Finley Peter Dunn, a reporter and editor, started a syndicated newspaper column in 1893, and Robert Louis Burns, a Presbyterian Minister, started one in 1966. Why were they both remembered a humorists? Was Burns influenced by Dunne's work? Why did they use Ethnic Humor in their columns? What impact did their columns have on their readers? I found that both writers fit the criteria of literary journalists. They used humor in their writing to make their readers laugh, but also to make their points. Dunne wanted to sell newspapers, and Burns wanted to make people forget their cares. Dooley, the bartender in Dunne's column, was Burns' nickname. Presidents, governors, and your next door neighbor read the columns, which accurately mirrored the pulse of the nation and our human frailties. / Thesis (M.A.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Elliott School of Communication

Submitted by Mariana Dornelles Vargas (marianadv) on 2015-03-16T18:50:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 tradicoes_contemporaneidade.pdf: 2890087 bytes, checksum: b8541487cb4fd17d2be97415557ee46f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-16T18:50:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tradicoes_contemporaneidade.pdf: 2890087 bytes, checksum: b8541487cb4fd17d2be97415557ee46f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Nenhuma / Esta pesquisa faz um delineamento do tecido comunicacional que se institui entre as construções humorísticas de um programa radiofônico e o imaginário identitário de sua audiência. Analisam-se os diferentes tipos sociais e cenários, estratégias humorísticas e relações com os ouvintes construídos no humorístico Top Show, exibido pela Rádio Peperi Top 104 FM, de São Miguel do Oeste (SC), bem como as relações com o contexto mediado/midiatizado da recepção. O objetivo é investigar como o programa de humor articula em suas construções humorísticas elementos simbólicos presentes no cotidiano cultural dos seus ouvintes e entender como se constituem os sentidos, as apropriações, os pactos e as recusas dessas construções na recepção do programa. Procura-se, então, analisar a construção discursiva das identidades regionais, expressa nos elementos caricatos e paródias apresentados no programa e nas operações simbólicas realizadas pelos ouvintes. Para a análise dos âmbitos de produção/produto/recepção adotou-se uma perspectiva multimetodológica que atenda essas diferentes dimensões do processo comunicacional. Os resultados apontam para uma mescla de referenciais vinculados à experiência midiatizada e às matrizes da cultura regional, como é o caso do sotaque, da tradição, do espaço rural e das identidades étnicas, os quais permeiam os dispositivos comunicacionais que constituem o produto midiático investigado, além de constituir pactos de leitura com a recepção. / This dissertation discusses the communicational texture instituted between the comedic constructions of a radio program and the identitarian images of its audience. It analyzes the different social types and scenarios, humor strategies and relationships with listeners that are constructed in the radio comedy program called Top Show, broadcast by Rádio Peperi Top 104 FM, an FM radio station in São Miguel do Oeste, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, as well as the programs relations with the media-related context of reception. The dissertations goal is to investigate how that radio program includes in its comedic constructions symbolic elements that are present in the daily culture of its listeners and to understand how the meanings, appropriations, alliances and refusals of those constructions are constituted in the program?s reception. It also analyzes the discoursive construction of regional identities as expressed in the caricatural and parodistic elements that are presented in the program and the audiences symbolic operations. For the analysis of the areas of production/product/reception the author adopts a multi-methodological approach that covers these various dimensions of the communication process. The results show a blending of referents connected to the media-related experience and to the matrices of regional culture, such as accent, tradition, rural space and ethnic identities, which permeate the communicational devices that make up the radio program and establish reading alliances with the reception.

The goal of this thesis is to explain the nature of ethnic humor in American society. This will be achieved through three different processes. First, this thesis will explain the history of African American humor and recount it’s development into it’s own brand of comedy. Second, it will explain the nature of African American humor and how it is a tool used to revolt against the oppressive and hegemonic nature of western society. Additionally, this paper aims to prove that African American humor is a coping mechanism for African Americans. This thesis will also discuss the duality of African American humor as both comedy and social critique. Another aspect this work will explore is how comedians deal with unintended stereotype perpetuation and also how different audiences respond to the racial jokes of the comedians. Finally, this thesis will outline how to better present jokes so that the perpetuation of racism and stereotypes does not happen. As a coping mechanism, African American humor takes stereotypes about African Americans, both positive and negative, and converts them into humorous topics that can make the stereotypes positive (Daube, 2010). This play on stereotypes, although it can be incredibly funny and also makes for great social commentary, is also very dangerous (Apte, 1987). Without proper context and understanding of the joke, it is possible that the intended social critique is not conveyed to the audience and instead the humor unintentionally perpetuates negative stereotypes. The value of African American humor as both entertainment and a coping mechanism is immeasurable (Cater, May, & Bird, 2012)