Analyzing the Incongruity Theory of Humor: George Carlin’s Stand-up Comedy as a Case Study

Authors

  • Bassou Mohamed Department of English Studies, Faculty of Letters and Humanities Ben M’sik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco
  • Chakib Bnini Department of English Studies, Faculty of Letters and Humanities Ben M’sik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco

Keywords:

Incongruity, Humor, Comedy, Stand-up, George Carlin

Abstract

George Carlin was one of the brilliant and thought-provoking comedians of the US. Known for his inspiring ideas on politics, language and religion, Carlin satirized American culture, making from stand-up comedy a powerful discourse that transcends the entertainment level and speaks on behalf of the people. He dedicated most of his comedy to depicting the many socio-political and cultural inconsistencies of his nation. Carlin’s routines are replete with profuse humor criticizing people and beliefs by juxtaposing conflicting and incompatible ideas. There exist many linguistic and cognitive mechanisms engaged in the creation and appreciation of humor in stand-up comedy. According to the variant theories of laughter, mainly the incongruity, the appreciation of humor presupposes the detection of some inconsistency. This article explores the aspect of incongruity in Carlin’s comedy and how he makes the most of his language proficiency to entertain spectators. By analyzing extracts from his shows, it argues that this comedy genre can unmask social imbalances and criticize political injustice.

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Published

2020-12-05

How to Cite

Mohamed , B. ., & Bnini, C. . (2020). Analyzing the Incongruity Theory of Humor: George Carlin’s Stand-up Comedy as a Case Study. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR), 54(5), 22–33. Retrieved from https://www.gssrr.org/index.php/JournalOfBasicAndApplied/article/view/11959

Issue

Vol. 54 No. 5 (2020)

Section

Articles

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