Sort of Nothing Like A Book Club: Issue 31

This weeks' editor:
Kate

Hello,

Welcome to Sort of Nothing Like A Book Club, the newsletter from Creative CoLab.

We all love a good laugh. Whether it is a sitcom, comedy movie, stand up or a funny video or post online, humour can have a real positive impact. But comedy can also have a bigger influence and can be a tool to discuss serious issues, events and can provoke deep and meaningful conversations.

For this edition, I've been taking a look at comedy and its place in society.

Read on to find out more...

Not Just For Giggles: The Bigger Impact of Comedy

Over on the blog I've been looking at how comedy can be used to discuss serious issues and topics. I consider that carrying important messages through comedy can reach a wider audience than traditional news and publications. I examine comedy as a response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Role of Comedy in Social Justice (Extract)
This extract comes from a new book 'A Comedian and An Activist Walk Into a Bar: The Serious Role of Comedy in Social Justice'. It explores how this digital age is allowing for boundary-pushing socially critical comedy to thrive and play a strategic role in social change.

A brief history of punch-down comedy
This article looks at 'punching up vs punching down' in comedy. It looks at comedy in US history, including minstrel shows, the first stand up performers and early comedy TV shows. It considers how much comedy, throughout history and even today, is 'punching down' and harmful to sections of society.

Intercultural guide to humor (at home and abroad) | Piotr Pluta | TEDxOslo
In this talk, Piotr Pluta a psychologist explores how humour influences our perceptions of people from other cultures, its power of increasing trust and how it can highlight differences between us.

Comedy Short: Leading Lady Parts- BBC
This short film from BBC uses high profile actors, and comedy to explore the mistreatment of women in the film and television industry. Set during an audition the short explores issues and expectations that women face at work and in wider society.

How comedy makes us better people
This article looks at comedy from many different angles. Mary O'Hara discusses comedy with performers and researchers and explores how comedy can change how we think and act.

And Lastly...

Comedy has the potential to be wonderful.
Many of us have used comedy during the last 18 months to escape reality, relieve stress and spread joy. It's so fantastic to see venues and comedy clubs opening up and entertaining people once again.

If you have any thoughts (or anything funny) you'd like to share about what we've touched upon in this issue we'd love for you to get in touch.

Bye!