Annotated+Bibliography

Wienand, William. __History & Milestones of Sketch Comedy__. IFC. 2009. []

The author, William Weinand, is a prominent member of the IFC community. He has written many other articles regarding sketch comedy, stand-up comedy, and prop comedy. The article is mostly an overview, and it discusses the most significant and influential sketch comedy groups in history. Starting in 1951 with the Goon Show, and ending with the Whitest Kids U'Know in 2007, the author explains the most important aspects of each group. For example, he describes the comedy troup Monty Python as a "smart and silly, cutting edge and obscence...[and a] stream-of-conscious narrative." Although the author hits some great points, such as each group's innnovative style, he is certainly biased. The article is opinionated and certain important sketch comedy groups are omitted. However, these biases do not take away from the overall usefullness of the article. It helps the reader understand the history of sketch comedy in a concise and conversational manner.

Zoglin, Richard. __How George Carlin Changed Comedy__. Time Magazine. 2008. []

Richard Zoglin is a distinguished member of the Time Magazine community. He has written for Time for over 20 years, and he has recently published //Comedy at the Edge: How Stand-up in the 1970s Changed America//, describing Lenny Bruce and the influence of the generation of stand ups who elaborated on his style. Therefore, it can be assumed that Richard Zoglin is experienced on the topic of controversial stand-up comedians. The article is mainly an overview; it tells the story of George Carlin's life and his achievements, hardships, and influence.

After a brief description of George Carlin's early years as a comedian, the article tells how he changed comedy. It tells how he challenged the irrational fears of America, such as his "Seven Words" skit, how he changed his overall style to fit the counterculture, and how his drug habit would eventually kill him. His "observational humor" became a bit of a trademark for George Carlin, the author argues. The author says that he "rail[ed] against everything from the environmental movement to the middle-class obsession with golf." Towards the end of the article, the author explains how Carlin's material grew increasingly dark, to the point where he was "cheerleading for mass suicide and egological disaster." Also, Carlin's influence is expanded upon by listing several comedians that have mimicked Carlin's unique style. The author ends with, "And he helped to bring stand-up comedy to the very center of American culture. It has never left."

The research the author presents is definitely logical, clear, and detailed. He stays on topic at all times, straying only when connected to the overall point. I believe the author is unbiased; he explains the positive and negative effects of Carlin's comedy. He even explains when Carlin was getting unfunny and dark. Instead of praising Carlin, he views him simply as a man with his successes and downfalls. The information from this article is undeniably valuable. It explains the life of one of the greatest and controversial comedians of all time and how his style has changed comedy for the better. This will certainly benefit my topic.

Welle, Deutsche. __Hitler Comedy Breaks German Taboos__. DW-World.De. 2007. []. Although the article is definitely useful, I could not find credentials for the author. I searched his name on multiple search engines and came up with no results. However, the article is worthy. The author discusses a new German film that satirizes Hitler and the Third Reich. It depicts Hitler as a "physical wreck who has been psychologically damaged by his authoritarian upbringing and is an impotent, bed-wetting, whimpering drug addict." The German dictator has become a taboo in the past years, and avoided in German society by the media. However - this film, along with others - help to break the taboo and allow a formerly awkward topic to become a slapstick joke. Not all of the criticism about the film is positive. The film, titled "Mein Fuhrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler," is perceived as "close to the bone." Some critics say that some of the serious topics, such as the Final Solution, are taken lightly in the movie, and is not funny. Also, the portrayal of Hitler is considered too humane to be accurate. Regardless, the film helps to bust the Hitler taboos. I don't think there's a bias in the article, it is mainly an overview. I believe this is significant because it develops my point that taboos are changing over the years. The unacceptable is now acceptable, such as in this article. __Richard Pryor.__ Comedy Central. Comedy Central.com. 2006. [] Although the article is definitely useful, I could not find credentials for the author. I searched his name on multiple search engines and came up with no results. However, the article is worthy. The article is mostly a biography and an overview, and it is intended for anyone who is curious about Richard Pryor's life.

