Rhetorical Analysis of Stand-Up Comedy Performances by Three Famous American Comics
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Journal of English Education and Teaching (JEET) Vol.2.No.4.2018 103 RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF STAND-UP COMEDY PERFORMANCES BY THREE FAMOUS AMERICAN COMICS Fadly Dzil Ikram Universitas Bengkulu [email protected] Safnil Arsyad Universitas Bengkulu [email protected] Gita Mutiara Hati Universitas Bengkulu [email protected] ABSTRAK Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan retorika di bagian narasi berdasarkan model dari Labov dan teknik stand-up comedy yang paling dominan digunakan oleh Jim Jefferies, Ricky Gervais, dan Bill Burr di penampilan mereka. Ceklis observasi digunakan di penelitian ini. Lima belas topic penampilan yang berbeda dari setiap penampil stand-up comedy dianalisa dengan menggunakan metode deskripsi, menggunakan kuantitaif juga kualitatif. Dari hasil ditemukan bahwa ketiga stand-up comedy menggunakan bagian narasi yang disarankan Labov. Bagian narasi itu adalah abstrack, orientasi, perumitan masalah, dan koda. Juga, teknik yang paling sering digunakan oleh ketiga stand-up comedy adalah rule of three dan one liner. Teknik ini adalah teknik yang paling efektif yang dapat mengundang tawa penonton. Hasil terakhir dari penelitian ini, ada dua pola umum yang dihasilkan oleh ketiga stand-up comedy berdasarkan model Labov tentang bagian narasi. Kata Kunci : Retorika, stand-up comedy, model narasi, teknik stand-up comedy, pola umum ABSTRACT This research aimed at finding the rhetorical of narrative section based on Labov’s model and the stand-up comedy techniques which dominantly used by Jim Jefferies, Ricky Gervais, and Bill Burr on their performances. The observation checklist was used in this research. Fifteen different topics performance from each stand-up comedian were analyzed by using descriptive method, using quantitative as well as qualitative data. From the result it was found that three stand-up comedians used narrative section suggested by Labov. The narrative section is abstract, orientation, complicating actions, resolution, and coda. Also, the most frequent techniques used by three stand-up comedians are rule of three and one liner technique. Those techniques are the most effective technique that can trigger audience Journal of English Education and Teaching (JEET) Vol.2.No.4.2018 104 laughter. The last finding of this research, there are two common patterns created by three stand-up comedians based on Labov’s model of narrative sections. Key Words : Rhetoric, stand-up comedy, narrative model, stand-up comedy techniques, common pattern INTRODUCTION known as comic from Sydney, Australia and Humor brings two kinds of benefit for then he moved to America. He is known as people, psychologically and socially. the good comic with his Australian accent According to Melinda (2010), psychologically, and sarcastic style proved to be major hit in humor helps people to stay emotionally America. Jefferies is also known as most healthy because it has power of changing famous stand up comedy in 2016. Jefferies moods by taking out of depression. Socially, has performed at numerous festivals, humor strengthens relationship by triggering including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Just positive feelings because when people share for Laughs Festival and Melbourne humor, a positive bond is created (Ziv, International Comedy Festival. He has also 1986:176). appeared on various British and US TV panel One of humor perfomance is stand up shows and radio programs. In 2016, he has comedy. According to Attardo (2001:62), his own US Comedy Central program, The Jim stand up comedy is a highly artificial, scripted Jefferies Show. His stand up comedy genre perfromance which a single comedian performances are already filmed and start a performance in front of audiences. become famous. One of his successful films is Stand-up comedy can be described as a Freedumb in 2016. This film contains of many humorous monologue (although the sarcastics jokes that related to people’s life, comedian usually starts his show with an the way he told his joke is really inviting attempt to engage the audience in a audience to get laugh. dialogue), presented to an audience in Second is Ricky Gervais. He is a british seemingly spontaneous and conversational comedian and a television producer. Gervais manner (Misje, 2002:87). The performer is is known as the most influential British commonly known as a comic, stand-up comic comedian. He began his stand-up career in or comic. In a stand up comedy, the the late 1990s. Gervais also won many comedian usually recite a grouping of awards, for example British Comedy Award, humorous stories, jokes and monologue. The Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award. He performer is not about simply convincing an already did many stand-up comedy audience that you are funny, although that is performances and also filmed. One of the neccessary; it is also teaching the audience