Abstract
Paré offers a critical look at the case of Canadian comedian Mike Ward v. The Quebec Human Rights Commission (CDPDJ), an independent body in Canada’s justice system dedicated to the defense of individuals who are facing discrimination. The comedian was fined $42,000 CAD for a stand-up performance that mocked a “sacred cow” (a young singer with Treacher Collins syndrome). Referring to different works on the aesthetics of humor, caricature, and dark humor, Paré suggests that Mike Ward’s jokes about Jérémy Gabriel were similar to popular caricatures of the young singer—caricatures that were not subject to censure by the Court. Given this, Paré contends the verdict was unfair and explores the negative outcomes the trial could have on the future of stand-up creativity in Quebec.
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Paré, C. (2020). Comedian Mike Ward v. The Quebec Human Rights Commission: The Moral Boundaries of Jokes About the Disabled. In: Oppliger, P.A., Shouse, E. (eds) The Dark Side of Stand-Up Comedy. Palgrave Studies in Comedy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37214-9_6
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