WORK EXPERIENCE

MY DISSERTATION

The concept that comedy is subjective (the idea that humour is found and based on one's interpretation), although a saying which continuously transpires through society and history, holds much debate. Author Paul Hezrich constructs a set of criteria by which you can judge forms of comedy and believes that 'these values are primarily subjective and based upon personal experience rather than any organised empirical observation of the audience.’ Hezrich connotes that the joke-tellers point of view offsets audience response. However, within today's social and political climate, audiences' responses to comedy or societal events are more impactful than ever, in terms of the recent outrage concerning the '#Me Too movement, 'Black Lives Matter’ (BLM), transgender rights, and other Civil Rights movements. These tenacious and current issues were the catalysts for a contemporary moment in which much of society reflected upon the damaging implications of controversial humour within television comedies and the subsequent effect comedic power play may have on minorities such as the LGBTQ+ community and the different ethnicities to that of White British.

My dissertation analyses contemporary components and their contributions to changing spectatorship and public consensus whilst also exploring the influence that 'offensive' British comedy has had upon societies' marginalised groups. This is a significant and current study area, for it was in the recent year of 2020 that the public collectively decided offensive comedy was to be cancelled, resulting in the pulling and editing of formerly much-loved television comedies. These include Fawlty Towers., Little Britain and the family show Gavin and Stacey. All shows received an influx of Ofcom reports and aggressive public disproval. However, it must be acknowledged that before 2020 these programmes were held in high regard; some even considered to be 'British Classics.' The rapid alteration of British audience response resulted in a nationwide debate: is the impact of being 'woke' affecting comedy as we know it? Moreover, how will future television comedies be affected?

Chapter One analyses the effect of racial humour produced within the Fawlty Towers episode The German, the writer, John Cleese’s authorship in such content and the debate surrounding the accountability of streaming services, in giving racist humour a platform in the first place.  The subject of political correctness (‘An implicit social convention of restraint on public expression within a given community.) will also be examined alongside its influence on streaming services' current-day actions in the editing and reinstatement of Fawlty Towers.

Chapter Two examines the consequences of producing phobic discriminations from that of a powerful grouping such as the white, middle-class, cis-gendered men, who Little Britain. For instance, the homophobic character portrayals of character Daffyd Thomas, the transphobic representations of transvestite character Emily Howard and the racism incorporated within the blackface of Desiree DeVere. British LGBTQ+ history and racist past are also contextualised whilst theorising upon racist humour and establishing the progression and patterns of discriminatory behaviour within society and the Television industry. Chapter Two pulls into question the current debates surrounding the contemporary theory of ‘cancel culture.’(the practice of withdrawing support for […]public figures […] after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive.) Debating whether ‘cancel culture’ has disadvantaged the careers of both Walliams and Lucas and details their ‘considered objectionable’ comedy. For instance, their privilege which creates a  power imbalance between Walliams, Lucas, and the marginalised groups they mock. Conversely, the theory of self-deprecating humour, the act of mocking oneself, is also debated in terms of their homosexual mocking's while `being part of the LGBTQ+ community themselves.

Chapter Three studies the history of weight biases within society and how they have been propagated through the media, specifically the fatphobic relationship and depictions of characters Smithy and Nessa within Gavin and Stacey. This segment also focuses on current fat activism, and the effects Gavin and Stacey’s fatphobia can have on spectators and their mental health. The co-creator of the show, James Corden’s career and authorship in fat joke making, is also evaluated in its link to Britain's changing stigmatisations and perceptions of fat people within society.

Overall, my dissertation examines whether British comedy has changed,  if so, the extent to which it has changed, the authorship behind certain comedy and analyses the power dynamics between the joke-teller and the victims of the joke.

​

If you are interested in reading my Dissertation then please email me, I'd love to hear your feedback and I'm curious. to know our stance on the topics I discuss.