The Millennial Generation

The analysis you gave this show was fantastic! I found it really interesting how the structure of this show utilizes the superiority theory to its advantage. The show host, Eric Andre, interviews audience members and asks them absurdly uncomfortable questions, so we, the audience, can get a laugh when feeling superior. By knowing what is happening while the audience doesn't and watching their discomfort and reactions to what’s happening, a feeling of superiority from the unaffected audience (the audience watching the show on TV) is possible. The show also involves very incongruous humor because truly no one would really expect any TV show host to ask audience members the questions Eric Andre asks them.

What I also found very interesting was how this particular TV show closely relates to what we've been talking about recently, the absurdist humor style of the millennial generation. Considering the Eric Andre show aired in 2012 and the millennial generation starts in 1981 and ends in 1996 making them 16-31 when the show aired, the show was aiming to appeal mostly to the millennial generation. Thus, this may be a significant reason the show employed an absurdist humor style. Millennials, due to what conditions they grew up in, economic insecurity and family instability, tend to reject the traditional humor and indulge in a much different style from previous generations. Much like the Dadaist Art Movement during World War I, Millennials enjoy dark, absurd, and nihilist humor as opposed to more innocent forms of incongruity humors. Furthermore, Eric Andre was born in 1983 making him also a millennial. Since comedians tend to present jokes they find funny, this may be another significant reason why absurdist humor was used. 

Comments

  1. Caroline BassNovember 29, 2018 at 6:16 PM

    That's such a great connection to what we've been learning about in class! It's clear that many millennials would at least understand Andre's type of humor, even if they personally prefer another style. I think it would be interesting to have an older audience watch his show to gain a better understanding of differences in generational humor. I would predict they may react with confusion to his absurdist show simply because of the different economic, social, and political conditions in which they grew up.

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  2. Shane HerronNovember 30, 2018 at 12:22 PM

    I think my mom would definitely not get the show but I wonder if others would. I do think that he represents the height of dadaist humor for sure.

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  3. UnknownDecember 2, 2018 at 10:27 AM

    I love how you involved the subjects we've been discussing. This is definitely an example of absurdist humor, and it's great content for millennials and their dadaism-esc. senses of humor. So interesting that Andre himself is part of that generation... makes perfect sense!

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