Playing to the out-group: discovering stand-up comedy’s ‘other’ audiences

Stand-up comedy is a popular genre of entertainment with a far-reaching influence on attitude and engagement among audiences. This research studies consumer attitudes towards stand-up comedy performances, such as humor orientation, relevance of content, popularity of the performer, and audience engagement. The research collects data from rural and urban regions, placing major focus on respondents from Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore. Utilizing qualitative and quantitative analysis, the research studies consumer motivation, expectation, and levels of satisfaction with stand-up comedy performances. The research provides insight into how cultural background, social influence, and media exposure drive audience sentiment regarding stand-up comedy. The research also determines the influence of digital media on consumer attitudes and choice of live shows over online viewing. The study has the potential to guide comedians, event organizers, and media outlets in tailoring content for maximum audience engagement and satisfaction. Key Words: Consumer perception, Stand-up comedy, Humour preferences, Audience engagement, Cultural influence, Digital media, Live performance

This paper is a reflection on the points of convergence between live performance and the media within Indian stand-up comedy. Traditionally, live performance has been seen in opposition to the media. While the former is defined by spatial and temporal co-presence of the audience and spectators, the latter has neither (Auslander, 2012). While stand-up comedy is primarily live, digital and mass media are used extensively by comedians to build a professional reputation for themselves through their presence and participation on social media. However, after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of performance art – including stand-up comedy – has moved online. That is, comedians are experimenting with the online media: Zoom, Instagram Live, Facebook Live and so on, to put up live performances that would otherwise have been performed within a comedy club or café. This paper derives its theoretical basis from Philip Auslander’s postulation of liveness in a mediatised culture and digital liveness which ‘results from our conscious act of grasping virtual entities as live in response to the claims [technology makes] on us’ (2012: 13). The paper attempts a theoretical reflection on how to ‘read’ a stand-up comedy performance for pedagogical purposes in these different contexts as the idea of liveness, mediatisation and our experience of the live evolves with time and context.

This study delved into the realm of expressive speech acts within stand-up comedy, with a specific focus on Raditya Dika's "Cerita Cintaku" YouTube series. Drawing from John Searle's theoretical framework, which encompassed emotion-showing, mood-indicating, aesthetic judgment, and expressive vocabulary, the research explored the intricate dynamics of linguistic choices and audience responses. Employing a qualitative case study approach, two selected videos were analyzed to unravel the nuanced use of expressive speech acts. The findings shed light on Raditya Dika's comedic craft, emphasizing the interplay between expressive speech, emotional expression, and inherent humor. The abstract underscored the specificity of linguistic elements, provided insights into the chosen methodology, and articulated the interface between Searle's theory and the empirical findings. This research contributed to a deeper understanding of the role of expressive speech in stand-up comedy, offering a unique perspective on audience engagement and comedic impact.

Intercultural competence is a necessary disposition for teachers in the United States who instruct an increasingly diverse group of P-12 students in inclusive settings. Viewing the world and inclusive practices from multicultural and global perspectives can be difficult when the majority of one's experiences occur within their own culture. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe how a teacher educator connected her 40 early childhood pre-service teachers to broader national and global inclusive practice issues via project-based learning activities. Data were collected using a brief, researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed using thematic pattern analysis and constant comparison methodology. Findings show that pre-service teachers knew little about the global issues prior to the activities, were interested and engaged in the activities, developed global knowledge and perspectives through participation, and held varying levels of cultural competence after participation. While growth in knowledge regarding national and global inclusive practices is important, teacher educators should make concerted efforts to expand teachers' perceptions beyond monocultural views into deeper, multicultural perspectives regarding global inclusive practice.

When investigating relaxed performance, little attention has been paid to live stand-up comedy. The relaxed performance increases the accessibility and inclusivity of live theatre performances. Yet this poses great challenges to stand-up comedy, which often entails offensiveness and physical discomfort. This article focuses on the paradox between relaxed performance and stand-up comedy. It examines the challenges and positive effects of incorporating stand-up comedy into a relaxed venue through a case study of Evelyn Mok’s live comedy performance in a relaxed venue at a comedy event ‘Comedy without Victims’ held at Battersea Arts Centre in 2019. Combining the analysis of comedian-audience interactions with an interview between the author and Mok, this article contends that, although audience interruptions may disrupt the delivery of comedy routines and place the comedian in an uncertain status, the relaxed venue reshapes the comedian-audience relationship and galvanises the autonomy of audience members, particularly those who are socially marginalised. Consequently, it enhances the subversive power of stand-up comedy in challenging ableist ideologies in theatre conventions, disturbing the existing discussions about social divisions and addressing social injustice. In this regard, relaxed stand-up comedy acts as a democratic site where comedy performance propels and expands real social transformation.

