Comedy as Community: The unforseen impact of Venezuelan comedy in the early 2000s

Veronica Vila

Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation

College: College of Liberal Arts

Major: BA.ENGLISH

Faculty Research Mentor: Mia Zamora

Abstract:

This case study examines a phenomenon that occurred in Caracas, Venezuela, from 2007 to 2016 - a niche comedy scene that developed as a tool for community building, resilience, and resistance against the authoritative political regime of the country. This research aims to decipher the emergent ways this community was formed and its impact on national culture and politics by looking closely at the digital content the community produced. Could this case study serve as a model for other communities that suffer from state-sponsored suppression of freedom of speech? This project extends earlier research on the subject, adding new perspectives from the comedy community by applying a qualitative analysis of curated digital artifacts, sorted by theme. These artifacts were extracted from interviews published on the YouTube channel Chiste Interno (hosted by one of the key members of the community). Members consider humor as their only tool against repressive power, and are encouraged to “fake it till [they] make it” in a profession not considered viable either financially or socially. Despite being constantly marginalized and threatened by government officials, this comedy community offered Venezuelans tangible hope. This study investigates the reasons for an evident sense of belonging and resilience in the community.