
mechanismsthatrenderaparticularutteranceorexchangeunfunnytotheinterlocutordespitethe
intention,wewillalsoconsidersomeexamplesofsuccessfulhumourinonelanguagethatarenot
perceivedasfunnybyspeakersoftheother.Anumberofrepresentativeexamplesfromthetwo
corporawillbepresentedbywayofillustrationandlinkstotheparticipants’respectiveunderlying
ethosandculturalvalueswillalsobeexploredbywayofexplanation.
References
Béal,C.andMullan,K.2013.‘IssuesinConversationalHumourfromaCross-CulturalPerspective:
ComparingFrenchandAustralianCorpora.’InPeeters,B.,Mullan,K.andBéal,C.(eds.).CrossCulturallySpeaking,SpeakingCross-Culturally,pp.107-139.NewcastleuponTyne:CambridgeScholars
Publishing.
43
Béal,C.andTraverso,V.(2010).‘“Hello,We’reOutrageouslyPunctual”:FrontDoorRitualsBetween
FriendsinAustraliaandFrance.’FrenchLanguageStudies20:17-29.
Dynel,M.(ed.).2011.ThePragmaticsofHumouracrossDiscourse.Domains.Amsterdam:John
Benjamins.
Bionotes
KerryMullanisCoordinatorofFrenchStudiesatRMITUniversityandamemberoftheGlobalism
ResearchCentre.SheteachesFrenchasaForeignLanguageandintroductorysociolinguistics.Hermain
researchinterestsarecross-culturalcommunicationanddifferinginteractionalstyles–particularly
thoseofFrenchandAustralianEnglishspeakers.Shealsoresearchesintheareasofintercultural
pragmatics,discourseanalysisandlanguageteaching.SheiscurrentlyinvestigatinghumourinFrench
andAustralianEnglishsocialinteraction.
ChristineBéalisProfessorofLinguisticsatUniversitéPaulValéryMontpellier3andamemberof
Praxiling,aCNRSResearchLabspecialisinginlinguisticsandcommunication.Shecurrentlyteaches
Frenchlinguistics,interactionallinguisticsandcross-culturalpragmatics.Herworkisbasedonnaturally
occurringdata(spontaneoustalkbetweenworkcolleagues,meetings,jobinterviews,amongfriends)
inFrenchandEnglish.Shehasfocussedontermsofaddress,speechacts,politeness,ritualsand
routines,turn-takingandconversationalhumour.
VéroniqueTraversoisDirectorofResearchatICAR(InteractionCorpora,Apprenticeship
Representations),dedicatedtothestudyofspokeninteraction.Sheteachesconversationanalysis,
interactionallinguistics,andcorporaofSpokenFrenchattheUniversityLumièreLyon2.Herworkis
groundedintheanalysisofnaturallyoccurringtalk-in-interactioninFrenchand/orArabic,including
verbal,prosodicandgesturalaspectsusedbyparticipantsinavarietyofsettings:ordinary
conversationduringsocialvisitsandtalkatwork.
44
Murphy,Marty
WesternSydneyUniversity
WeOnlyLaughWhenItDoesn’tHurt:
ComicEffectandtheAbstractionofViolenceinLiteraryComedyNarratives
Incomedy,howarecharactersprotectedfrompainandsufferingofanyconsequence?Comic
charactershealandrecoverfasterthanishumanlypossible,butcomicsignalsmaysurroundthe
violenteventevenwhencharactersreallygethurt,causingBergson’s‘momentaryanaesthesiaofthe
heart’(1911)thatallowsthereadertolaugh.
InthispresentationIaskhowdiminishedempathyiscreatedinworksofliterarycomedynarrativeso
thatthereadermaylaughatfictionalviolencewithoutconcernforthecharactersinvolved.Inhis
classicworkAnEssayontheMeaningoftheComic,Bergson’sconclusionwasthatwelaughat‘the
momentarytransformationofapersonintoathing’,whichsuggestsanobjectificationofcharacterat
workinthemomentofcomicconflict.Comiceffectisachievedaroundtheviolenteventwhenits
descriptionremovestheinjuredcharacterwithcomicdistance.Theviolentactisfocusedasaseriesof
impactstothecharacter’sbodyparts.Inasense,thecharacterisseparatedfromtheinjury.Inaddition
tothistreatmentofthedescriptionIargue,usingSilvanTomkins’AffectTheoryofpersonality,thatthe
comiccharacter’sresponsetopainandinjuryisnecessarilyshallowsothattheviewerorreadermay
experiencethecomiceffect.
