Why Stand-up Matters: How Comedians Manipulate and Influence

Funny, lively and unpredictable, stand-up comedy is above all a medium to be enjoyed. Popular as a good night out and packing the TV schedules, stand-up permeates British society and culture.

But ubiquitous though it is, we are generally reluctant to consider stand-up's social consequences. When comedians offend we seem ready to consider the potential for stand-up to do some wider harm, yet we rarely consider the good that stand-up might do.

This book looks at the social and political impact of stand-up comedy in both its positive and negative forms. It demonstrates how comedy audiences allow themselves to be manipulated, and the potential harm - and material benefits - that may arise from 'just' being funny.