Many Internet media outlets refer to 2021 as the "Year of the Boom of Chinese Stand-up Comedy." The rapid development of stand-up comedy culture can be attributed to its chain-like creation and distribution mechanism. Comedy, rooted in jest and banter, allows individuals to unmask each other and revel in the happiness of free expression. However, behind this lighthearted facade lies the commodification of happiness, performance, and even the audience, all driven by the forces of capital and industrialized comedy production. This article examines Fu Hang's talk show videos on Douyin platform, employing text analysis, data analysis, and media criticism theories related to the cultural industry. By analyzing Fu Hangs content, related videos, and audience engagement, this paper explores the commercialization embedded in the production and dissemination of his talk show videos. Ultimately, Fu Hang's stand-up comedy videos on Douyin exemplify how laughter is industrially produced in a manipulative, mechanical and commercial way.

The narrative pattern and discursive strategies of stand-up comedy in Nigeria reveal some tropes and motifs that are contemporary to the socio-political realities of the country. These narrative/discursive strategies demonstrate three discourse types: salutation/greeting discourse, reporting discourse and informing discourse. With these discourse types, stand-up comedians use themselves as the victims of the jokes in order to evoke laughter in the audience. The performances of stand-up comedy, however, have not been accorded due recognition of the functional arts that can be used to critique the failure of the ruling elite in the Nigerian State. This is because stand-up comedy is class-selective and occasion-driven. To evoke laughter in the audience and to comment on the reality of existence, stand-up comedians deploy language aesthetics, kinesics and atmosphere. The modal transition from pure oral stage to the technological phase of performance informs the conceptualisation of media mediated performance (MMP) through recorded VCDs/DVDs and the social media. Data on the stand-up comedy of AY and Elenu are collected through media mediated performances (MMP) on VCD. Data on the subject matter, topicality and discursive strategies of AY and Elenu’s (these are among ace stand-up comedians in Nigeria) jokes are analysed and discussed. With the subject matter and topicality of the jokes, this paper suggests that stand-up comedy performs the utilitarian functions of literary and performing arts. It entertains, moralises, satirises and educates members of heterogeneous audiences on some values and ethos of the contemporary Nigerian society.The narrative pattern and discursive strategies of stand-up comedy in Nigeria reveal some tropes and motifs that are contemporary to the socio-political realities of the country. These narrative/discursive strategies demonstrate three discourse types: salutation/greeting discourse, reporting discourse and informing discourse. With these discourse types, stand-up comedians use themselves as the victims of the jokes in order to evoke laughter in the audience. The performances of stand-up comedy, however, have not been accorded due recognition of the functional arts that can be used to critique the failure of the ruling elite in the Nigerian State. This is because stand-up comedy is class-selective and occasion-driven. To evoke laughter in the audience and to comment on the reality of existence, stand-up comedians deploy language aesthetics, kinesics and atmosphere. The modal transition from pure oral stage to the technological phase of performance informs the conceptualisation of media mediated performance (MMP) through recorded VCDs/DVDs and the social media. Data on the stand-up comedy of AY and Elenu are collected through media mediated performances (MMP) on VCD. Data on the subject matter, topicality and discursive strategies of AY and Elenu’s (these are among ace stand-up comedians in Nigeria) jokes are analysed and discussed. With the subject matter and topicality of the jokes, this paper suggests that stand-up comedy performs the utilitarian functions of literary and performing arts. It entertains, moralises, satirises and educates members of heterogeneous audiences on some values and ethos of the contemporary Nigerian society.