Thispaperwillexaminethecomicdistancecreatedbytheabstractionofviolenceusingcasestudiesof
literarycomedynarrativebyIanMcEwan,HilaryMantelandGeorgeSaunders.
Bionote
MartyMurphyisaLecturerattheAustralianFilm,TelevisionandRadioSchool.HeisacurrentPhD
candidate,examining‘ComicEffectsinScreenandLiteraryComedyNarratives’attheWritingand
SocietyResearchCentre,WesternSydneyUniversity.
45
Pabel,Anja
CentralQueenslandUniversity,Cairns
TheDownsidesofHumourUsedDuringTourismExperiences
Thesuccessfulapplicationofhumourintourismcontextscanbeachallengingtask,sincewhatexactly
isperceivedasfunnyisahighlysubjectiveexperience.Onceacrudecommentismade,itcannotbe
withdrawnandthiscanbedetrimentaltotheoveralltourismexperience.Thereforeitisimportantto
ensurethathumourdeliveryisdesignedappropriatelyforitstourismsettingandaudience.This
researchreportsonafocusgroupstudyconductedwith103participantsatfourtourismsettingsto
gainadeeperunderstandingofthelimitsofhumourintourismcontexts.Duringthesefocusgroup
discussions,specialemphasiswasgiventoexploringthedownsidesofusinghumourfromthe
perspectivesoftourists.Participantswereaskedwhethertheyfeltifanyofthehumourthey
encounteredactuallyoffendedthem;iftheycouldthinkofdisadvantageswhenhumourisusedduring
tourismexperiences;andiftheycouldmentionanytourismsettingswheretheywouldnotwelcome
theuseofhumour.Thefocusgroupdiscussionswereaudio-recodedandtranscriptsweresubjectedto
analysiswithLeximancer,atextanalyticstoolwhichproducesvisualmapsbasedontheconnectivityof
relatedthemes.Thefindingsofthefocusgroupstudyindicatethatparticipantslikedthehumourthey
encounteredateachofthefourtourismsettings.Mostrespondentsstatedthatbeingoverlyserious
duringtourismpresentationscouldhaveundesirableoutcomesforsometourismexperiences.The
resultsalsohighlightsomeofthenegativeswhenemployinghumourintourismsettingsincluding
languagebarrierssincetourismoftenbringstogetherpeoplefrommultipleculturesandbackgrounds.
Therewerecertainsettingswhereparticipantsconsideredtheuseofhumourasunfittingsuchas
placesofhumansuffering.Essentially,thedownsidesofusinghumourintourismsettingsdependon
manyvariablesincludingtheskillofthetourismpresentertodeliverthehumour,thecontentofthe
humouraswellasthetourists’owntasteandpreferenceforhumour.Tourguidesandothertourism
presentersshouldaimforabalancedapproachwherehumourisrelevantandincludedwithother
educationalmaterialtobepresentedtotourists.Inpublictouristattractionsandtours,itisimportant
fortourguidestobeawareofparticularsituationsinregardstohowandwhentousehumour.
Bionote
AnjaPabelcompletedherPhDatJamesCookUniversityin2015.HerPhDresearchfocusedontheuse
ofhumourintourismsettings.HerresearchhasbeenpublishedinabooktitledTourismandHumour
co-authoredwithProfessorPhilipPearce.PresentlysheisalecturerintourismatCentralQueensland
University.Hermainresearchinterestsare:humourresearch,touristbehaviourandmarinetourism.
46
Peebles,Daryl
UniversityofTasmania
ThePriceofInappropriateHumourintheWorkplace
Thedichotomyofopinionaroundtheuseofhumourintheworkplaceappearstostemfromalackof
clarityaroundthe‘style’ofhumourbeingconsideredinaworkplacecontext.AHumourStyle
QuestionnairedevelopedbyMartin,Puhlik-Doris,Larsen,GrayandWeir(2003)providedatoolfor
researcherstodifferentiatethehumourstylepreferencesbeingdisplayedinworkplaces.
Alsoemergingfromthefieldofpositivepsychology,Luthans,YoussefandAvolio(2007)developeda
conceptcalledpsychologicalcapital(orPsyCap)basedonthecapacitiesofself-efficacy,resilience,
hopeandoptimismassociatedwithimprovedorganisationalproductivity.
