Splash Biography

This class is a survey of American humor. Each day, we will look at a different target or subject matter of comedy: language, race, sex, politics, etc. Our discussion on racial humor will be especially important: we will see that comedy can be a wonderful method for ridiculing and exposing bigotry and prejudice. Language will also be an integral part of the class: we will be asking ourselves how the right words are necessary to correctly craft a joke. The class will make use of visual media, drawing from stand up comedy, sketch comedy, television, and film. For instance, we might contrast a Richard Pryor stand-up bit with a sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus. Please note that much of the material used in this class will involve "dirty language," so students should be prepared to hear these words in this class. Above all, this class is a chance to understand humor, and to think about how and why it both delights and offends.

Have you ever thought about what it takes to win a Presidential election? In this class we will seek to understand why Barack Obama won his bid for the American Presidency last November. Want to see how a political cartoon from William Henry Harrison’s 1840 campaign compares to a 2008 Obama television ad? By watching and comparing clips of party conventions, debates, press coverage, and more, we will be able to utilize these primary materials to help us understand topics of the election like campaign strategy, the role of the media, the role of technology, and the role of "outside factors" such as the state of the economy. You should walk away from the course knowing what to consider when you eventually cast your own vote for President in 2012.