Krefting's new book examines stand-up comedy

Beck Krefting, assistant professor of American Studies, is the author of a new book, All Joking Aside鈥擜merican Humor and Its Discontents, published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

According to the publisher鈥檚 web site, Krefting鈥檚 examination of stand-up comedy 鈥渆stablishes a new genre of comedic production, 鈥榗harged humor,鈥� and charts its pathways from production to consumption.鈥�

Stand-up comics have used charged humor 鈥渢o reveal social, political and economic stratifications,鈥� according to the publisher. Krefting鈥檚 history of charged comedy over the past nearly 70 years highlights the work of a number of comics, including Dick Gregory, Robin Tyler, Moz Jobrani, and Hari Kondabolu.

In an interview with Tracy Wuster of the blog Humor in America, Krefting鈥攈erself a comic who has done stand-up and improve鈥攖ries to determine 鈥淲hat words would create the greatest comedic effect and in what order?鈥� With 暖暖直播 serving as host each year to the National College Comedy Festival, Krefting said she 鈥済ets to teach, mentor, and debate with students who are comedyphiles just like me.鈥�

Click here to read the Humor in America interview. Visit the publisher鈥檚 web site here.