Giventheseobservations,thedifferentiationbetweenpositivehumourandnegativehumouris
paramountinthispaper.So,too,istheexplorationoftherelationshipbetweenPsyCapandpositive
humour.Specifically,thepaperexaminesboththeuseandstyleofhumourinworkplacesandits
relationshipwiththePsyCapofemployees.
Italsodiscussestherelationshipbetweenpositivehumour,psychologicalcapitalandindicatorsof
workplaceproductivityfromboththeemployees'andtheemployers'perspectiveusingtheresultsof
empiricalinvestigation.
Theindicatorsexaminedincludejobsatisfaction;staffturnoverintentions;loyalty,teamworkand
helpingbehaviours;creativityandinnovativethinking;discretionaryeffortandcivicvirtue;and
productivityandcontributiontoorganisationaleffectiveness.
References
Luthans,F.,Youssef,C.andAvolioB.(2007).PsychologicalCapital–DevelopingtheHuman
CompetitiveEdge.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress.
Martin,R.A.,Puhlik-Doris,P.,Larsen,G.,GrayJ.andWeir,K.(2003).‘IndividualDifferencesinUsesof
HumourandTheirRelationshiptoPsychologicalWell-being:DevelopmentoftheHumourStyles
Questionnaire’.JournalofResearchinPersonality37,48-75.
Bionote
DarylPeebleshasenjoyed‘parallelcareers’workingprofessionallyinmediaandcommunicationsand
asahumanresourcemanagerforboththeABCandtheTasmanianStateGovernment.Inhis‘other
life’Darylenjoysatheatreandentertainmentcareerasbothawriterandperformer.
Sevenyearsago,Darylmergedhisprofessionalandperformingcareersandcommencedapart-time
PhDstudywithintheUniversityofTasmania’sSchoolofManagementresearchingTheValueofPositive
HumourintheWorkplacefromwhichhegraduatedinDecember2015.
AspartofhisPhDresearch,Darylsurveyedsmallteamsinover50Australianorganisationsincluding
theprivateandnot-for-profitsectors,andpublicsectorteamsfromeachofthethreelevelsof
government.Thisresultedinover300individualsparticipating.Thestudyexaminedpatternsbetween
theuseofpositive,affirminghumourandPsychologicalCapital(PsyCap)attributessuchashope,
optimism,confidenceandresilience.Daryl’sstudyfurtherdemonstratedthepotentiallyhelpfuleffects
oftheseconstructsonworkplaceproductivity.
47
Rawlings,Maren
SwinburneUniversityofTechnology,Melbourne
DisparagementofSelf–WhoWouldDoThat!
AGooglesearchbyJanesandOlson(2015)fortheterm‘self-deprecatinghumor’of750000hitsledto
thenotionthatdisparagementofselfisnotrestrictedtominoritiesasformerlybelieved.Humourthat
isintendedtoelicitamusementthroughbelittlementoftheselfisreferredtoasself-deprecatingin
Australia.Martineau(1972)analysedthein-group,theintragroupandtheintergroupsituationin
whichdisparagementhumourcanoccur,buthumourreflexiveoftheselfwasnotaddressedasa
separatephenomenon.McGhee(2010)recommendedlaughingattheselfasasignofmaturity,
althoughhebelieveditwasahardhabittodevelop.Theaimofthispaperistoexaminesomepiecesof
contemporaryhumorousjournalismintheAustralianmediawithrespecttotargetsorbuttsofthe
horseplay,usinganenhancedMartineaumodel.
References
Janes,L.&Olson,J.(2015).‘HumorasanAbrasiveoraLubricantinSocialSituations:Martineau
Revisited.’InternationalJournalofHumorResearch28,271-288.
Martineau,W.H.(1972).‘AModeloftheSocialFunctionsofHumor.’InJ.H.Goldstein&P.E.McGhee
(eds),ThePsychologyofHumor.NewYork:AcademicPress,101-125.
McGhee,P.(2010).HumorasSurvivalTrainingforaStressed-outWorld.Bloomington:AuthorHouse
Bionote
MarenRawlingswasateacheratcityandcountryschoolsinVictoriabeforea22yearstintat
MethodistLadies’College,Melbourne,finishingasinauguralPsychologyCoordinatorandahouse
coordinatorin2003.InadditiontoherdayjobsheheldcasuallectureshipsatRMITUniversityandthe
UniversityofMelbourne(bothinpsychology)andwrotepre-degreetextbooksinPsychologywithher
husbandDavid.In2011shegraduatedwithaPhDin‘HumouratWork’atSwinburneUniversityof
TechnologyandiscurrentlytutoringfirstandsecondyearinPsychologyatSwinburneUniversity.In
2014,shelectured(asamaternityleavereplacement)intheinaugural‘CriticalThinkinginPsychology’
infirstyearattheAustralianCatholicUniversity.
