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What is Funny?

By David Luftig

In preparation for the annual Native Peoples of the Americas Colloquium and a daylong Creating Inclusive Community workshop called “Let’s Talk: Serious Comedy,” both featuring humor in a multicultural context, the University of Dayton Libraries sponsored two discussions on the Drew Hayden Taylor book Me Funny.

Tereza Szeghi, associate professor of English, led the first discussion Oct. 18, and Tom Morgan, associate professor of English, led the second on Nov. 6. The Libraries made the books available free to all participants. In Me Funny, Taylor presents a collection of essays from First Nations and Inuit authors to examine humor through the lenses of cultural identity, cultural communication, colonialism and cultural appropriation. Although such topics are often not the stuff of laughter, the book provides ample opportunities to elicit both laughter and reflection.

The book groups had lively discussions on topics including humor and oppression, the role of stereotypes, notions of political correctness, and generally speaking, “What is funny?” Although addressing such topics can be a source of trepidation, the group was engaged and readily shared their thoughts on these subjects, even when they differed from prevailing notions.

Taylor will be a featured presenter at the NPAC Nov. 12. His talk, “Native Humor and the Changing Face of Contemporary Storytelling,” will be at 2:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Union ballroom. All students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend this and other sessions of the colloquium, which has the theme “Indigenous Humor.” Some sessions require advance registration or are PATH-eligible. For information, see the NPAC website.

Registration also is open for the Let’s Talk: Serious Comedy event, which will bring a multicultural collection of comedians to campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10.

If you’d like a copy of Me Funny, I have a few extra; contact me at dluftig1@udayton.edu.

— David Luftig, research services librarian

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