# data[].attributes.body
BACKGROUND CONTEXT
60 years old .

Heterosexual, however an influential activist in the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Female.

Began her debut in 1980s, and performing her first stand up in 1998 on HBO’s comedy special.

# data[].attributes.body
SUBJECT OF JOKES 2019
The jokes made in Carr’s 2019 comedy stand-up change thoroughly. Jimmy Carr is more commonly shown attacking himself and his social and identity groups.
“I have one of the biggest faces… It’s like the moon”
“What makes Britain great is our ability to laugh at ourselves, and when I say ourselves I mean other people, and when I say laugh, I mean invade”
“Men are no good at stopping and asking for directions”
“If [women] dance with a man they can tell what they’re like in bed… I dance for about 30 seconds then have a bit of a cry”
According to research, more female stand up comedians use self deprecation as the majority of their jokes, however Carr is seen doing this in his stand-up performance of 2019. His jokes are shown opposing gender stereotypes by not using coarse language, an attribute given to women by Lakoff. Instead, Carr uses dancing as a euphemism for sex.

# data[].attributes.body
SUBJECT OF JOKES 1998
A large majority of jokes Kathy Griffin made were centred around her sex life.
“If this doesn’t go well I’m just going to strip and cry like Coco in Fame”
“I have a sexual agenda and it’s go, go, go”
“I should just get a male prostitute”

The use of sexual humour directly contrasts with Lakoff’s theory that women use less coarse language, however it is proof of Judith Butler’s theory on performativity. By speaking about such topics, Griffin is performing her gender and her sexuality. She’s flaunting the fact that she is heterosexual by openly talking about her sexual experiences. Although Griffin is very open about her feminist views, she makes jokes about sexualising and objectifying her body.

# data[].attributes.body
Identifies as trans + gender fluid - came out in 1985.

- pronouns she/her

-Describes herself as in ‘girl mode’ or ‘boy mode’ - and has been doing -comedy shows in ‘girl mode’ since the early 90s

Only as of December 2020 has she started to use she/her pronouns exclusively.

“I’m a trans person. I exist.

Well I’m gender fluid. This is how I define myself.                 We’re in a world of definitions now, 21st Centuary.”

-English comedian - Born in Yemen, moved between Northern Ireland, Wales and Brighton when growing up

-One of the biggest private donors to the Labour Party

-Campaigned for European Union -Culturally identifies as ‘British- European’

-Last month she completed 31 back to back marathons raising money for charity - Jan 2021

From a recent article...(Jan 2021)

Earlier in her career she identified as a transvestite, saying ‘she felt like “a complete boy plus half a girl” and referring to herself as “a lesbian trapped in a man’s body”.’

“I am essentially transgender. I have boy mode and girl mode. I do feel I have boy genetics and girl genetics.”

Analysis of transcript...
Bastards and Makeup - 2000

- performance in America -

Not fully scripted - more spontaneous

Coarse language - expletives - used excessively through out performance “bastards” - depletes any significance or impact that the word may normally  create in conversation

Plays with accent -  long vowel “aa”  American audience - flipping between Northern and Southern English accents

She herself has a southern accent  - “if we say baastard people think oo your really posh saying baastard”

Jokes about the colonisation of America “native Americans used to wear it and did alright for them until until er til well you killed them all, I suppose.”

Still uses old pronouns at this point(2000) ... refers to herself as “He’ ‘him’ and ‘a guy’ in the performance “more guys in makeup”

# data[].attributes.body
BACKGROUND CONTEXT
48 years old.
Heterosexual.
Male.
Began his comedy debut in 2000, then being recognised more he began hosting game shows for Channel 4.
Jimmy has become a notable comedian over the years, remembered for his dark humour and heckler interactions.

# data[].attributes.body
SUBJECT OF JOKES 2019
The majority of Griffin’s lines relate to the (then) President of the United States and his claims that she is a terrorist. Her jokes change from centring around her sex life to her political views.
“I sell mugs that say fuck Trump”
“I have not joined ISIS. I worked in the gift shop for like a week”
“I’m actually CEO of ISIS”
These jokes show Kathy Griffin to be lacking in her performativity of her gender, directly contrasting the previously analysed stand-up transcript where she is performing her gender and sexual identity through her stories about her sex life. Her jokes about ISIS and Donald Trump were shocking and risky, especially knowing that ISIS and other terrorist groups have been the reason for numerous lives lost over the recent years.

# data[].attributes.body
PARALINGUISTIC FEATURES
1998
Kathy wore an outfit of all black. She wore a cropped black t-shirt, a leather skirt and black tights. At one point in the show she lifts up her t-shirt to wipe the sweat of her forehead and shows the audience her bra. They all applaud and she curtseyed and says "Woo! Thats my bra!", egging them on.
2019
Instead of the more feminine outfit that she previously wore, Griffin wore a casual pair of blue jeans and her own merch (a t-shirt with the first commandment on it). Her merch was a reference to the charges she was faced with after her controversy, as she supposedly breached the first commandment, however she proved that she didn't and her merch is a way to say 'take that!' to the people to tried to charge her and claimed she was part of a terrorist organisation.

# data[].attributes.body
use of props, uses the stage and props surreal, narrative based comedy - black comedy (morbid jokes)

From London

came on the scene in 2000s

Became widely recognised with  “The Mighty Boosh” a stage show which later became televised comedy series.