The author says that Richard Pryor was a talented man, however, he was heavily controversial, and helped to break racial taboos. Pryor's style was described as "hyperkinectic, expletive-laced, free-form." His upbringings certainly influenced his comedic topics. He discussed, "black life on the streets, the drug culture, sex and other topical issues..." The author argues that Richard Pryor's influence can be seen everywhere: in music, in movies, in comedy. He uses several quotes to prove his point.

The work is very logical, clear, and well-researched. The author has done their research thoroughly and provides much interest in the topic he writes about. The article is amazing with details and quotes, however, it is biased. The author clearly favorites Richard Pryor and says little negative things about him. Regardless, it should be used.

The article will help in my research topic because it addresses an influential comedian that has helped to break taboos during and after the counterculture era.

Havrilesky, Heather. __TV's best new taboo-busting comedy.__ Salon. 2010. []

Heather Havrilesky is Salon's TV critic and author of the rabbit blog. She co-created Filler, a popular cartoon on Suck.com, with illustrator Terry Colon. Her writing has appeared in New York Magazine, the LA Times, the Washington Post, Bookforum and on NPR's All Things Considered. Her memoir, "Disaster Preparedness," is due from Riverhead Books in December 2010. It's a persuasive article.

The author argues that Louis C.K.'s new comedy show is breaking taboos. She says that Louis C.K. takes his "lowest moments, his worst defeats, and transforms them into these sad vignettes." The bigger taboos, such as bestiality and child neglections, are mentioned frequently throughout the show and are considered explicit by critics. The author takes quotes from Louis C.K. to support her point.

The work is well-researched, and is unbiased. It takes a side in both aspects the new television show. I believe the article will be helpful because it discusses major American taboos that are being broken by a popular comedian.

Leonard Alfred Schneider. __Lenny Bruce.__ 2008. []

I have searched for Leonard Alfred Schneider's credentials and I have come up with nothing. However, the article is still scholarly.

The article is mainly an overview. It discusses Lenny Bruce's achievements, his career, and his influence. It also has quotes that makes the information easier to relate to. This article would appeal to anyone who wants to learn about Lenny Bruce's career.

Lenny Bruce was born in New York in 1925. He was born to Catholic parents, who ended up divorcing when he was five years old. He moved to Hollywood in 1947 and his breakthrough came in the early 1950s. During this time period, there were many topics that one couldn't address. He preformed in clubs with many Jewish comedians, and their topics included their ethnicity. Lenny Bruce was drawn to attention for his daring style of satire. In his routines, "he probed taboo subjects such as racial fears, sexual fantasies, Jewish-Christian tensions, and presidents." He attracted an audience of young intellectuals and the college crowd. In 1961, after becoming a world-renown controversial comedian, he was imprisoned for obscenity. He died in 1966 due to a heroin overdose.

The information is logical and well-researched. The author puts together an excellent article to explain Lenny Bruce's amazing influence and controversial style that has brought comedy to where it is now. The artcile isn't really objective; it simply explains the life and times of Lenny Bruce.

I will certainly use this information. Lenny Bruce has influenced great comedians such as George Carlin and Richard Pryor, and he has broken the taboos of his time period. The article is clear and relatable.

Oliver, John, and Andy Zaltzman. "Close to the edge: these days, is there anything that we can't laugh about? John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman consider the charges." //New Statesman// [1996] 22 Aug. 2005: 30+. //Expanded Academic ASAP//. Web. 27 Oct. 2010.

The two authors, John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman, have been doing stand-up comedy for more than a decade. They also run a satircal blog, have recurring roles on The Daily Show with John Stewart, and are actors. This article is an editorial, because it shows the authors opinions on the taboo subjects in America.

The authors pose some important questions about the evolving comedy world. Is there anything that we can't laugh about? Operas, plays, sketches, routines, and television all satirize and comment on the world, but now, as opposed to before, everything is within the limits; there is nothing taboo anymore. The authors argue that, "There is clearly a need for some people to find laughter in the darker events of life. For us, it is a default mechanism that helps us cope with the world. In that sense, it is the only form of religion that we have." Political comedy, as it is today, does not change people's minds, however, it does help to laugh about it every now and then. In that aspect, taboo subjects have to be exposed to reveal the flaws and create comfort.

