Stand-up Comedy in Theory, or, Abjection in America

“In Stand-Up Comedy, scholars finally have a book-length work that approaches what Clifford Geertz might call the ‘deep play’ of stand-up comedy . . . . [T]he wide-ranging scope of texts that Limon brings to bear on stand-up comedy is both impressive and useful . . . .” - Richard W. Mitchell , TDR: The Drama Review

“In its rigorous, often brilliant theorizing of a popular cultural phenomenon, the book makes an important contribution to humor studies and to American studies as well.” - Jonna Mackin , Symploke

“Limon analyzes in depth comedians’ identification with and separation from the audience. . . . [T]hese insightful essays will interest students and scholars of comic theory. . . .” - D. Murdoch , Choice

“This book is a brilliant application of Julia Kristeva’s ‘Abjection Theory’ to the genre of Stand-Up Comedy . . . .[A] very impressive book.” - Don L. F. Nilsen , Humor

“John Limon’s book opens up exciting new possibilities in cultural studies. Stand-up comedy—manic, smutty, abusive, improvisatory—has up to now evaded academic critics, as if its pleasures were too volatile for examination. Limon carries off the feat—rarely achieved by analysts of humour—of taking comedy seriously without spoiling the jokes.” - Maud Ellmann, University of Cambridge

“Limon’s close readings of specific comic performances are masterful, making vivid and compelling his larger and more abstract arguments about the ways that comedy allows us to deal with the process of cultural abjection. Speaking as someone who has taught and written about the American comic tradition for more than a decade, I can honestly say I learned something significant about each of the performers he examines.” - Henry Jenkins, author of Classical Hollywood Comedy