The Comedian as Confidence Man: Studies in Irony Fatigue (Humor in Life & Letters)

In this lively and fascinating analysis of humorists and their work, Will Kaufman breaks new ground with his irony fatigue theory. The Comedian as Confidence Man examines the humorist's internal conflict between the social critic who demands to be taken seriously and the comedian who never can be: the irony fatigue condition. Concentrating on eight American literary and performing comedians from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, this study explores the irony fatigue affect that seems to pervade the work of comedians―those particular social observers who are obliged to promise, "Only kidding, folks," even when they may not be; in G. B. Shaw's words, they must "put things in such a way as to make people who would otherwise hang them believe they are joking." If these social observers are obliged to become, in effect, confidence men, with irony as the satiric weapon that both attacks and diverts, then the implications are great for those social critics who above all wish to be heeded. The Comedian as Confidence Man examines the humorist's internal conflict between the social critic who demands to be taken seriously and the comedian who never can be: the irony fatigue condition. Concentrating on eight American literary and performing comedians from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, this study explores the irony fatigue effect that seems to pervade the work of comedians - those particular social observers who are under the implicit injunction, "Smile when you say that." They are obliged to promise, "Only kidding, folks," even when they may not be; in G.B. Shaw's words, they must "put things in such a way as to make people who would otherwise hang them believe they are joking." Cover Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. Sinclair Lewis, Garrison Keillor, and the Dangers of Grumbling through Minnesota Chapter 2. Ben Franklin and Herman Melville: The Comedian as Confidence Man Chapter 3. Lenny Bruce: “I’m not a comedian” Chapter 4. Bill Hicks: “Bob, they’re just jokes” Chapter 5. Kurt Vonnegut: “I had to laugh like hell” Chapter 6. Mark Twain: “My hated nom de plume” Chapter 7. Conclusion: A Bad Case of Irony Fatigue Notes List of Sources Index