Numerous theorists have identified a need for students to learn to solve global concerns in an increasingly interconnected world. The issue of immigration policy is one such concern. This study analyzed the texts of two programs teaching deliberation and U.S. immigration policy. The purpose of the study was to analyze instructional materials that are deliberative in structure and identify the range of deliberative stances regarding global, nation-bound, multicultural, and mainstream perspectives in order to detect overarching ideological stances. A narrow range of deliberative stances or perspectives was indicative of an overarching ideological stance. Findings suggest that both sets of instructional materials studied are predominantly nation-bound in perspective; National Issues Forums contains mainstream perspectives of immigration policy, while Choices for the 21st Century Education Program contains some “transformative” multicultural perspectives of immigration policy.

Sticky Narratives: How Micro-Influencers Engage and Retain Their Audience Through Storytelling

Reviewed by: A Vulgar Art: A New Approach to Stand-Up Comedy by Ian Brodie. Jackson Trevor J. Blank A Vulgar Art: A New Approach to Stand-Up Comedy. By Ian Brodie. Jackson. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2014. 255 pages. Hardcover, $60.00. Folklorists are often tasked with making sense of nonsense, breaking down the nuances of everyday life and parsing through interpersonal, artistic, and performative communications to reveal the depth and meaning behind vernacular expression and the contexts from which they derive. Talk is, of course, a foundational component of human interaction, and humor can serve as a rich and complex dimension of talk. However, while folklore scholars have traditionally prioritized orally transmitted phenomena over those which are technologically or mass mediated, few folkloristic works have managed to employ a more holistic approach that extends beyond mere textual analyses of humorous talk; they have neglected the multifaceted, layered dimensions of cultural exchange at play. In A Vulgar Art, author Ian Brodie ventures where others have not, shining new light into how stand-up comedy serves as a powerful locus of folkloric communication couched in vernacular talk, identity politics, tensions of performance and reception, cultivation and construction of material culture, as well as the curation and preservation of content in broadcast, analog, and Internet media. The book's title, A Vulgar Art, is culled from a quote by legendary stand-up comedian George Carlin, who reveled in the etymological origins of the word vulgar, noting its original meaning: "of the people." It is here, with this connotation in mind, that Brodie demonstrates how a folkloristic approach to the study of stand-up is so fitting. He begins by addressing the scattered scholarly literature on the topic of stand-up comedy, while informing readers about what folklore is, what folklorists do, and what constitutes a folkloristic approach to the study of his subject, before charting a course through a variety of both popular and less-heralded comedians' repertoires and the historical backdrops that led to the emergence of the stand-up comedy genre in the 1950s and 1960s. Brodie convincingly argues that stand-up comedy is a dialogic form in which performers talk with—and, importantly, not just to—their audiences; he diligently works to [End Page 393] lay the theoretical framework upon which the book rests, underlining the reconciliation of intimacy, distance, and shifting social contexts that comprise the cultural scene where stand-up comedy takes place. His emphasis on the dynamics of vernacular talk, supported by assiduous transcriptions and analytical annotations of joke routines, will undoubtedly meet with appreciation from oral historians. Moreover, Brodie's measured awareness of his readers is evident in the great care he takes to reiterate his methodological approaches and folkloristic background throughout the volume without obfuscating his subject matter; he moves seamlessly from considerations of live performance to the folk processes at work in broadcast and recording iterations of stand-up comedy, including its commercial distribution. The book is laced with acerbic wit and meticulous analysis, giving readers a front-row view of how comedians use the stage and microphone to bridge sociocultural distance between themselves and their audiences, recreating the intimacy of face-to-face encounters in order to allow for vernacular talk to emerge. The book analyzes routines from a variety of performers to underscore the performative and identity delineations stand-up comedians forge, with close examinations of numerous routines from the likes of Lenny Bruce, Eddie Murphy, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, and Bill Cosby, as well as a series of revelatory interviews with Canadian comic Ron James. Brodie himself acknowledges that one of the weaknesses of previous studies of stand-up comedy has been the curious absence of interviews with actual comedians or their fans. Fittingly, his conversations with James, which are coupled with extensive background information on the comedian and chronicle everything from how he dressed and marketed himself to the different receptions that the same comedy routine garnered in different geographic areas, provide a unique oral history of the life of a stand-up comedian in all of its complex glory. Although somewhat dense at times, and likely best suited for graduate students and academic audiences...

