Nazario 1

Jorge Nazario
Dr. McLaughlin
Multimedia Writing & Rhetoric
28 October, 2015

Sedariss Approach to Humor

In the light of the definitions weve been drawing from this semester, I consider that
Sedaris humor is not precisely rhetorical. It is rhetorical in the sense that it uses rhetorical
devices to create funny moments and that there is skill in the effective use of speech. And yes, it
is also rhetorical in the sense that it is planned, adapted to an audience, and in many cases
responsive to a situation. However, in the light of Herricks work and what we have discussed in
class, the most important aspect about a rhetorical discourse is to inspire, persuade, or influence
the audience in some way (Herrick 7). After watching the show, I cannot say that I have been
influenced in any way at all; rather I was merely entertained and incited to laugh.
Even though his main focus was not to influence or bring about change in the audience,
he did use satire at one or two moments rhetorically to critique society. In one of the shorter
stories, he satirizes how it was okay to have sex with animals before the government passed a
law that banned the practice. He asks in a very surprised and funny tone, So it was okay to have
sex with animals before the law was passed? and his mother replies, Well, one would at least
be frowned upon for doing so. It is funny and alerting at the same time because of the indecency
of the comment and the unexpected reply of his mother. Sedaris with this humor does critique the

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fact that sometimes we do wrong and bad things just because there isnt a law that prohibits us
from doing them.
I have already admitted that there is some rhetoric to Sedaris humor. However, I would
have to say that more than ninety percent of the humor in the show was not rhetorical in the
sense we have learned in class. Because of this I stand by my statement that Sedaris humor is
rhetorical in the sense that it is devised effectively to make the audience laugh, but is not
precisely rhetorical compared to how we have learned it in class.
In the light of the sources weve read this term, Sedaris does not have only one approach
to humor. He incorporates various approaches in his stories and basically attacks humor from
different angles. From what we read in the Types of Humor from Monro, I saw that Sedaris
humor incorporated acts of indecency, small misfortunes, veiled insults, events breached by the
usual order, situations that belonged to another, and events where people lacked knowledge and
skill. For example, there was one part at the relative beginning where he commented on how a
person had triangular pieces of plywood, and thought it to be a drawing of a snowman talking to
an owl. This event is funny by itself for the absurdity of the idea, but Sedaris takes advantage of
the technique by using that situation to incorporate it later on in another joke. About 15 minutes
go by without mentioning anything about the plywood, and then when his father gets back home
one day he asks why triangular pieces of plywood are hanging from the walls. Immediately
Sedaris replies that his sister had put them up because they were pieces of art, more specifically,
a raccoon looking at a mirror. The father, in disbelief and denial replies: Like heeeell it is! In
my opinion this was one of the funniest parts for me because when I realized he had used an old
joke of another situation to present this new joke I was impressed on how brilliant and absurd the
joke had been. Here Sedaris incorporated two or three of the types of humor Monro mentions.

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A particular moment of the show that seemed to garner a big reaction from the audience
was a joke integrated in the gay marriage themed story, one of the first stories Sedaris had
presented that night. The story was long and was filled with many jokes; he was joking about
how he was gay himself, and how he wanted to marry someone just to be a widower. In addition,
he remarks how at least gay marriages dont make people sit through their weddings. That was
yet another funny moment that helped build up to the last and funniest joke. He remarks that
while he was reading the New Yorker one day, he read that gay marriages would now be legal in
the United States, and after he read this, he paused and said to all the haters that didnt support
gay marriages, Take that you assholes. I noticed that many people laughed at this joke in
particular. In light of Monros Types of Humor I can identify that the joke was particularly funny
because it was not only a breach of the usual order of events, but it was a veiled insult and a
moment of indecency. Sedaris incorporated three different types of humor in one joke alone, and
in addition built up to it by presenting other jokes in the way and by pausing right before
transmitting the joke. This joke is described my Monro as a mental rebellion which gives rein
to a side of our nature that normally feels repressed. (Monro 41) The rhetorical situation was
another aspect of the joke that made it funny. When I look back at the joke I notice how he being
in a bench by a street, reading the newspaper by himself adds to the humor when he says to
himself Take that you assholes. Yet, one of the biggest factors that helps the remark be
humorous is the way he delivers the content: he pauses and changes his tone of voice to a very
acute tone.
In general, I have to say that I liked the show a lot. It was my first time in a comedy
show, so not only was the show a new life experience, but I had a great time laughing at some of
his weird and unexpected jokes. Sedaris employs the art of rhetoric, to skillfully and effectively

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communicate jokes, but not to influence the audience with the exception of one or two times. He
has been doing humorous stories for years; he has gotten to a point he dominates the types of
humor and knows how to make the audience laugh as much as possible. I only hope that in the
future I can have the opportunity to see another of his shows, maybe in a more populated city, to
get to see his good, polished jokes.

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References:
Monro, D. H. "Types of Humour." Argument of Laughter. 1st ed. U of Notre Dame, 1963. 40-52.
Print.
Herrick, James A. "An Overview of Rhetoric." The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An
Introduction. Boston: Allyn and Beacon, 2005. 1-25. Print.