Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Some model blogs

I am not sure why this meme uses a Stormtrooper
For your blog posts, feel free to follow your interests and passions, even if you see only a tenuous connection to some of the main topics we have discussed so far. All I ask is that the blog posts draw our attention to a piece of writing, a clip, a news article, or even an excerpt from a novel or other longer work, and provide your take on that: why is it significant? What makes it meaningful for you? What do you want others to understand about it? Feel free to interpret comedy in the broadest possible sense: you can blog about not only things that are intentionally meant to be funny, but things that are unintentionally funny, or anything else that presents an interesting incongruity, unexpected detail, or surprising feature that is worth comment.

I'm always a bit hesitant to provide models, because there's no set formula for writing these posts. The following are just some examples of different things you could do, and you should feel free to ignore them if they are not interesting or appealing, for they are not at all the only way of approaching the subject.

Here is an example of a fun post on a very dry topic--typography--that nonetheless points out the unexpected beauties of a classic film (not exactly comedy, but an attention to the little details, which is often a key feature of comedy).

This post is a smart and silly critique of the unintentional comedy and inanities of popular culture.

Here's an example of a music review of an old album of an old band from my hometown that more or less became The Shins. It's not exactly an analysis of something comedic, but it is an insightful review that points out some interesting and unexpected details in its own way.

Of course, best and worst lists can always be a fun way to do a blog post.

You can go with something light and silly on college life or other close-to-home topics. Hey, it may seem a bit informal, but it actually does a very nice job of closely analyzing the language in the emails, albeit in a goofy way.

And of course, you can always try to elevate the dialogue when it comes to current events. You know, like this guy. It takes a very high IQ to understand this guy.


Lead blogger sign up sheet for 4pm course

Post the week you want, along with the address of your blog, in the comments section of this post. Spots are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Lead blog posts are due the Friday of the week before we discuss them.

September 7: Alex (alexcomedyblog.blogspot.com)

Sept 14: Jake (jake6blog.blogspot.com)

Sept. 21: Katherine (katscomedyblog.blogspot.com)

Sept. 28: Alexis (alexisfywblog.blogspot.com)

Oct. 5: Caroline (carolinebasscomedyblog.blogspot.com)

Oct. 12: Paige (turnthepaige3.blogspot.com)

Oct. 19: Lucy (lucywaszak.blogspot.com)

Oct. 26: Faith (faithcomedyblog.blogspot.com)

Nov. 2: Lindsey (laughswithlindsey.blogspot.com)

Nov. 9: Hannah (humortheories.blogspot.com)

Nov. 23: Theo (theofyw.blogspot.com)

Nov. 30: Jane (laughwithjane.blogspot.com)


Lead blogger sign up sheet for 2:30 course

Post the week you want, along with the address of your blog, in the comments section of this post.n Spots are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Lead blog posts are due the Friday of the week before we discuss them.

September 7: Chris (chrislogsdonfyw.blogspot.com)

Sept 14: Matthew (matthewsfyw.blogspot.com)

Sept. 21: Julia (juliasfywblog.blogspot.com)

Sept. 28: Zach (zachbuddiesblogiguess.blogspot.com)

Oct. 5: Nikoleta (nikoletatesta.blogspot.com)

Oct. 12: Kaitlin (kaitlinramsden.blogspot.com)

Oct. 19: Abby (abigailfyw.blogspot.com)

Oct. 26: Katie (katiemarieowen.blogspot.com)

Nov. 2: Tyler (tdemsheck.blogspot.com)

Nov. 9: Faith (haubergfyw.blogspot.com)

Nov. 23: Lola (friedpickle77.blogspot.com)

Nov. 30: Jack (fywjackstarr.blogspot.com)

Lead blogger sign up sheet for 1:30 course

Post the week you want, along with the address of your blog, in the comments section of this post.n Spots are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Lead blog posts are due the Friday of the week before we discuss them.

September 7: Alyssa (alyssacomedyblog.blogspot.com)

Sept 14: Sonali (sonalijpatel.blogspot.com)

Sept. 21: Ryan (rwcomedyblog.blogspot.com)

Sept. 28: Will (wwagnerfyw.wordpress.com)

Oct. 5: Caroline (carolinecomedyblog.blogspot.com)

Oct. 12: Madelyn (Madelynfyw.blogspot.com)

Oct. 19: Ellery (ellerysblogfyw.blogspot.com)

Oct. 26: Trace (tracesfyw.blogspot.com)

Nov. 2: Kyndal (kandersoncomedy.blogspot.com)

Nov. 9: Hill (hilldouglasfyw.blogspot.com)

Nov. 23: Catherine (catherinescomedyblog.blogspot.com)

Nov. 30: Ashly (ashlyscomedy.wordpress.com)

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Welcome! Here is our course schedule, updated in real time.

