Stand-up comedy: manipulation and influence

This thesis interprets the craft of stand-up comedy as a series of manipulations. In a medium where interaction with the audience IS often unruly, manipulation IS frequently used to maintain the performer's control over his audience, and to persuade them to laugh. Comedians may also go beyond the immediate manipulation of response to have a more significant influence, persuading audiences to subvert their usual standards of morality, and shaping or re-shaping their opinions and attitudes. By examining the work and methodology of practitioners across the current British alternative stand-up comedy scene, I aim to show some of the common manipulations used by stand-up comedians, and to demonstrate the possibilities that this medium has for political efficacy. I argue that stand-up comedy plays a significant role in influencing the attitudes and opinions of individuals, and in negotiating wider social norms.