“Does Anybody Have A Map?”: The Impact of “Virtual Broadway” on Musical Theater Composition

This study examines the persuasion process involved in social media marketing (SMM), particularly in the higher education sector. Based on the theoretical foundations of the information adoption model, a conceptual model of elaboration of SMM communication is developed and tested. The self-administered survey conducted among a sample of international student travellers in New Zealand examines the influence of argument quality, source credibility, audience involvement and audience engagement on their attitude formation and decision-making. The study particularly examines the mediating effects of audience involvement and engagement in SMM communication. Results based on structural equation modelling suggest that social media content quality is a significant predictor of online users’ transportation, identification and parasocial interaction effects. Despite there being additional evidence to support the arguments over social media, source credibility is found to be a strong influencer of international student traveller’s cognitive, emotional and behavioural engagement dimensions. Further, it is evident from the study that there is a strong correlation between cognitive engagement and attitude formation in SMM. Implications for tourism marketers in terms of SMM strategies are discussed.

The aim of the article. In the context of the rapid development of digital marketing, social media promotion has become a key tool for businesses, public institutions, and personal brands. However, one of the critical challenges, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and startups, is the limitation of financial resources for marketing activities. Traditional methods of social media promotion, such as targeted advertising and collaborations with macro-influencers, often require significant investments that are unaffordable for many companies. Therefore, identifying effective low-budget SMM strategies is an urgent issue for modern marketing. Analysis results. This study aims to analyze and systematize low-budget SMM promotion tools that allow achieving significant audience engagement, organic reach, and conversion rates with minimal financial expenses. The research focuses on content marketing, viral mechanisms, guerrilla marketing, collaborations with micro- and nano-influencers, and the strategic use of free opportunities offered by social media platforms. Particular attention is paid to algorithmic features of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, which can be leveraged to maximize organic content distribution. The scientific novelty of this research lies in the comprehensive approach to studying low-budget SMM promotion strategies, emphasizing the synergy between creative content, user-generated content (UGC), and social media algorithms. Unlike previous studies, which primarily focus on paid promotion tools, this research explores alternative methods that enable brands to achieve marketing goals without significant advertising expenditures. Additionally, the study identifies the most effective low-cost engagement techniques and assesses their practical applicability across various business niches. The findings of this study can be valuable for SMBs, startups, and individual entrepreneurs seeking to enhance their digital presence with limited financial resources. The practical recommendations provided in the research can help marketers optimize their SMM strategies by utilizing cost-effective approaches such as:creating high-quality and viral content to increase organic engagement; leveraging micro- and nano-influencer collaborations as a budget-friendly alternative to working with macro-influencers; using interactive and user-generated content to boost audience involvement; low-budget SMM promotion is possible through a deep understanding of social media platform algorithms and a creative approach to content development; user-generated content and interactive formats significantly contribute to audience engagement and organic reach; collaborating with micro- and nano-influencers is a cost-effective strategy with high audience trust and engagement potential. Conclusions and directions for futher resaurh. Future research directions include: а deeper analysis of social media algorithms and their impact on organic content distribution, the development of adaptive SMM strategies tailored to different industries, long-term impact analysis of free SMM tools on audience loyalty and conversion rates, thus, the study of low-budget SMM promotion remains a relevant and promising research direction, contributing both to academic knowledge in digital marketing and practical applications for businesses operating in competitive digital environments.

6 - Live from the ether: YouTube and live music video culture

The lengthy road of Stand Up Comedy Indonesia has not been in vain, as it has become a popular event with many followers. Stand-Up comedy is today well-known not only due to the excitement of the show but also because the content delivered is of excellent quality and suited for all audiences. However, many comedians whose careers were launched by Stand-Up Comedy have since changed careers. This is, of course, a topic worthy of further investigation. This study tries to analyze the growth of stand-up comedy in Indonesia by examining the paths of comedians who left their comfort zones for new careers. To solve the research topic, the primary issue is the path of a former stand-up comedian who now works in a different field. Consequently, this study combines descriptive qualitative methodologies with various data acquired via content analysis on social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. According to Raskin (1985), psychological theory predominantly analyses comedy. Hence humour theories from a psychological perspective are highly developed. This study demonstrates that ups and downs have marked the long journey of Stand Up Comedy Indo until it has become popular and well-liked by the people of Indonesia. On the other hand, the author discovers that at the height of their careers, the comedians who pioneered Stand Up Comedy have shifted to other fields. This study also demonstrates that Stand Up Comedy has spawned a new generation of comedians who will continue the fantastic work of senior comedians.