The work is logical and adresses the topic that is posed. It is biased in it's format, but that is only because the authors choose a side and defend it well. Comedy has evolved to a taboo-less format, there's no denying that. The authors uses many examples, such as operas and television shows, to prove their point.

This article is perfect for showing the timeline of comedy: from the 50s-60s where comedy was limited, to today where comedy is virtually taboo-less.

Associated Press. "Richard says anger, not racism, sparked tirade." MSN. 2006. []

The Associated Press is a MSNBC based news agency. They gather various sources and post in a blog-like fashion. They are highly revered in and out of the news world. I believe them to be trustworthy. The article is an overview. It goes over the key facts of the incident and brings in an interesting perspective on the how unfunny the situation was. The intended audience would be for anyone who feels offended or interested in the situation.

The article reviews the Laugh Factory Incident for comedian Michael Richards. During his stand-up routine, a pair of hecklers caused him to lose his cool. In blind anger, he went off on a tirade, calling the hecklers "the n-world" repeatedly, and making various references to lynching. The audience were appalled by Richards' comments, and the show ended shortly afterwards. The author brings in various quotes about the natural of free speech and racial epithets. Also, the article provides both the original footage of the incident and Michard Richards' official apology.

The work is clear, logical, and well-researched. It provides insight towards the world of comedy and the taboos that are associated with it. Although some authors may claim that comedy is taboo-less these days, this article begs to differ. Racial tensions are still on the rise and look unlikely to break anytime soon. The author is constantly associating their points and quotes back to the overall message of the article. The author isn't objective in anyway; the article merely states the facts, nothing more.

In the world of comedy, situational awareness in essential. Learning your audience like a fine instrument, tuning it for certain sounds. This article expands upon my topic by providing new insights towards taboos in the comedy world. Racial slurs are still a taboo, especially for white comedians. I will definitely use this as part of my timeline of taboos.

Lindsey Linster. "Kathy Griffin: an Emmy and a controversy - all in a day's work." A&E. 2007. []

Lindsey Linster is a blogger that blogs about media-related topic. When the Kathy Griffin controversy came to view, she was one of the first to blog about it. The article is an editorial. It provides facts about the situation while providing an objective view on the event. I believe that the intended audience would be anyone who cares about Kathy Griffin or the respect of the Emmy's.

The article discusses Kathy Griffin's acceptance speech for her 2007 Emmy win. In her speech she said, "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. So, all i can say is, suck it Jesus, this award is my god now." The article brings in various different opinions on the matter. One quote is from the Catholic League; another is from a co-worker of Kathy's on the show. At the end of the article, the author poses the question: "So, did Kathy step over the line?"

The work is clear, logical, and well-researched. It provides insight towards the world of comedy and the taboos that are associated with it. Kathy Griffin, who is known for her raunchy comedic style, might have felt that her comment was appropriate. However, it is clear that there will always be opposition towards close-to-the-line jokes, no matter the intentions. The author is clear in their work. They have relatable quotes of all sides, and even one from Kathy herself.

I believe this article will be worthwhile. It provides more insight towards what can be said, and what can't. Obviously, religious jokes can be tense and a joke that comes close to the edge can be considered taboo. It will definitely assist in my research.

William Press. "History and Milestones of Controversy." MSN. 2009. []

William Press is a distinguished member of the MSN community. He has been writing for over 20 years, with his topics ranging from media-related to politics. The article is an overview and the intended audience could be anyone who cares about controversial material in the world of comedy.

The article discusses some of the more controversial characters in the world of comedy. The main controversies range from Lenny Bruce to George Carlin to Michael Richards. It discusses why each person's comedy sketches would be considered controversial for the time period and why it was important for bringing comedy to where it is today.

The work is logical and adresses the topic that is posed. It is biased in it's format, but that is only because the authors choose a side and defend it well. Comedy has evolved to a taboo-less format, there's no denying that. The authors uses many examples, such as operas and television shows, to prove their point.

I believe this is significant because it develops my point that taboos are changing over the years. The unacceptable is now acceptable, such as in this article.