In:Developments in Linguistic Humour Theory
Edited by Marta Dynel
[Topics in Humor Research 1] 2013
► pp. 145–178
Giving voice to the studio audience
Ratified and dynamic participation statuses in a television stand-up performance
Published online: 15 October 2013
https://doi.org/10.1075/thr.1.08cai
https://doi.org/10.1075/thr.1.08cai
The current paper explores this vital role of studio audience during the introductory stand-up performance of Conan O’Brien, host of the late night US talk show CONAN. Unlike live stand-up audiences, studio audiences occupy a unique space, especially in terms of the participation framework. Their participation lies somewhere between the participants on stage and the television audience at home, and up until now the exact nature of their participation has not been addressed in terms of the participation framework. Specifically, this paper argues that: (1) the studio audience’s role is not static, but dynamic and (2) this dynamicity and the audience’s ability to be both part of the humorous speech event (responder, addressee, third party), as well as ratified observers of it (recipients) assists with the creation and appreciation of Conan’s humor. Finally, it proposes an additional speaker designation (responder) which proves vital to the discursive basis of humor in Conan O’Brien’s introductory stand-up routine.
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
Chovanec, Jan
2018. Laughter and non-humorous situations in TV documentaries. In The dynamics of interactional humor [Topics in Humor Research, 7], ► pp. 155 ff.
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