Now frequently on TV shows QI, Taskmaster, Bake Off

Raising his children gender neutral

Cross-dressed as Kate Bush to preform ‘Wuthering Heights’ for charity (has done so on other occasions also)
Plays on androgyny - has built persona and his style upon on glam rock bands and other music and artists, such as  Bowie  who were known

for being androgynous in their time and in some of these figures are openly gay, bisexual or gender fluid.
Although largely steers away from offensive jokes about social groups

- has made gay jokes on numerous occasions - often mocks himself, but not his own sexuality. identifies as straight, has had same sex relationships in the past

Transcript analysis
Noel Fielding - tea bag dream - 2015
Surrealist - based upon a dream - fictional - story telling

Explores social topics and themes through the personification of inanimate objects, in this case characters built heavily on stereotypes are created for them.
Makes Gay joke “Monty fresh bumming the other teabags (mime), sodomny”

Paralinguistic features...

Mime - acting out elements of his story

Minimal coarse language or swearing, so when he uses it in his final gag, it’s more impactful. - contrasting Eddie Izzard use of expletives

Plays on the stereotypes of a racist character - personifies a teabag with this - and turning it to “shapism”

Filler word - uses  the word ‘yeah’ almost  at the end of every sentence - almost as if he’s asking for the the audience’s reassurance - possibly a nervous habit - or feature of comedy, for audience engagement?

Prosodic features - pitch, tempo and intonation with the voices he gives to the ‘teabag characters’ and when listing

Plays with accent + impressions

Idiolect...
Juxtaposes words - as if he just ‘plucked’ them from the front of his mind, forgotten the word so just uses the first one which comes to mind, these make jokes in themselves - possibly something that is seen in his everyday idiolect ? Common in his other performances

# data[].attributes.body
Ricky Gervais, 59

Occupation: Comedian, Actor, Producer

Known for ‘The Office’

Hosted the Golden Globes 5 times

Sarah Millican, 45

Occupation: Comedian, TV Presenter

Known for ‘The Sarah Millican TV Programme’

Listed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by Radio 4's Woman's Hour

-Lakoff (1975) study found that men are more likely to use expletives in their day-to-day speech.

-However, she also suggested in the same report, that women fundamentally lack a sense of humour.

Is this difference enough to prove Lakoff correct?

It could be, however…

-Both performances are scripted and rehearsed

-This is only one example

-Both Millican and Gervais have to compete with other comedians’ performances

# data[].attributes.body
Subject directly impacts him, - but doesn’t make himself the subject of the joke

Tackles taboo subject with blatant and direct jokes

Heterosexual
Welsh- strong regional accent

Part of Micheal McIntyre’s comedy road tour

Male infertility BBC documentary 2020

Face of the ‘Him infertility campaign’

Transcript analysis
Rhod Gilbert  -  Him infertility 2019 -
comedy gig to accompany campaign work

Educational slant - to create awareness around the subject

Uses of schoolboy humour as a way to break down the taboo subject

Use of comedy as a means break down and get engagement with a serious and personal topic

Has to tone down his macho - facade -
Laughs throughout at his own jokes - still somewhat uncomfortable with the fairly unspoken topic, normally keeps a straight face during his sets.

No medical terminology
/semantic field -
Presents   - what should be - obvious facts, “Yanno men men account for 50% of all fertility issues“

Possibly keeping it lightweight and accessible to all.

Making light of a serious and taboo topic, use of coarse and ‘school boy’ language to keep it humorous - breaking down any discomfort the audience may have, keeping them engaged. “spunk”

Playing on the fact that he isn’t a specialist so uses the most blatant, general and informal words possible. “Shit jizz”
“barren old sow” - mocks and exaggerates the differences that a woman faces when not having children to a man.

Never makes himself or his personal situation subject of the joke, no self deprication

# data[].attributes.body
CONTROVERSIES
Carr has faced numerous controversies, one even including his evasion of tax in 2012, however many are also to do with his offensive jokes. He has been under fire for casual racism and xenophobia in his jokes about the Korean band ‘BTS’, joking about children with Downs Syndrome and more.

# data[].attributes.body
“Hello! How you doing? Great. Thank you. Wow. Calm down. Shut the fuck up. Thank you.”

Ricky immediately uses expletives in his introduction and kicks off his routine as soon as he enters the stage.

“Hello. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. What a lovely warm welcome.”

In contrast to Ricky’s introduction, Sarah takes the time to show her genuine appreciation to the audience for attending her show.

# data[].attributes.body
SUBJECT OF JOKES 2004
Most of Carr's jokes were made to attack and mock other social groups, such as the working class, the gay community and women.
"feminists say ‘a woman's work in never done’, maybe if they got themselves organised it would be better… that’s post-modern feminism"
“Maybe one day we’ll be able to find a cure”
“Despite my looks and general demeanour, I’m not gay”
His attack on women and feminists and his joke about 'finding a cure' for being homosexual are clear examples of Judith Butlers theory of gender performativity, as studies show that men are more likely to attack other groups rather than their own.

# data[].attributes.body
PARALINGUISTIC FEATURES
2004
Carr wore a blue suit jacket and matching suit trousers, along with a pinstripe shirt underneath. Contrasting to this smart attire, he did not wear a tie and wore his shirt with it buttoned down slightly. This gives his formal outfit more of a colloquial twist
2019
Jimmy Carr's outfit in 2019 was similar to previously, keeping his style notable and memorable. He wore another blue suit, but with a light blue shirt and no tie. His buttons were buttoned down lightly again, but his suit blazer was done up.

# data[].attributes.body
CONTROVERSIES
Over the years she has gained lots of traction for her controversial trash-talks about other celebrities, getting herself banned from numerous talk shows and theatres, including the Apollo theatre.

Her most recent controversy was in May 2017, where she posted a picture holding the decapitated head of the President of the United States. She had been fly-banned and detained at every airport she arrived in for her tour, also interrogated as she was suspected to be part of a terrorist organisation against Trump.

Griffin recreated the photo November 2020, on her 60th birthday and the day after Trump lost the election