After the first few weeks, the assignment for each Wednesday also includes reading and responding to the lead blogger, and the assignment for each Friday includes reading and commenting on your peers’ blogs. From time to time I may move readings around or replace them to more closely coincide with the class’s current interests. Watch this blog for these updates. All schedule changes will be posted here. I will only update the Moodle syllabus in the rare event of a course policy change. Although I will try to post an updated version of the schedule online as quickly as possible, you are responsible for all changes announced in class.




Course schedule:

Week 1: Introductions
M: August 26

W 28: Introduction.

Other activities: Start blog

F 30: Watch: Monty Python, Argument Clinic sketch.

Read: “Theories of Humor" and Nancy Sommers, Revision Strategies

Other activities: Start blog, email me the link, and select a date to serve as lead blogger. Post your first blog entry on the best piece of comedy you’ve seen recently (post the link or describe it), and whether you feel the reading helps you understand the work or its ideas.

Week 2 – Superiority, Incongruity, Relief: Theories of the Comic
M Sep. 2: Labor Day. No Class.

W 4: Read: Lippitt

Other activities: Write a blog post on which account you find most persuasive, and use another example of comedy to illustrate your claims. Do the theories just describe different types of comedy, or does one get closer to the essence (and why aren’t all examples of incongruity, superiority, or relief funny?)

F Sep. 6: Read: Lippitt

Week 3 – Peer Editing
M 9: Read Lippitt.

W 11: Blog discussion

Other activities: Post your response to the lead blogger’s post for all Wednesday classes. We will usually discuss the lead blog and the piece of comedy it analyzes on Wednesdays. We will also usually discuss some shorter readings to guide our discussion.

F 13: Read McGraw and Warner.

Other activities: Read each other’s posts and leave comments for each Friday class. Fridays we will continue our discussions of your blogs, focusing on your responses to each other. Highlighting the work of classmates during our discussion is an excellent way to participate. We will also use Fridays for activities such as peer editing or discussing an additional reading or a film.

Week 4 – Comedy and Politics
M 16: Read: “Waiting for the Conservative Jon Stewart.”

W 18: Blog discussion

F 20: Bring rough draft for peer editing.

Week 5 – When are We “Just Joking”?
M 23: Read: This Article on Trump’s Humor

W 25: Blog discussion

F 27: Paper 1 due. Writing workshop or possible library day.

Week 6 – Incongruity Theory’s Founding Father
M Sept. 30: Read: Hutcheson, “Thoughts on Laughter”

W 2: Blog discussion

F 4: Writing workshop or other activity TBA.

Week 7 – Great Job
M Oct. 7: Reading/Viewing TBA or Possible library day

W 9: Blog Discussion

F 11: Bring rough draft for peer editing.

Week 8 – All Your Breaks are Belong to Us
M 14: Fall break. No class.

W 16: Blog discussion

F 18: Paper 2 due. Writing workshop or library day.

Week 9 – Genres: Irony and Satire
M 21: Read The Irony of Satire

W 23: Blog discussion

F 25: Writing workshop or other activity TBA.

Week 10 – Comedy and Tragedy
M 28: Read: Zupancic

W 30: Blog discussion

F Nov. 1: Bring rough draft of paper 3.

Week 11 – We Live in a Society
M 4: Read Article on Gang Weed

W 6: Blog discussion

F 8: Paper 3 due. Writing workshop or other activity TBA.

Week 12 – Throwing Your Old Car Battery Into the Ocean
M 11: Read article on Tide Pod Memes and Article on Millennial Humor

W 13: Blog discussion

F 15: Bring Rough Draft of Paper

Week 13 – It’s Free Real Estate
M 18: Read: Article on Meme Warand Article on Memes and Politics

W 20: Blog Discussion

F 22: Bring rough draft of paper.

Week 14 – Wait for it…
M 25: Read: Article on Memes and Dadaism

W 27: Thanksgiving break

F 29: Thanksgiving break

Week 15 – Recovering from Steamed hams
M Dec. 2: Read: Zupancic

W 4: Bring draft.

F Dec. 6: Bring draft.

Week 16 – Press F
M 9: Last class.

W 11: Study day.

F 13: Final exams.