48
Stewart,Ronald
PrefecturalUniversityofHiroshima,japan
‘ExtremelyRegrettable’Cartoons:
TheLimitsofPoliticalCartoonsAcrossBordersintheWakeofJapan’s3.11Disaster
ThispaperwillpresentanalysisofinternalandexternalpoliticalcartoonresponsestoJapan'sMarch
11,2011,or‘3.11’disaster,andattempttounderstandsomeofthelimitsofcartoonhumourin
dealingwithdisaster.Atthetimeofthisdisaster,shockingimagesoftheearthquake-triggeredtsunami
sweepingawaywholetownsaswellasovertenthousandliveswerebroadcastacrosstheglobeand
broughtswiftresponsesfromcartoonistsnotonlyinJapan,butworldwide.Themultiplereactor
meltdownsandradioactivefalloutthatfolloweddisplacingtensofthousandsmorepeople,alsodrew
theattentionofcartoonistsbothinsideandoutsideofJapan.Cartooncommentarywasusedto
support,reflectandcriticisetheJapanesegovernment,powercompaniesandothersastheystruggled
tocontrolthesituation,answerlocalandbroadersafetyconcerns,andattemptedtorebuild.Inorder
tohighlightdifferencesinthelimitsofJapaneseandoverseascartoonsrelatedto3.11,thispaperwill
firstlygiveanoverviewofpost3.11Japanesepoliticalcartoons,followedbyabriefcomparativesketch
ofthemainthemesandtargetsinAnglophonepoliticalcartoonsonthedisaster.Thepaperwillthen
focusmorecloselyonfouroverseasnewspapercartoons—onefromaUSnewspaper,theNewYork
Times,onefromaMalaysiannewspaper,BeritaHarian,andtheothertwofromaFrenchsatirical
newspaper,LeCanardEnchaine—whichupsetmanyJapanese,andwhichdrewformalobjectionsfrom
theJapaneseGovernment.Throughthisbriefcomparisonofinternalandexternalcartoons,alongwith
theexaminationofJapaneseobjectionstoanumberofforeigncartoons,thispaperseekstohighlight
howpublishingandculturalcontexts,andthetemporalandgeographicaldistanceofcartoonistsfrom
thedisaster,affectsandlimitsthehumourtheydeploy.
Bionote
RonaldStewartisanAssociateProfessoratthePrefecturalUniversityofHiroshima.Hecompletedhis
PhDinculturalhistoryatNagoyaUniversity,andhaspublishedinbothJapaneseandEnglishonJapan’s
cartooninghistory,latenineteenthtoearlytwentieth-centuryhumourmagazines,andvisual
representation.Inrecentyearshisresearchhasfocusedoncontemporarypoliticalcartooninginpost3.11disasterJapan.
49
Tomkins,Sara
UniversityofSydney
TheAmbivalenceofthe‘MegaBigot’andJewishness
intheComedyofSarahSilverman
TheJewishAmericancomedianSarahSilvermaniswellknownfordealingwithsociallytabootopicsin
aprovocativesatiricalstyle.Throughouthercareer,Silvermanhasshownaparticularinterestinissues
aroundracialdifferenceandhasuseda‘megabigot’personatoaddressthetopic.The‘megabigot’
comicpersonaisdefinedassomeonewhobelievesthemselvestobeextremelyopenmindedand
progressivebutinsteadisjustanaivebigotwhosaysanddoesincrediblyoffensivethings.Silverman
usesthe‘megabigot’inherrace-basedcomedywiththeaimofmakingfunofbigotrybypretendingto
beabigot.
WhileSilverman’suseofthe‘megabigot’isoftenextremelyfunnyandclever,italsoentailssignificant
risk.Thereisanever-presentriskofthepersona’sfunctionbeingmisunderstoodandariskofcrossing
theunclearlinebetweenanti-racistandracisthumour.IwillconsiderhowSilvermantempersher
‘mega-bigot’characterisationwithmomentswherethedistinctionbetweenherbigotedpersonaand
herunderlyingsocialcritiqueismadeclear.
