The 1982 film “Tootsie” directed by Sydney Pollack, starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, is a comedy that touches on many different societal issues such as gender roles and stereotypes, workplace harassment, empathy and compassion, and the pursuit of fame and success. The movie follows a struggling actor named Michael Dorsey, who disguises himself as a woman named Dorothy Michaels to get a job on a soap opera. During this excursion, Michael is faced with the sad reality of how women are treated in American society, but more specifically the entertainment industry.

First off, “Tootsie” challenges traditional gender roles and stereotypes. Michael’s experience as a woman exposes him to the discrimination and sexism that women face in society, including being judged by their appearance and not their talents. The film also demonstrates how gender roles are enforced and how they limit individuals’ opportunities and potential. Another societal issue addressed in this film is workplace harassment. The prevalence of sexual harassment and how it is often dismissed or ignored is portrayed many times throughout the film. The character of Julie, played by Teri Garr, faces harassment from her boss and the issue is only resolved when Michael/Dorothy speaks up. 

“Tootsie” also highlights the importance of empathy and compassion. Through Michael’s experience as Dorothy, he learns to understand the struggles and challenges that women face in society. This helps him become a better person and gain a better understanding of how privileged he is as a white man. He uses the soap opera as a way to make statements regarding the issues previously mentioned and ends up becoming a major influence as Dorothy. He uses his power to make the world a better place, although people are not exactly happy when they discover that he is actually a man. The film also critiques the entertainment industry and the pursuit of fame and success. Michael’s desperation to land a job drives him to deceive others and himself, leading to complications and consequences that could have been avoided if the industry was a little more forgiving and considerate. 

Overall, “Tootsie” offers a humorous and thought-provoking commentary on various societal issues, encouraging the audience to reflect on their values and beliefs. 

In the funny fake commercial called “Entitled White Women’s tears”, viewers see the harsh reality of how some white women take no ownership over their actions. The phrase, “white women tears” is essentially how white women can’t own up to their privilege of being white, as they are part of an oppressed group, being women. There’s also a stereotype that white women’s tears will get them out of any situation. If they are confronted with any unethical acts that they got away with because of their privilege, they can simply cry and now society must feel bad for them, excusing them from their actions. In our society, people of color, especially women, face immense challenges in their day to day. When white women are confronted with this uncomfortable environment that they often create, they feel attacked, and the “white women tears” come out. This leads to them taking no accountability for the actions they make. This commercial is a satirical play on this and while it’s hilarious, it brings attention to this issue. 

At the beginning of the commercial, the narrator introduces the audience (white women) to a solution to always being the victim in every situation. That solution is a bottle of Entitled White Women’s Tears. After introducing the product, the camera pans to a “real life customer “, Cindy (an absolute Becky) who talks about how before Entitled White Women’s Tears, she had to actually listen to women of color when they spoke about real issues and even had to change her racist behavior when asked. But now, with Entitled White Women’s Tears, she can tell women of color how they should be “approaching their own activism” and take their concerns as a personal attack when she’s getting called out for her behavior. The commercial shows a woman of color explaining her concerns with Cindy’s behavior and instead of addressing the issue, Cindy cries and calls the woman of color “mean” as well as showing the men who overhear the conversation asking the woman of color to leave the room for making Cindy cry. Unfortunately, this is very accurate, as women of color talking about their experiences are always looked down on and viewed as overly emotional. Oftentimes, Black women can be painted as “angry Black women” when they talk about their frustrations with oppression or show any emotion at all, yet white women can hear the horrors women of color face and make it about themselves. The next “real-life customer” we see is Amy (a total Karen) who talks about how she used to exhibit “socially acceptable behavior” but thanks to Entitled White Women’s Tears, she realized her time is more valuable than everyone else’s. She’s now able to abuse service staff and is seen calling the police even when she’s the one at fault. We see too many examples in real life of white women calling the police specifically on young Black men because they “looked suspicious” doing simple acts such as walking in their own neighborhood. Later, the commercial offers an in-depth explanation of what Entitled White Women’s Tears offers to customers, including Most Advanced Privilege Properties and Princess Syndrome, so white women can “weaponize crying whenever and wherever”. And a special mention is that Entitled White Women’s Tears is bottled in the “fear of a power dynamic that has rendered white women prone to legitimate criticism”. Many white women cannot admit that they systematically hold more privilege and power than women of color. So, when being criticized for participating in oppressive acts, they deny it because they don’t want to believe that they are a part of this power dynamic. This mindset is extremely dangerous. The commercial ends with telling white women to buy the product and never let someone hold them accountable for bad behavior again. The way the commercial was made is a way to show white women how ridiculous they sound when they act as the white women in the commercials do. This may just be good acting, but these things do happen. I think with a commercial like this, when the target audience is reached, it is hoped that they can reflect on how silly the women in the commercial look to ensure that they don’t act like this themselves.

On a normal given day and I am looking for something to watch, usually my first thought goes to comedy. A romantic comedy because it is a feel good movie that doesn’t require me to think very much which for a lot of people is okay. Comedy keeps people stranger to the realities of the real world. Comedy teaches nothing but those who watch it stay happy and their mind is not taught to think any differently.

 I do understand, it is fun to stay in your own little bubble staying completely oblivious to anything else. There are many who believe that this is perfectly normal and fine. However, after believing this for so long I now beg to differ. 

Comedy doesn’t challenge the mind and therefore we never grow. With a tragedy we are forced to think about our lives and they force us to dig deeper than any comedy ever could. There is so much more depth and more layers compared to comedy which is very one dimensional. Comedy drags down the impact of the story. According to Aristotle he explains that, tragedy handles topics that are serious and important where comedy focuses mainly on human “weaknesses and foibles.”

