Identity

Comedians and Identity

The comedian's identity is crucially important in the comedy process. Comedians can perform an exaggerated version of their own identities, as is the case with American stand-up comedian Joan Rivers. The comedian may make self-deprecating jokes about his or her own appearance, experiences, beliefs, and characteristics. Self-deprecating jokes have the potential to critique the culture that creates specific norms and expectations in relation to appearances and identities, while simultaneously criticizing those individuals or groups that subscribe to those particular norms and expectations. Other comedians make jokes about identities that are different from their own. For example, British White male comedian Roy Chubby Brown has established a very successful (and controversial) comedy career making jokes about women and ethnic minorities. Alternatively, comedians can perform as a particular character that differs from their own identity. British comedian Paul O’Grady has performed in drag as his alter ego, Lily Savage, and has made jokes about sex and sexuality from “Lily's perspective.” In other cases, the layers of identities are deliberately blurred so that it is not clear which identity, or identities, is being adopted and ridiculed. Comic character Ali G, performed by Sacha Baron Cohen, confused audiences because Ali G's identity was ambiguous. It was unclear whether he was White, Jewish, or Asian. A number of interpretive possibilities were possible, including he was a White man pretending to be a Black man; he was a White man pretending to be an Asian who is pretending to be Black; and he was a Jewish man pretending to be an Asian pretending to be a White man pretending to be Black. The uncertainty and fluidity surrounding Ali G's identity led to questions surrounding who was impersonating whom and criticisms that he was propagating homophobic, misogynistic, and racist stereotypes.

The way in which a comedian's identity is described in publicity or in announcements immediately before the comedian appears on stage (e.g., a male Irish comedian, a female Muslim comedian, etc.) can help create a particular audience [Page 378]expectation in relation to the style and content of the performance they are about to experience. While some comedians may ensure that they meet these audience expectations, others can, of course, renegotiate and redefine these expectations. For example, Omid Djalili, a British-Iranian comedian and actor, often begins his performances by talking in a thick “Middle Eastern” accent. Once the audience is used to this accent and has relaxed into his performance, Omid Djalili then switches to his authentic British accent. In doing so, Omid Djalili subverts stereotypes that some audience members may have about Middle Eastern identities and challenges their assumptions.

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