Stereotypes

[Nearly Sane]

Following on from a digression in the God sends natural disasters to punish gays thread between trentvoyager and I, I thought I'd start a thread about when if ever stereotypes are funny.


'Well sometimes yes, sometimes no. It's probably a discussion worthy of its own thread.

But as an example, Joan Rivers was a quintessentially female Jewish comedian. It was a stereotype - fast-talking, sassy, take no prisoners kind of humour. Did she in some way transcend the stereotype.

Why, for example did John Inman remain just a stereotype - but Kenneth Williams in some sense transcended the stereotype he appeared to be? I dunno. Rambling I suspect'


I think one of the things about making them funny is that it is funnier if someone who is the a member of the group being stereotyped not only carries it out but is in control of it.

[Gordon]

Stanley Baxter and his 'Parliamo Glasgow' comes to mind, and even though he overdid the accent for effect it still worked for us Glaswegians.

Where accents are bad it can grate, such as attempts at a Scottish accent (and there are several) by obvious non-Scot portraying a stereotype - the allegedly Scottish 'red Clydesider' union rep in the Yes Minister episode about the hospital with no patients is an example - excruciating to watch.

[Nearly Sane]

I think all stereotypes work only with exaggeration to an extent. Also thinking about it, the individual themself dies not need to be a member of the minority. Thinking about Will and Grace here, where John Barrowman got turned down for not coming across as gay enough

[L.A.]

Why, for example did John Inman remain just a stereotype - but Kenneth Williams in some sense transcended the stereotype he appeared to be? I dunno. Rambling I suspect'

That would be 'Rambling Syd Rumpo  '

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBZGW9cguTs