‘Two polar bears walk into a bar …’ is an unlikely opener for a joke, but memes and parodies are surprisingly effective ways to get people talking about climate change.
Articles on Comedy
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The first serious scholarly account of the works of comedian John Clarke has just been published. Here, we consider the creative genius of his command of language.
An ethnomusicologist traces the origins of the practice, from early 20th century ‘air conductors’ to Joe Cocker’s air riffing at Woodstock to the rise of international competitions.
There is no writer working today with better grasp of the contemporary Australian vernacular.
What will the decisive outcome mean for Ukraine’s relationship with Russian and the West?
As parody goes, this infamous Monty Python film is a pretty gentle, even, respectful sort. It is now more likely to be criticised for breaching the boundaries of ‘political correctness’.
The rise of black comedy to explain Venezuela’s chaos recalls an old saying in the crisis-stricken South American country: ‘Laugh so you don’t cry.’
Hannah Gadsby’s groundbreaking stand-up show Nanette was always going to be hard to follow. Her new show is a deftly executed, brilliant comedy about women and autism.
A new film tells the moving story of the twilight years of comedy’s most successful double act.
From ground-breaking to game-changing, rule-breaking to near parliament-breaking, 2018 was a hell of a year for TV.
Comedians are being told to avoid joking about some things – and that’s not funny.
Writing Apu out of The Simpsons is a simplistic solution to the issue of diversity in media. Instead, we need to support programming created by people of colour.
Satirist Jonathan Biggins on sending up the pollies
Jonathan Biggins, who has been sending up politicians as part of the Wharf Revue for almost two decades, has some sharp words about social media and a warning on political correctness.
A young black comedian just told the broadcasting community how it really is if you’re not part of the media establishment.
Rowan Atkinson was part of a new wave of comedians who pushed racist comedy to the margins. So why is he defending Boris Johnson now?
BlacKkKlansman is more than a good story: it expertly weaves together comedy with serious drama to bring the story of past racism to illuminate our present day issues.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but plastic straws are ruining the ocean.
The undercover comic has been criticised for tricking public figures into saying stupid things – but that doesn’t mean they didn’t want to say them.
The British comedian’s sly docu-comedy format is perfect for helping people understand and navigate the proliferation of fake news.
We may be living in a golden age of satire, but comedy has always struggled to communicate across political divides. Much of today’s satire may be preaching to the choir.
Top contributors
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Professor of English, Flinders University
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Professor of Film and Media Studies, Colorado State University
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Professor of International Affairs and Comparative Literature, Penn State
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Professor of Film Studies, Bangor University
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Senior Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University
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Lecturer in Performance, University of Salford
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Lecturer in Creative Writing, Flinders University
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Professor of Communication and International Studies, Boston College
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Lecturer, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology
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Senior Lecturer in Media, Film and Cultural Studies, University of Sussex
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Associate Professor of Psychology, Fort Lewis College
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Sessional lecturer and researcher, The University of Melbourne
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Associate Professor in the Media School, Indiana University
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Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia
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PhD Candidate, University of Leeds; Independent Social Research Foundation