Rising Up: Uproarious

Interview with Cynthia Willett, co-author of Uproarious

A radical new approach to humor, where traditional targets become its agents

Comedians, like their predecessors the court jesters, are traditionally truth-tellers in our societies. They couch harsh truths within humor to soften the blow at those in power. But we’ve been told for years that men are the funny ones and that women just aren’t funny. 

That is of course changing thanks to the pioneering work of feminist comedians of color like Margaret Cho and Wanda Sykes who aren’t just funny – they’re engaging in subversive social commentary. Analyzing the changing landscape of comedy and what it means for social justice issues today is a new book titled Uproarious. 

 

Listen to the whole interview.