ThispaperisparticularlyinterestedinhowSilvermandeploysherJewishnessasadiscursiveand
aestheticresourcewithinthe‘megabigot’persona.IwilllookathowSilverman’sstrategicuseofher
Jewishnessplaysacentralroleinreducingtherisksassociatedwithherparticularstyleofracialsatire.I
willalsoinvestigatethewaysinwhichJewishnessmakesSilverman’shumourmoresusceptibleto
criticism,largelyduetotheinstabilityofJewishnessasaracial/ethniccategoryintheUnitedStates.
ThroughcloseanalysisofexamplesfromSilverman’scomedy,thispaperaimstoshowhowthe
ambivalenceofboththe‘megabigot’personaandAmericanJewishnessallowsSilvermanaunique,
butoftenfraught,positionfromwhichtoaddresstheissueofrace.
Bionote
SaraTomkinsisafinalyearPhDstudentinthedepartmentofGenderandCulturalStudiesat
theUniversityofSydney.HerresearchfocusesonAfricanAmericanandJewishAmericanrelationsin
contemporaryJewishAmericancomedy.Herresearchdealswithissuesaroundracialsatireand
blackfaceaswellastheroleofidentitypoliticsinrace-basedhumour.Saraisalsoalecturerandtutor
attheUniversityofSydneywithaparticularinterestinthefieldsofCriticalRaceStudiesand
transnationalAmericanStudies.
50
Vincent,Alfred
UniversityofSydney
TheDonkey’sTale:LaughterandItsLimitsinMedievalGreece
ThePleasantTaleofDonkey,FoxandWolfisaversifiedfable,ofunknownauthorship,in270rhymed
couplets,writteninanearlyformofModernGreekaround1500CE.Firstprintedin1539,itremained
forcenturiesamuch-lovedworkofpopularliterature.Ittellshowthetwopredatorstrytotrickpoor,
downtroddenDonkey–butfailtorealisethatbrainsarenotamonopolyofthelearnedandpowerful.
TheTaleisthoughttohavebeenwritteninCrete,whichwasruledbyVenicefrom1211tothe
Ottomanconquestof1645-1669.ItisareworkingofanunrhymedmedievalGreekpoem.Therhymed
versioncanberelatedtoarichveinofhumourinCretanliterature,fromtheprovocativesatiresof
StefanosSachlikis,acontemporaryofChaucer,totheneoclassicalcomediesofthelatesixteenthand
seventeenthcenturies,whichtheTaleforeshadowsinitslivelydialogue,itscleverironyanditsneat
characterisation.ItcanbelinkedtotheAesopictradition,toByzantinesatireandtomedievalGreek
animalpoems.ThereareobvioussimilaritieswiththeReynardtheFoxtales,butalsosignificant
differencesintherolesofthethreeanimals.
TheTalecanbereadasamoralfable,butalso,ofcourse,asasatiricalallegoryofthethreesocial
classesorestates,circumventingthelimitsofallowablehumourinitssociety.Thecharactersof
Donkey,WolfandFoxareclearlyalignedtotheseroles.Butthepoemalsosatirisesaspectsofreligious
practice,creatingaproblemofinterpretation.TheallegoricalcodingandreceptionoftheTalehave
beenlittlestudied,andwillbediscussedinthispaper.Commentsbasedonparticipants’knowledgeof
otherliterarytraditionswillbemostwelcome.
AnEnglishsummaryoftheTalewillbeprovidedinahandout,togetherwithextractsinEnglish
translation.ThoseinterestedcanalsoreadtranslatedextractsinTheGreekPoets:Homertothe
Present,ed.PeterConstantineetal.(Norton,NewYorkandLondon,2010),pp.359-362.
Bionote
AlfredVincenttaughtcoursesinModernGreekstudiesatSydneyUniversityfrom1974to1998,andis
nowanaffiliatememberoftheDepartment.Muchofhisresearchhasbeenoncomedyandother
writingfrommedievalandearlymodernGreece,andespeciallyfromtheislandofCreteunder
Venetianrule.HisPhDwasacriticaleditionandstudyofthecomedyFortounatos,byMarkantonios
Foskolos(1655).AsavisitinguniversityteacherinGreece(1999and2000)hedevisedandtaught
coursesonEuropeancomedyfromMachiavellitoMolière.Hehasalsopublishedontheuseof
Bergson’stheoryoflaughterbythefamousnovelistandthinkerNikosKazantzakis,whowasan
admireroftheFrenchphilosopher.
