“Comedians are sociologists. We’re pointing out stuff that the general public doesn’t even stop to think about, looking at life in slow-motion and questioning everything we see.” Stephen Wright
I’ve always felt that a good comedian is also a good sociologist (and perhaps visa versa). Most make a killing off of the numerous quirks and nuances of our society. And when we laugh in many cases, we are really laughing at ourselves.
Below are two columns dealing with this very topic. Please refer to them as well as your notes and text (chapter 1 and 5) and finally, your own experience listening to comedians (my favorite is Jim Gaffigan).
Write a small essay (500 words or more) on the topic, “Are comedians good sociologists?”. Feel free to refer your own favorite comedian and specific routines to prove your point. Please refer to the Open Response Rubric for grading purposes.
http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2013/09/comedians-and-sociological-questions.html
“So what’s the deal with that?”
http://www.humanityinaction.org/knowledgebase/174-when-the-truth-hurts-tell-a-joke-why-america-needs-its-comedians