Without any doubt Little Britain is one of the most observed British comedy productions
of this decade. For three seasons the audience has been entertained by witty remarks about
minorities in British society: immigrants, gays, lesbians, transvestites, people with special
needs, or people of different race and ethnicity – all of them became the butt of jokes. On
the contrary ‘classic’ jokes about for instance politics and politicians, celebrities or the
Royal Family appeared as support to the main-characters rather than being core topics of
the sketches presented in each episode.
Along with such a success criticism and questions arise concerning the alleged concept that
the writers Matt Lucas and David Walliams follow: entertainment on behalf of minorities.
Johann Hari (2005), commentator of The Independent, criticizes that “the show is cluttered
with ugly prejudices”. Fergus Sheppard (2005) of The Scotsman exclaims that Little
Britain is “not busting down prejudice, […] it’s probably just reinforcing it.” Does Little
Britain truly entertain on behalf of minorities? Do the jokes imply hidden racism, contempt
and hate towards minorities, which consolidate biases towards the minor parts of society?
Because of its success in and outside of the United Kingdom, the BBC and the producers
have decided to launch this comedy program in the United States, too. Although it would
be interesting to ask whether Little Britain will be able to maintain its concept in front of
the American viewers, this work will not intend to make any predictions. Instead it will
project the concepts of the sketches, and take a look at minorities that could become the
butts of jokes and name prejudices towards minorities in the United States that need to be
dismantled.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Ethnicity and race – the creation and function of otherness
2.1 “The duplicity of the Asiatic” as humoristic substance
2.2 “The bestial sexual license of the African” as humoristic substance
3. Gender minorities – performance and performativity
3.1 One is not born, but rather becomes, an unconvincing transvestite
3.2 The only homophobe gay in the village
4. Minorities as butts of jokes
4.1 Prejudices towards minorities in the United States of America
4.1.1 Hispanic Americans
4.1.2 African Americans
4.1.3 Arab and Muslim Americans
4.2 How one becomes the butt of jokes
4.3 The subversive power of jokes about minorities
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines how the British comedy series "Little Britain" utilizes humor concerning minorities and investigates whether these comedic elements can be effectively translated to an American context. The research explores the mechanics of stereotyping and social prejudice by analyzing how characters serve as subversive tools to dismantle consolidated views on race, gender, and sexuality.
- The theoretical application of Bhabha’s postcolonial theory regarding otherness.
- Judith Butler’s theories on performance and performativity in the context of gender minorities.
- The identification of prevalent prejudices against Hispanic, African, and Muslim Americans in the U.S.
- The social function of ethnic humor and the distinction between reinforcing and subverting stereotypes.
- A critical analysis of comedy as a "mirror" to societal biases rather than mere unscrupulous entertainment.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 One is not born, but rather becomes, an unconvincing transvestite
Emily and Florence are two male friends who like to dress up in female clothes of the nineteenth century Victorian style, incessantly claiming and repeating that they are two ladies. The sketches involving Emily and Florence revolve around the unconvincing performance of stereotypically female behavior, which only enhances the not suppressible maleness of both characters. Although they desire to be female, they always remain in an awkward situation where they fail to be ladies. Because of failing these attempts to persuade others that they are women, they deliberately exaggerate and emphasize their chosen gender.
One day, Emily and Florence decide to go to a wedding-shop in order to buy a wedding-dress for Emily and a bridesmaid-dress for Florence (2004: series 2, episode 2). While they are looking at the dresses the shop assistant welcomes the two friends as “ladies”. This statement makes them turn around proudly, whilst the assistant realizes that the two shoppers are in fact two transvestites. She assumes that Emily would like to buy a wedding dress for his fiancée, which Emily harshly opposes. She claims the wedding dress to be for her own wedding being the bride and Florence her bridesmaid.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the study, the critical reception of the series "Little Britain", and the intention to analyze its potential reception in the U.S. through the lenses of postcolonial and gender theory.
