Other Than That, Mrs. Lincoln, How Did You Enjoy the Show?

Hurricane Sandy, the Challenger explosion, 9/11, Tiger Woods' infidelity...Why is it in the aftermath of a tragic event or a public figure's (particularly a celebrity's) misfortune we make jokes?  Trevor J. Blank tries to explain.

The Last Laugh: folk humor, celebrity culture, and mass-mediated disasters in the digital age by Trevor J. Blank (University of Wisconsin Press, 2013)

We all know the punchlines - the pressed red button, the imbedded golf club, the rumored pedophilia.  They're tasteless, inappropriate, and cringe-inducing, but we laugh anyway.  Trevor J. Blank, an assistant professor of communications at SUNY/Potsdam, explains that it's all a part of being human, of creating a form of folklore.  These awful jokes seep into our collective consciousness, allowing us to cope with horrific events, show our anger, and express schadenfreude while modulating our fear, disappointment, hostility, and disgust.

Although peppered with many examples of these jokes, this very academic book is recommended only for those who are interested in cultural anthropology, psychology, or human communication.