51
Visconti,Will
UniversityofSydney
ThePersonalandthePoliticalinContemporaryCabaret
Theprimaryaimofthispaperistoexaminethefrequentblurringoreliminationofboundarieswithin
contemporarycabaretandneo-burlesqueperformances.Fromthepoliticaltothepersonal;being
positionedasempoweredorexploited,sexyorgrotesque;orthelimitsofphysicalityandthe
audience’sunderstandingoftaboosandhumour(andoftenalloftheabovecombined),performers
todayplaywiththesevariousdemarcationsforthemselvesandtheiraudiences.Themainpointsof
referencewillbetheworkofspecificcontemporaryperformers,whomIaimtosituatewithinthe
broaderframeworkofthecabaretandneo-burlesquesceneintermsoftheirstyleaswellastheir
positionintermsofcabarethistoryandthelegacyofpreviousgenerationsofcabarettistes.
Ofparticularinterestispreciselywhere,why,andhowperformersdelineatebetweenthemselves,
theironstagepersonae,andtheirpersonallivesorbeliefsinrelation(orcontrast)tobroaderideas
suchasbodypolitics,genderrolesandcurrentaffairs.Here,theuseofhumourisakeyconcern,and
lookingatspecificinstanceswherehumourisormoretellinglyisnotused,particularlywhenpaired
withothertheatricalconventionsorspecificmaterial.
Beyondtheirperformancesonstage,thereisfurtherblurringofboundariesthroughtheuseofsocial
mediaandvirtualplatforms.Thiscaneithercontinueorenablediscussionabouttheirperformances
andaudienceinteraction,andinsomecasescancreatematerialforfutureperformances.
Bionote
WillVisconticompletedhisPhDinFrenchStudiesandItalianStudiesattheUniversityofSydney.his
thesis,entitled‘LaGoulueandLaCasati:StudiesinthePerformanceofBelleEpoqueDecadentism’was
acomparativeanalysisofthelivesandlegaciesofthedancerLaGoulueandtheMarchesaLuisaCasati,
anItalianmuseandpatronessofthearts.Will’sprimaryresearchinterestsextendfromthenineteenth
centurytothepresent,examining,amongotherthings,thelinksandcontinuitiesbetweenthepast
andpresentintermsoftheartsandrepresentation.Will'sresearchbroadlyfocusesonideasofgender,
art,andtransgression,withparticularemphasisonlatenineteenth-centuryParisandearlytwentiethcenturyvaudevilleandcabarettraditions.
PreviousprojectsincludeanexaminationoftheoeuvreofMaeWest,therepresentationofthe
courtesaninItalianhistoricalfiction,andrepresentationsofthecancanandcancandancersduringthe
fin-de-siècleandincontemporarymedia.WilliscurrentlyworkingonabiographyofthedancerLa
Goulue.
52
Walters,Helen
UniversityofSydney
AFrolicofFancyDressers:HowtoLookGoodasaPumpkin?
MypaperisanextensionofmyMastersthesis,whichinvestigatesthecomplexitiesofadultfancydress
andexamineshowhumourisembodiedatfancydressparties.Mythesispositsthatfancydressfor
adultsisanamusingself-producedentertainmentthatisenjoyedinthecompanyofotherswhoare
similarlyattired.
Mystartingpointisthatthepurposeofwearingfancydressatpartiesistodrawpeopletogetherin
playful,sharedcelebrationsandtohavefunandbesilly.Theexpectationisthatbywearingfunny
clothesonewillbeinahumorousframeofmind.Iaskisthehumourinthefancydresscostumesorin
themindofthewearers.Howdotheclothesmakeitfun?Itisthephysicalityofputtingoneveryday
clothinginincongruouscombinationsor‘noteveryday’itemsofclothingwithunusualcoloursand
shapes,texturesandfabrics,usingdisguiseorblatanttrickery,thatcannotbuthelpcreatea
playgroundforfuntimesandmakingmemories.Fancydressisalsoadresscodethatispartofthe
continuumofclothingandfashionetiquettethathasboundariesofexpectationandacceptance.There
aremanymanifestationsandinterpretationsofwhatconstitutesandisexperiencedasa‘funtime’ata
fancydressparty.Howeveritisworthconsideringthatforothersfancydressisuncomfortable,
embarrassingandinvokesfeelingsofcoercion–itistheantithesisoffun.Fancydressisnotaonehat
fitsallscenarioandthatispartofitscomplexityandmakesitabeguilingtopictostudy.
