Abstract
An essential part of all worthwhile research is to rigorously question the assumptions and myths that inevitably coalesce around a subject area. The sad clown is one such myth that has perennially thrived in discussions of comedy and comedians. While there is a grain of truth to the idea that the practice of comedy favors individuals with certain mindsets and personalities, a causal link cannot be assumed between trauma, melancholia, and comedy. On the contrary, stand-up comedy demands a blend of psychological robustness and tenacity that is at odds with the mythologies that are peddled in the media. While this account of comedy and comedians may not make good press copy, it is, I show, a more accurate account of comedy and comedians.
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Notes
- 1.
In 1998, I was on a comedy club lineup with the Perrier-award-winning Irish comedian Sean Hughes in the iconic North London comedy club Downstairs at The Kings Head. He explained to me the importance of recording every gig. During a British and Irish tour, he could develop the bulk of a new show just from the throwaway lines and improvised add-ons that emerged during live tour performances.
- 2.
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Naessens, E.D. (2020). Busting the Sad Clown Myth: From Cliché to Comic Stage Persona. In: Oppliger, P.A., Shouse, E. (eds) The Dark Side of Stand-Up Comedy. Palgrave Studies in Comedy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37214-9_11
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