{"product_id":"comedian-as-confidence-man-will-kaufman-9780814346792","title":"The Comedian as Confidence Man: Studies in Irony Fatigue","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eIn this lively and fascinating analysis of humorists and their work, Will Kaufman breaks new ground with his irony fatigue theory.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this lively and fascinating analysis of humorists and their work, Will Kaufman breaks new ground with his irony fatigue theory. \u003ci\u003eThe Comedian as Confidence Man\u003c\/i\u003e examines the humorist's internal conflict between the social critic who demands to be taken seriously and the comedian who never can be: the irony fatigue condition. Concentrating on eight American literary and performing comedians from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, this study explores the irony fatigue affect that seems to pervade the work of comedians--those particular social observers who are obliged to promise, \"Only kidding, folks,\" even when they may not be; in G. B. Shaw's words, they must \"put things in such a way as to make people who would otherwise hang them believe they are joking.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e If these social observers are obliged to become, in effect, confidence men, with irony as the satiric weapon that both attacks and diverts, then the implications are great for those social critics who above all wish to be heeded.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Will Kaufman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0814346790\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780814346792\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Wayne State University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/09\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 272\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.81lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.57d","brand":"Will Kaufman","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43926429827327,"sku":"9780814346792","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/products\/img_06022aee-7ce5-444e-b4a8-304cdc33202e.jpg?v=1681083045","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/comedian-as-confidence-man-will-kaufman-9780814346792","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}