A Comedian and an Activist Walk into a Bar is an illuminating text for social activists and justice advocacy groups. In part 1, Caty Borum Chattoo and Lauren Feldman ground the book’s over-arching claim that mediated comedy in various forms gets people to engage in important social issues and that that makes it a useful—even essential—modality for drawing others into serious efforts to change the world.
Chapter 1 offers definitions of social justice and change and gives a brief history of comedy entertainment in the US. It includes an excellent summary of how shifts from analog to digital media have affected entertainment forms, enabling comedians to directly engage with increasingly diverse, socially conscious audiences.
The authors carefully ground their claims about the utility (and limitations) of comic discourses in chapter 2 and emphasize four ways comedy can shape public discourse: it can bring attention to important issues, disarm audiences and...
