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Searching for Humor in Dehumanization: American Sitcoms, the Internet, and the Globalization of Holocaust Parodies

Searching for Humor in Dehumanization: American Sitcoms, the Internet, and the Globalization of Holocaust Parodies
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Author(s): Jeffrey Demsky (San Bernadino Valley College, USA)
Copyright: 2016
Pages: 19
Source title: Analyzing Language and Humor in Online Communication
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Rotimi Taiwo (Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria), Akinola Odebunmi (University of Ibadan, Nigeria)and Akin Adetunji (Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Nigeria)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-0338-5.ch001

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Abstract

During the last two decades, to varying degrees, some American sitcom writers have depicted Nazism and the Holocaust humorously. This sort of activity is visible on such shows as South Park, Family Guy, and Robot Chicken. Many of the writers associated with these comedies are of Jewish heritage; but the joking has stirred only limited controversy. This chapter examines the messaging, delivery, and impact in Holocaust humor. It answers questions such as: What are American comedy writers signaling with these absurd stories? How does their comedic employment contribute to a wider process of misremembering distorting, or diluting known Holocaust accounts? It also analyzes how computer-mediated communications—website like Hulu and Youtube—have transferred these false accounts beyond American audiences.

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