What are You Laughing at? Examining White Identity and Enjoyment of Black Entertainment

Abstract

Whereas ethnic humor scholars purport that groups disparaged through stereotypes derive enjoyment through a sense of connection and identification, few studies examined out-group members' enjoyment experience of the same disparaging content. The present study examines predictors of Whites' enjoyment of stereotyped entertainment when Blacks and Whites are the targets of humor. Integrating critical race theory, entertainment theories, and empirical methodology, this study examines levels of White racial identity as predictors of stereotyped enjoyment. Findings reveal that cultural competence is crucial to digesting racial humor and useful to cultivating cultural cohesion. Further, this article argues for an expansion of enjoyment theories to consider affiliation.