XIDS 2002 • Comedy, Transgression, and Cosmopolitanism
Midterm Exam, Spring 2009
Answer the following questions about the YouTube clip you will be watching at the beginning
of this exam period. As you watch, answer the following questions—
make sure that you provide complete, thorough responses,
citing at least ONE critical source in each answer—
FOUR sources minimum for the entire test.
PART I: QUESTIONS 1-2—15 POINTS EACH
1. Cite two comic incongruities you see in this clip.
2. Cite two examples of the abject in this clip.
PART II: QUESTIONS 3-5—20 POINTS EACH
3. Cite two examples of humor as social/cultural critique, and briefly interpret what,
precisely, this humor criticizes or challenges.
4. Cite two examples of how this clip illustrates the coping function of humor (clarify:
with what problem is the humor coping, and how does it do so?).
5. Cite two examples of the superiority function of humor.
PART III: QUESTION 6—10 POINTS
6. How do you think this clip functions as an example of transgressive comedy that
initiates a cross-cultural conversation? As you answer this question, refer to specific
Appiah excerpts.