A Class Full of Class Clowns: A Case Study On The Education of Aspiring Comedians by Jayson San Miguel A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Jayson San Miguel 2020 A Class Full of Class Clowns: A Case Study On The Education of Aspiring Comedians Jayson San Miguel Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto 2020 Abstract Stand-up comedy is not just for entertainment. It is a platform that many comedians have used to question hierarchies, critique social injustice and inspire change (Chattoo, 2019; Gilbert, 2004; Bingham & Hernandez, 2009). For this reason, it is important to understand the education and progression of aspiring comedians as they embark on their journey as social influencers. The purpose of this study was to examine the comedy principles that students learned and how they applied these to their own practice. This study also examined the instructional approaches of stand-up comedy instructors as they guided students with their professional expertise. To inform my case studies, I observed two stand-up comedy classes over a sixteen week period. My results showed that instructors used a balance of different feedback and modeling techniques to create a safe space for their students to explore their comedic creativity. For the students, the classes were a practice on self-reflection, as they learned the importance of drawing on their own experiences to create authentic stage personas. Through their writing and their performances, they also had to negotiate ways to be relatable to their audience. However, one of the major challenges that students encountered was finding the right balance in showing and sharing their vulnerable sides. Some students had difficulties navigating “the hurtline” (Perez, 2013), while others over-relied on negative self-deprecating humour. This study supports the idea that being a comedian is much ii more than “being funny” and telling jokes. It also highlights the importance of the self and drawing on lived experiences in the composition and performance of comedy. The implications of this study go beyond the stand-up comedy profession, as the resulting instructional themes can be applied to arts education. Additionally, the principles of being a comedian can be applied to everyday social interaction as humour plays a significant role in our lives. iii Acknowledgements First, to my participants – Nancy, Mike, Paulo, Bradley, Timothy, Miqal, Elizabeth, Ramsey, Geoff and Britt – thank you being a part of my study and for allowing me to understand the world through your comedic minds. To my supervisor, Dr. Shelley Stagg Peterson, thank you for your guidance and mentorship during my doctoral candidacy and for inviting me to be a part of the NOW Play team. I feel so fortunate to have had a supervisor who really cared for the success of each of her students. To my committee members, Dr. Marcel Danesi and Dr. Guy Allen, thank you for all the valuable feedback that you have given me. Guy, your expressive writing class will always be one of my fondest memories of my graduate studies. To my examiners, Dr. Elizabeth Campbell and Dr. Oliver Double, thank you for accepting such a pivotal role. Presenting to you during my final oral examination was an absolute joy. Olly, I can only aspire to become as great a comedian and researcher as you. To my parents, Jesusa and Lorenzo, thank you for your love and unwavering support. I am forever grateful for all of the sacrifices that you made to provide a good life for Josh and I. You always challenged us to be the best version of ourselves. And even through our struggles and failures, you believed that we can accomplish anything. This dissertation is truly dedicated to both of you in honour of the hard work you put in raising us – I'm sure it wasn't easy to raise two doctors. To my brother, Dr. Joshua San Miguel, thank you for blazing the PhD trail. I've always been proud of your success. Now, I hope you can help me get a job. To my partner, Mallory Ryan, thank you for being you. You are my motivation, my inspiration, and my dance partner. I am so lucky to be with someone who understands my passions and my aspirations. Not many people would have gladly given up their Friday nights to spend it with me at the U of T library like you have. And I only hope I can support you in the way that you have supported me while you pursue your own ambitions. I cannot wait for our next chapter together! iv To all of my colleagues and past professors from U of T, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with me. I have learned so much from each of you. Special thanks to Dr. Joan Peskin and Dr. Jack Miller for being my mentors when I first started my graduate studies. To the NOW Play Team and my OISE