When the title of a book dealing with stand-up comedy starts with the word “vulgar,” one cannot help but recall the famous risqué routines of such comedians as George Carlin, Rodney Dangerfield, and Richard Pryor. And the book’s cover graphic of a microphone with phallic overtones adds to the “dirty” impression. But author Ian Brodie does not mean the term in its modern connotation, as he explains, but in the older sense of popular, as in “of the people” (3). His excellent study takes both the genre itself and specific routines of stand-up seriously, delivering a thoughtful and informed discussion of his subject that does, as his subtitle promises, provide a “new approach” to it.
That new approach is to apply folklore theory to his subject. He begins with a brief introduction explaining how the research that follows should be considered folklore research. Brodie shares an anecdote about sharing his work at a conference of the International Society of Contemporary Legends Research, only to have the legendary folklore scholar Linda Dégh point out that it was not folklore. Having personally seen Dr. Dégh question a graduate student at another conference for tackling a topic that “really isn’t folklore,” I found this both familiar and humorous. One can see why he took the time to explain his folkloric approach to research a topic that crosses the boundaries into popular culture and the performing arts. Although the work does deal with elements that do not seem to fit the discipline, he does a fine job of defining his perspective and sticking to it, even providing occasional reminders that the work is “not ‘not folklore’.”
The book is divided into three parts. The first part is more heavily theoretical than the rest, but theory is present throughout. As Brodie goes along, the examples and anecdotes become more plentiful, and some of these inspire laugh-out-loud responses, even in print. As with research in any academic discipline, the challenge is to come up with material that is new, exciting, and expands the boundaries of research into areas yet to be explored. By taking a folkloristic approach to a topic that is traditionally seen entirely from the point of view of performance art, Brodie broadens the discussion beyond the simple interaction between the comedians and their audiences. This work is truly interdisciplinary; and while it takes a primarily folkloristic approach, the author draws on popular culture theory as well, clearly illustrating the differences.
One point worth noting is that the book does not change the dynamic between the comedians and their audiences, nor does it try to. While it does provide a more detailed perspective on this interaction, simultaneously fostering a greater appreciation of the craft, it does not provide any impetus for change, and that is positive. The information provides the reader with a more informed view, but it does not enhance, or detract from, the interaction between the comedian and the audience. In fact, the informed perspective could pose a barrier for the comedian to overcome, since spontaneity is so integral to the interaction. But that is a problem every folklorist faces—the process of documenting a phenomenon creates a definitive version which then becomes the standard. This alone proves Brodie’s oft-stated point that the work is “not ‘not folklore’.” Perhaps the approach he chooses inexorably leads to this conclusion, but it really does not matter. The work’s thesis is proven many times throughout.
While a few overly traditional folklorists might bristle at the topic of stand-up comedy being dealt with as folklore, Brodie is sensitive to this concern and addresses it consistently, thoroughly, and convincingly. The book has a strong theoretical basis, and as the work develops, the examples become more central to the discussion, even taking center stage often enough to make one nostalgic. Though many of the routines cited are familiar, particularly the Eddie Murphy and George Carlin examples, a number are not. For many curious readers like me, this book will likely inspire many visits to YouTube searches in order to see the sketches actually performed instead of in this print form. In fact, doing so reveals that his text actually accomplishes its mission: it allows people to see the comedic interaction from the folkloristic viewpoint without diminishing the impact of the humor.
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[Review length: 713 words • Review posted on March 30, 2016]