AspartofmyresearchIhavebeencollectingnewsstoriesonfancydress,andwhatoftenmakesthe
headlinesiswhenfancydresscrossesthelineofpoliticalorculturalcorrectness.Forexample,during
investigationsintothesexualmisconductandpedophiliaactivitiesofthenowdeceasedUKpersonality
JimmySaville,therewasoutrageinBritainwhenagroupofrevelersdressedasSavilleatafancydress
function.Itwasanexampleofthepoweroftheimageandhowfancydresscanbeadisruptiveforce
thatchallengestheculturalmoresandpushestheboundariesofpublicdecency.Whatwasdonein
humourasacommentaryonadisturbingpublicstorythroughthemediumoffancydresswasatthe
limitsofhumourandseenashighlydistastefulbythepublic.
Bionote
HelenWaltershasjustcompletedaMastersofArtsResearchdegreeintheDepartmentofGenderand
CulturalStudiesattheUniversityofSydney.Sheinvestigatedadultfancydresspracticeasaformof
socialisation,individualexpressionandlivedexperience.Itwasherlong-termparticipationwithfancy
dressinhersocialgroupthatledhertolookinwardandembarkonanethnographicstudyofthis
groupofBabyBoomers’dynamicfancydresscostumesandparties.
HelenhaspresentedatalkontheroleofphotographyatfancydresseventsfortheHistoryCouncilof
NSWin2013andparticipatedatPopcaanzinBrisbanein2013.Shestudiedfashionandtextilesat
BrightonUniversityandhasanHonoursdegreeinEnglishandCulturalstudiesfromMacquarie
University.Shealsohasapassionforexperimentalembroideryandcrochet.
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Wheatley,Josh
UniversityofSydney
FilthyOpeningsandThresholds:TrashasPhilosophyinPinkFlamingos
ThispresentationwillexploreconceptsoftrashincinemathroughJohnWaters’notoriouscultfilm,
PinkFlamingos(1972).Brandedbyonecriticatthetimeofitsrelease,‘Likeaseptictankexplosion,it
hastobeseentobebelieved!’thefilmisacelebrationoffilthandbadtaste,followingthewarped
competitionofBaltimorewhite-trashoutsiderstoclaimthetitleof‘FilthiestPersonAlive’.This
independentlyproduced,low-fifilmhasbecomeoneofthemostnotoriousgross-outcomedyfilmsin
Americancinema,litteredwithspectacularsequencesofsymbolictransgressionsandbodilyopenings,
ofsingingassholesandchickenf**kers,closingwithacoprophilicset-piecethathascementedthe
film’slegacyofpurebadtaste.PinkFlamingosisnotonlyafilmabouttrash,butitisalsoanobjectof
trash–andpresentsuswithanopportunitytoexploredimensionsofatrashaestheticincinema,
throughthematerialandsymbolicnetworksofthe‘trash’film.
Thispresentationwillsituatetheculturalandformalcontextsofthefilm’sproduction,andpresentan
analysisoftherelationshiptotrashandcomicphilosophythroughPinkFlamingos.Thepresentation
willdrawfromBakhtin’sanalysisofRabelais,andconceptsofthecarnivalesquegrotesquebody,the
monstrous,andthelower-bodily-stratum.Ofparticularinterestarethewaysinwhichtrashcanbe
exploredasaliminalspace,wherematerialassemblagesoverturnculturalhierarchiesandrenewthe
worldthroughfestivity.Developingthisanalysis,IwillexaminetheaestheticcompositionofPink
Flamingosas‘badfilm’assemblage,andthewaysinwhichcounter-aestheticsintrashcinemacan
provideatemporaryspaceofcarnivalinthecultfilmtheatre.Inexploringthematerialandsymbolic
relationsproducedinWaters’film,wecanconsiderthewaysinwhichtrashaestheticsandcomedycan
serveasacritiqueofact,image,andworld.
Bionote
JoshWheatleyiscurrentlyundertakinghisPhDattheUniversityofSydney.Hisareaofresearchistrash
aestheticsincontemporaryAmericancinema.Histhesisengagespostmodernandecocritical
approachestotrashmaterialitiesinfilm,examiningnetworksofvalue,wasteandtheimage.
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