LSA Course Guide

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Class Detail:
WN 2008 American Culture AMCULT 103 - First Year Seminar in American Studies Section 003 American Humor and Performance
Credits:	3
Requirements & Distribution:	HU
Other:	FYSem
Waitlist Capacity:	unlimited
Consent:	With permission of instructor.
Advisory Prerequisites:	Enrollment restricted to first-year students, including those with sophomore standing.
Repeatability:	May not be repeated for credit.
Primary Instructor:	Daligga,Catherine Elizabeth
	(real time availability for all sections)

This seminar will consider the role that comedy and comedians play in contemporary American culture and politics and their influence, both direct and covert, on the ever-changing conception of American identity. We will explore the connections in style and message between current stars—Dave Chappelle, Margaret Cho, Stephen Colbert, and Chris Rock—and some of their classic predecessors (such as Buster Keaton, Bert Willams, the Marx Brothers and Will Rogers). We will also examine the work and impact of innovative, iconoclastic performers whose direct influence is still strong, such as Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Whoopi Goldberg, and discuss key critical commentary on humor, comedy, and comedians.

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