most successful stand-up comedy is Out of that there is a different way to think about it. England that brought jokes that happen in (Sankey, 1998). It means comic should be society for example obesity, fund raising, able to convince and persuade the audience nazis and more. to laugh within his jokes. Dealing with Third is Bill Burr. He is an American convincing audience, it inlines with the idea comic, actor, and writer. He has released six of rhetoric. stand-up specials. In 2017, Rolling Stone There are three comics that become the ranked him 17th on its list of the 50 best object of this research. They are Jim Jefferies, comics all of time. His style in stand-up is an Ricky Gervais and Bill Burr known as famous elaborate act that fuses words and physical stand up comedian. First is Jim Jefferies, reactions together to create humor. Burr is Journal of English Education and Teaching (JEET) Vol.2.No.4.2018 105 known as an aggresive comic that is not There are three previous studies relating affraid to enter topics that are to this research. First, the research from uncomfortable to bring up in ordinary Muhammad (2017) was talking about the conversation. However, it is with these topics stand-up comedy techniques that is that he has talent to defuse the discomfort commonly used by stand-up comedian Indo with humor with type of comedy that PKU Pekanbaru. It showed the most frequent surprise the audience with physical techniques are rule of three, one liner, impersonation. Through his tone, volume, roasting technique for triggering audience and facial expression that seem ridiculous to laughter. The second research from Rutter hear are the source of his talent to capture (2001), talking about rhetoric in stand-up the audience to laugh with him. comedy, on how the stand-up comedians in Stand-up comedy is kind of monologue america perform in front of the audiences. that perform humor. Humor is one of The research concern on the ways which language art, that is would become a successful comedian use rhetorical narration. It shows about humor that made techniques in comic to develop their joke. He from narration. Good comic is someone who identifies four techniques in stand-up has ability to create a good narration and comedy. successfully deliver the humor itself. Jim The first and the second previous studies Jefferies, Ricky Gervais, and Bill Burr have an found the techniques that used by stand up ability to persuade audience’s laughter with comedians but in different type of analysis. their jokes. The researcher would like to The second previous study classified the analyse their narrative sections on creating stand-up comedy techniques in four different story, by using Labov’s model that look types, meanwhile the first previous study in narrative section in stand-up comedy eleven types. The third previous study from performance. Ishara (2016), it was talking about rhetorical In America stand-up comedy, the comics structure of the debater in order to create a usually created a story on their performance, narrative on convincing the adjudicator. The therefore they need to create a good researcher used the theory from Labov, and narration and deliver it in front of the analyse the narrative section that used by audiences. They often combine story of their eight debaters. The correlation between the joke with stand-up comedy techniques in third previous study and this research is both order to enhance their performance and of discourses are spoken discourse. Also, trigger audience laughter. The idea on both of elements should convince the creating narration on stand-up comedy will audience. be in line with Labov’s narrative theory which Stand-up comedy is one of language art is on his theory the good narration should that has same generic feature of narrative. have five elements of narrative section. Generic feature of narrative text is a model On the education point of view, this that developed by Labov (1972), consist of research will be useful for the teacher. The Abstract, Orientation, Complication, good teacher is someone who can make their Resolution, and Coda. This model will be student put an attention with teacher useful in order to analyse whether they have explanation. One of method is through the a complete narrative sections or not in every comedy itself, by putting the essence of performance and also to examine Labov’s comedy in classroom activity, it will make model in delivering the jokes and strories. On students attract with teacher explanation. delivering the stories, there are several This research will help teacher to create a techniques that commonly used in stand up good narrative of humor. comedy performance, they are rule of three, Journal of English Education and Teaching (JEET) Vol.2.No.4.2018 106 one liner, impersonation, roasting, as what, why, and how many. It is concerned comparison, simile, observation, and with meaning than measuring. Next, callback. These technique will be useful in Arikunto (in Perdasari, 2008:21) stated that order to trigger audiences’ laugher.