Dissecting Chris Giacobbe's Comedy in SUCI X: A Humor Study

Abstract

This study analyzes the linguistic strategies employed by Chris Giacobbe, an Italian diaspora comedian, during his performance in the Stand Up Comedy Indonesia (SUCI) X competition. Performing in a second language in front of a culturally diverse audience posed a challenge for Chris in delivering his material. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the humor devices, contextual background, and humor style used by Chris to build rapport with the local audience. Using a qualitative descriptive method, data were collected from verbal utterances and physical gestures in material discussing Italy. The findings indicate that ludicrous humor is frequently used because it is highly versatile without relying on linguistic complexity. Meanwhile, in terms of context, cultural knowledge is frequently employed as it serves as a bridge to foster shared understanding with the audience. Furthermore, an analysis of humor styles reveals that affiliative humor is widely used because it can be employed to dismantle hegemonic European stereotypes and serve as a bridge between different cultures without belittling either one. Ultimately, this study concludes that Chris’s linguistic choices represent a systematic, low-risk pragmatic strategy designed to break down cultural barriers and gain acceptance from local audiences.