Tragedy displays a complex understanding and introduces moral error through to transformation in a way that comedy cannot achieve and will not even attempt to.

Dramatic comedy has evolved over the years to adjust to society’s type of humor. What we refer to as comedy today has a lot to do with how characters in film or tv combine elements of drama and comedy and it usually depicts incidents in which a character ultimately triumphs over adversity. This clip from the silent film, “The Lions Cage” shows english comic actor, Charlie Chaplin in a circus. Although the film is silent the feelings of the characters are conveyed through different aspects such as hand gestures, facial expressions, musical effects and subtitles. I can tell by watching this clip that the purpose is to amuse those watching by putting a character in a difficult situation and observing his actions as he tries to get out of the situation. To me the facial expressions and body language of Chaplin is what really bring out the comedic aspect to the situation. Not only can people find humor in the setting of the movie but also in how the character moves around and acts within the setting. I can also infer that people find humor in the suffering of others. Not in an evil kind of way but in joking manner where the character is obviously acting out the “normal”.

Although this movie was made for audiences in the 1920’s this kind of humor continues to entertain people in the present day. This is because it is human nature to find humor in such situations where another person overcomes a challenge. Although comedy is a lot about making people laugh, it is also about telling a story using different aspects and factors for entertainment. I believe comedy is a meaningful form of art because is inclusive. I think it would be wrong to see comedy as not meaningful or standardized because it incorporates many different forms of expression and it varies throughout time and culture to reflect the feelings and humor of many audiences.

The classic 1993 comedy starring Robin Williams is the epitome of Aristotle’s definition of comedy. Robin Wiliams’s character, Daniel, is the protagonist and devises an elaborate plan with his brother to be able to see his children with whom he has little access to. He dresses as an older lady, complete with prosthetics and dentures and convinces his ex-wife to hire him as a nanny. His nanny persona is accompanied by the name “Mrs. Doubtfire,” and with the help of his experiences as “Mrs. Doubtfire” he becomes a better man and parent. His plan goes up in flames when both “Mrs. Doubtfire” and his true self have to be in the same place at the same time. 

Aside from ridiculous moments and offbeat scenes, the plot follows Aristotle’s definition of comedy through the fall and rise of the protagonist. Daniel’s unfortunate circumstances allow the audience to garner sympathy for his situation. It is clear Daniel is going through a rough patch, and with the help of his brother his fortune appears to look up as he is able to deceive his ex-wife and spend time with his children. However this is unsustainable, and his true identity is revealed which leads to the fall of Daniel once again. The movie concludes with Daniel regaining his fortune and making amends with his family. Mrs. Doubtfire reveals the pain of divorce and the differing gender roles of families. 

Comedy is important as an art form because it serves to counter tragedy by showing the rise of a normal person, even if their new position doesn’t seem better at first glance. One work that embodies this idea is Raise the Red Lantern. In the movie Raise the Red Lantern, the viewer follows Songlian as she marries into a wealthy family, and eventually falls out of favor. As the story progresses, Songlian begins to exercise more agency, culminating in her being labeled as “mad” before being made into a servant.

In reality, Songlian’s downfall is actually her triumph, as being made into a servant actually gave her more agency than she had as the Fourth Mistress. This was previously seen in the story with Songlian’s servant, Yan’er, who exercised agency by violating traditions at will. The way that she rises above her previous position is by rejecting the power structures she was trapped in by exercising agency.

Raise the Red Lantern is not a comedy because it is about a person being more fulfilled in a materialistic sense, it is a comedy because it is about a person breaking free from the systems of power that they are trapped in through their own actions.

M3GAN is the surprising 2022 horror hit about the creation of an extremely lifelike artificial intelligence doll as a children’s toy but quickly turns bloody when M3GAN proves too intelligent, even for her creators.

When M3GAN is created by inventor, Gemma, she’s meant to be a children’s toy but the effects that attachment to a robot instead of a human caregiver have on a child’s brain quickly becomes clear when Katie, Gemma’s recently orphaned niece, becomes dangerously attached to M3GAN. She grows increasingly stubborn and attached, eventually refusing to do anything if M3GAN isn’t with her. Though, not only is the level of attachment dangerous but the actual technology itself. To make a long story short, M3GAN becomes a homicidal maniac with industrial strength and must be torn apart piece by piece in the end.

So what’s the reality of M3GAN and does it actually mean anything? Short answer: yes.

While the movie does have its fair share of cheap jumpscares and lines clearly delivered as fan service, the witty comedy actually serves a great point about our usage of technology, as do other similar sci-fi comedies. M3GAN is all good fun when she starts backflipping and dancing before committing a heinous murder (seriously though, I screamed out loud in the theater) but she’s a great critique about how we rely so heavily on technology and give it to children while we don’t even fully understand it or its effects. Technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in our everyday lives and the effects that it has on an underdeveloped are still being discovered. But we know this much: it’s not good.

So what does this say about comedy as a whole? M3GAN falls in line with many other comedy movies; it’s stupid and humorous on the surface but when you actually tap into it’s subtext, it’s quite meaningful and sometimes more than tragedy, for example. I think the ability to entertain an audience with a creepy little girl robot while also conveying a message about our societal culture surrounding technology and parenthood is quite admirable.

But back to the main question: is comedy meaningful? Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?

The movie Forrest Gump is a light-hearted comedy that many people are familiar with. What many people don’t see is how the comedy in the movie is used to enhance our understanding of the world.

Aristotle defines a good comedy as “a story of the rise in fortune of a sympathetic central character.” This movie definitely fits this definition as the main character, Forrest Gump, goes through a very unexpected yet remarkable life journey. