The stand-up introduction sequence: Comparing comedy compares

TY - JOUR

T1 - The stand-up introduction sequence

T2 - Comparing comedy compares

AU - Rutter, Jason

PY - 2000/3

Y1 - 2000/3

N2 - Two recurrent traits in contemporary research of humour and joke telling are an emphasis on the structure of joke texts and a lack of in situ investigation into audience laughter. This paper offers a different approach by exploring the introduction of stand-up performers by compares in comedy venues. Taking this neglected, but omnipresent, aspect of stand-up per- formance it argues that the introduction sequence plays an important role in framing a series of individual comedy sets into a single performance. It suggests that through encouraging audience involvement and interaction the introduction sequence provides a foundation onto which the comedy that follows is built. Further, the paper argues that these introduction sequences take a form which is common from comp6re to compbre and venue to venue. Through the analysis of performance transcripts it is demonstrated that compare introduction sequences are built around a series of six turns which have a preferred organisation that is recognised both by performers and audiences. This structure is presented in both a rule-based and diagrammatic manner. ©

AB - Two recurrent traits in contemporary research of humour and joke telling are an emphasis on the structure of joke texts and a lack of in situ investigation into audience laughter. This paper offers a different approach by exploring the introduction of stand-up performers by compares in comedy venues. Taking this neglected, but omnipresent, aspect of stand-up per- formance it argues that the introduction sequence plays an important role in framing a series of individual comedy sets into a single performance. It suggests that through encouraging audience involvement and interaction the introduction sequence provides a foundation onto which the comedy that follows is built. Further, the paper argues that these introduction sequences take a form which is common from comp6re to compbre and venue to venue. Through the analysis of performance transcripts it is demonstrated that compare introduction sequences are built around a series of six turns which have a preferred organisation that is recognised both by performers and audiences. This structure is presented in both a rule-based and diagrammatic manner. ©

KW - Audience research

KW - Comperes

KW - Humour research

KW - Interaction

KW - Introduction sequence

KW - Stand-up comedy

U2 - 10.1016/S0378-2166(99)00059-4

DO - 10.1016/S0378-2166(99)00059-4

M3 - Article

SN - 0378-2166

VL - 32

SP - 463

EP - 483

JO - Journal of Pragmatics

JF - Journal of Pragmatics

IS - 4

ER -