Essay on "Social Change and Its Humor Idiom in the Twentieth Century"

Essay 10 pages (2916 words) Sources: 2

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Humor in America

Evolution of Humor in the 20th Century

Social change in America has been affected by several waves of change in the makeup of the ethnic diversity of the country, and by the change in technology that made communication forms evolve extremely fast compared to any century prior. Starting in the late 19th century, thousands upon thousands of immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and Italy entered American shores, creating a diverse demographic that had never been seen before in any country. This brought about social problems like racial segregation, income disparity, and culture clashes that created the perfect storm for both comedy and tragedy of all forms. The oppressive forces of society also influenced American comedy, and the long tradition of Freedom of Speech allowed for political commentators to assault the changing landscape around the world at the time. Technology further changed how humans communicated as well, from the newspapers and vaudeville films at the beginning of the century to the creation of the Internet and the expansion of comedy television at the end of the century. In focusing on how humor evolved in America in the 20th century, this paper will see how each decade of the century contributed both to the technological and social shifts that were commonplace in America during the time.

As aforementioned, the beginning of the 20th century was the vaudeville period of comedy, in which comics in newspapers, as well as theater entertainment provided for the most common forms of cultural exchange and comedy acts that could be found. These comedy shorts were usually seen by a single person at a time, and often relied on crude humor to reach a quick punch line. At this time, racial stereotypes about recent immigrants, as well as the American black population, were exploited constantly in exchange for cheap laughs. Although the humor itself was crude, the stage was being set for more advanced forms of comedy to arise from Americans, as another new invention, the radio, allowed for live entertainment and humor to be broadcast in a mass media format for the first time. Americans came to find certain accents and mannerisms to be funny, while others were naturally meant for dramatic roles. The radio unlocked the passions of many millions who felt more connected with the country's politics and pulse on the world, as well as with the radio stars that would make the format legendary in its day. The radio host, at the center of all entertainment to be heard on the radio, was able to put together comedy troupes that allowed random individuals to be heard by large audiences all across the nation.

The silent era of comedy from the 1910s to the early 1930s relied on two things, namely, physical comedy that could be seen rather than heard, and themes of the 'little man' against the machine. These were common themes that had occurred in the interwar years, when prohibition was the most important political experiment of the time, and when financial despair followed. Charlie Chaplin is a giant figure representing this time; a physical comedian who represented all that American film was about, namely opportunity and physical comedy. Other famous acts include the Three Stooges, who would hit each other for comedy purposes and were the highlight of silent era comedy. Larry, Curly, and Moe proved to be hilarious to audiences of all ages, and despite the baseness of their comedy routine, the fact that they were able to capture their act so convincingly in this new format was inspiring for future comedians.

Chaplin made another storm in American comedy with his film Modern Times, from 1936. It showed the little man against the industrialized world, and how fast everything seemed to be changing. This was a time when films were reaching wide release outside of the States, and Charlie Chaplin's most famous 'talkie', the Great Dictator, was to set the course for Hollywood during the war years.

Comedy suffered in the world along with everything else during World War II, with the seriousness of war clouding most other forms of art. Even after the war ended in 1945 comedy took several years to kick off once again, as the return of troops to rebuild the world meant sorrow would continue unabated. Comedy did not die off during this period; it was simply manifested differently and with a sharper wit. Groucho Marx, a comedian who focused on insult humor, became popular amongst the huge numbers of former soldiers who had returned from the war. The grittiness of this kind of comedy was new, and Groucho Marx took vulgarity in film to new levels. This was a change that had to happen due to the collective conscience of lost innocence after the war. The U.S. had dropped the Atomic Bomb, had passed the Marshall Plan, and was taking a sober look at the world as one of the only surviving industrial powers remaining after the devastation of the 1930s and 1940s. Wealth was a significant change in the 1940s, compared to the earlier Great Depression, America was now by far the wealthiest country in the world, and would continue to grow at outstanding rates for the next 30 years. (Dudden, 89)

The 1950s brought about another enormous change for comedy: the television. This invention would combine everything that Americans loved about movies, and bring it to the living room. The television would allow the traditional radio host to evolve into a late night host, one of the most famous of whom was entertainer Johnny Carson, who used comedy as a nightly gag in front of live audiences. Carson would go on to start the careers of many young comedians, as well as musicians and actors, and gave spotlight to all sorts of individuals, so long as they could provide an entertaining interview. The 1950s is referred to as the Golden Age of Hollywood due to the ability of American entertainment to provide a source for media across the world. Stories were all woven in this period with bits of comedy entwined, in contrast to the more dramatic period pieces of the 1940s. Many 1950s comedians were of Jewish descent, which had arrived in America in the 1930s and 1940s. Their brand of humor was original and entertaining, and changed the dynamic of Christianity and Judaism in America. At the end of the decade, dancing and lighthearted comedy fell out of favor in search of more narrative comedy, as audiences begged for more intellectually engaging films.

The television would go on through the 1960s to create many more opportunities for American humor. One action packed hero was able to genuinely infuse humor into nearly every line of his, the spy James Bond, played by Sean Connery. In his early movies James Bond used sexism constantly along his escapades, and became the archetype of the bold strong man. During this time, the Cold War was a difficult subject that was becoming more threatening each year. As the Soviet Union and the United States escalated their destructive capabilities with ICBM missiles and the ever-increasing strength of their warheads, comedy seemed to have to take some of the tension out of the Cold War; otherwise things may have exploded. The Cuban Missile Crisis was as serious of a threat of war as the two sides got, and nearly escalated the Cold War to destructive levels. The famous movie about this time period, entitled Dr. Strangelove, created a cult comedy classic that made fun out of every aspect of the Cold War, from the War Room, to the Russian president's alcoholism, to the constant spying that the Soviets seemed to be conducting against the U.S. The youth generation invigorated the television waves like no generation had before, and the baby boomers that did not go to Vietnam filled the streets in protest. The hippie freedom movement allowed for sexual taboos to fade quickly, and drugs were thought of as avenues for discovery and escape, rather than forbidden substances that should be avoided at all costs.

The 1970s brought about a golden age of humor in America, as the intense period of the 1960s Vietnam and Cold War era went through a cooling off period, and social change had once again changed American media. This was the era of American comedians like Gene Wilder that created new genres of comedy such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This movie, released in 1971, created a magnum opus of film comedy, creating a new genre of psychological humor. This type of comedy was totally unique to the period, and even in the modern remake of Willy Wonka, the psychological comedy is never recaptured. Gene Wilder would go on to star in several more comedies, such as Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. Each movie discusses the new social changes of the time, including feminism and civil rights. Bill Cosby, a famous black actor from the 1960s, turned his focus from drama to comedy in this period, and led a… READ MORE

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