Stand-up Comedy and Trans Subjectivity: An Analysis of the Work of Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais

Abstract

In the context of growing trans visibility in the Anglo-American world, recent works of stand-up comedy have taken an interest in trans subjectivity. This article analyzes the discursive strategies used to discuss transgender subjectivity within the recent Netflix stand-up specials of two of the most famous stand-up performers on both sides of the Atlantic: The American comedian Dave Chappelle and the British comedian Ricky Gervais. The article observes that as opposed to older forms of comedy in which the comedic element about transness was created through the trope of deception, or the rowdy revelation about supposed bodily incongruity, the new stand-up comedy uses a more ‘refined’ approach in an era in which trans justice movement has become a legitimate part of the socio-political scene. I argue that contemporary trans subjectivity, as it is employed by these two comedians, is used to make social and political commentary about ‘the West,’ positioning transgender rights as the proof of declining Euro-American values such as freedom of speech, reason, and rationality. Although the article does not advocate for the de-platforming of anti-trans jokes, by examining the harmful rhetoric deployed within the recent stand-up comedy, I suggest that we need to approach more critically comedy’s legacy as a tool for social commentary and the comedian’s position as a public intellectual.