Support Group – Naz, Shakina, Krystle, Audrey, Alesia, Soon Young, Alison, Jeanne, Denise, Wales, Mia, and Nev – thank you for all your positivity and for cheering me on! I am so glad that we crossed paths and have taken this journey together. To my dearest friends, thank you for being there when I needed you. You have all supported me in more ways than you know. All of the softball games, bonspiels, brunches, second dinners, bubble teas, road trips and late-night drives have kept me grounded during this entire process. These moments remind me of how fortunate I am to have so many great people in my life with whom I can share my time. To all my cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, Lola, and my extended family, thank you all for your support. Even from a distance, I can feel the love and well-wishes that you have sent my way. And finally, to the Toronto comedy community, thank you for welcoming me with open arms and for providing me with a stage where I can share my creativity. The world is truly a better place when we can all laugh together. v Table of Contents Abstract ii Acknowledgements iv Table of Contents vi List of Appendices xi Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Background 1 Purpose 2 Research Questions 3 A Brief Overview of Stand-up Comedy 4 Significance 6 Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework and Literature Review 8 Sociocultural Theory 8 Sociocultural Theory, Identity and The Self 10 Theories on Humour 14 Early Theories on Humour and Comedy 14 Benign-Violation Theory 16 Comedy Safe Space 17 The Structure of Comedy 18 A Sense of Humour 19 The Source of Humour 20 The Functions of Comedy 22 The Aggressive Nature of Comedy 22 Comedy and Political Correctness 26 The Empowering Nature of Comedy 29 Vulnerable Comedy and Self-Deprecation 30 Instructional Strategies 33 vi Feedback 33 Laughter as Feedback 36 Modeling 37 Chapter 3: Method 40 Qualitative Research 40 Case Study 41 Description of the Study 42 Setting 42 Stand-up Course 43 Participants 43 Data Collection 46 Data Analysis and Organization 48 Maintaining Validity and Trustworthiness 50 Limitations 51 Chapter 4: Results 52 Stand-Up A 52 The Instructor: Nancy 52 The Narrative Approach 52 The First Week 53 Class Exercises 55 Conclusion 60 Student # 1: Paulo 61 A Comparison of Performing Arts 62 Paulo in the Classroom 63 Paulo's Final Set 67 A New Hobby? 69 Student # 2: Bradley 70 Being Yourself 71 vii Bradley in the Classroom 73 Bradley's Final Set 78 Identity, Comedy and Empowerment 81 Student # 3: Timothy 83 Writing Makes Perfect 83 Timothy in the Classroom 85 Timothy's Final Set 89 A Future in Comedy 92 Student # 4: Miqal 93 A Logical Approach 94 Miqal in the Classroom 96 Miqal's Final Set 98 An Appreciation of the "Soft Skills" 101 Student # 5: Elizabeth 102 From the Perspective of an Actress 103 Elizabeth in the Classroom 105 Elizabeth's Final Set 107 A Balance of Confidence and Vulnerability 111 Student # 6: Ramsey 111 Comedy as a Form of Expression and Self-Discovery 113 Ramsey in the Classroom 114 Ramsey's Final Set 117 Building off Confidence 119 Stand-Up B 120 The Instructor: Mike 120 The Point-of-View Approach 121 The First Week 123 Class Exercises 125 viii Conclusion 128 Student # 7: Geoff 129 Following Your Dream 130 Geoff in the Classroom 131 Geoff's Final Set 135 Integrating into the Comedy Community 139 Student # 8: Britt 140 Empowerment through Comedy 141 Britt in the Classroom 142 Britt's Final Set 146 Comedy Makes You Feel Good 149 Chapter Conclusions 149 Chapter 5: Discussion 151 Restatement of Purpose 151 Research Question # 1 151 Comedians need to draw from real life experiences 151 Developing a persona 151 Bringing experience into practice 152 Drawing from a role model 152 Comedians need to be relatable 153 Stand-up is a dialogue 153 Drawing on shared experiences with the audience 154 Comedians need to show vulnerability 156 Comedians need to navigate the "hurtline" 158 Research Question # 2 160 Instructors demonstrated stand-up is a skill 160 The importance of feedback 160 Creating a collaborative community 162 ix Instructors modelled the principles of stand-up 163 Limitations 164 Student Sample Size 164 Instructor Sample Size 165 Implications 166 Implications for Comedians 166 Implications for Educators 166 Future Research 168 Conclusion 169 References 171 Appendix A: Glossary of Terms 186 Appendix B: Sample Interview Questions – Instructors 187 Appendix C: Sample Interview Questions – Students 188 x List of Appendices Appendix A: Glossary of Terms 183 Appendix B: Sample Interview Questions – Instructors 184 Appendix C: Sample Interview Questions – Students 185 xi Chapter 1 Introduction It can be easy to overlook the influence of stand-up comedians.