2. Ethnicity and race – the creation and function of otherness: Explores Homi K. Bhabha’s postcolonial theory to explain how "the other" is constructed through stereotypes in media and colonial discourse.
2.1 “The duplicity of the Asiatic” as humoristic substance: Analyzes the character Ting Tong Macadangdang to demonstrate how the "duplicity of the Asian" stereotype is subverted to shift the punchline onto her husband.
2.2 “The bestial sexual license of the African” as humoristic substance: Examines the character Marjorie Dawes and her boyfriend Derek to show how racist stereotypes are subverted by highlighting the arrogance of the white protagonist.
3. Gender minorities – performance and performativity: Applies Judith Butler's theories to argue that gender is a performative construct rather than a biological essence.
3.1 One is not born, but rather becomes, an unconvincing transvestite: Focuses on the characters Emily and Florence to demonstrate the failure of performative acts and the humor derived from the "unconvincing" nature of their drag.
3.2 The only homophobe gay in the village: Discusses the character Daffyd Thomas, who embodies an egocentric, heterosexist caricature that undermines the very community he claims to fight for.
4. Minorities as butts of jokes: Contextualizes ethnic humor within American society by reviewing the theoretical framework of Davies regarding the "butt of jokes".
4.1 Prejudices towards minorities in the United States of America: Provides an overview of the specific social and political challenges faced by Hispanic, African, and Muslim/Arab Americans.
4.2 How one becomes the butt of jokes: Discusses the social position of the "butt of the joke" as someone who is familiar yet peripheral within a society.
4.3 The subversive power of jokes about minorities: Concludes that comedy serves as a "social thermometer" that measures societal tensions rather than just creating new prejudices.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s findings, affirming that the show's humor acts as a mirror to societal views in need of critical scrutiny.
6. Bibliography: Lists the academic sources used in the research.
Keywords
Little Britain, Minority, Otherness, Postcolonial Theory, Homi K. Bhabha, Judith Butler, Performativity, Gender, Stereotypes, Ethnic Humor, Subversion, American Culture, Prejudice, Social Commentary, Schema Theory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research?
The work analyzes the humor in the British comedy series "Little Britain," specifically focusing on how it portrays various minorities and whether this comedic style serves to reinforce or subvert social prejudices.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The central themes include postcolonial theories of "otherness," the performative nature of gender and sexuality according to Judith Butler, the sociological function of ethnic humor, and the specific stereotypes surrounding minorities in the United States.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to project the concepts of the sketches onto the American cultural landscape to determine if the series can effectively dismantle consolidated prejudices or if it risks reinforcing negative tropes.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author utilizes a qualitative, text-analytical approach, applying established theoretical frameworks—specifically postcolonial theory (Homi K. Bhabha), gender performativity (Judith Butler), and schema theory—to interpret television sketches.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations of otherness and performance, detailed case studies of specific characters (Ting Tong, Marjorie Dawes, Emily & Florence, Daffyd Thomas), and a comparative analysis of prejudices against American minorities like Hispanic and African Americans.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Little Britain, performativity, otherness, subversion, postcolonialism, gender minorities, and ethnic humor.
How does the author define the "butt of the joke"?
Drawing on Christie Davies, the author defines the "butt" not as an alien stranger, but as a familiar neighbor or peripheral figure within society who fails to conform to dominant societal expectations of success.
Why does the author argue that the show is not merely "unscrupulous entertainment"?
The author argues that the comedy serves as a "social thermometer," reflecting existing prejudices and circulating attitudes in a way that points to their inaccuracy, rather than establishing new ones.
What is the role of the characters Ting Tong and Dudley in the analysis?
They serve as a case study for the "duplicity of the Asian" stereotype, where the subversion of the trope exposes the selfishness and double standards of the white husband, Dudley, rather than targeting the minority character herself.
How does the study conclude regarding the series' value?
The study concludes that the series is a critical mirror of 21st-century society, identifying that the humor acts as a necessary site for the subversion of political and social scrutiny.
- Citation du texte
- Carol Szabolcs (Auteur), 2008, Little Britain in America, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/122678
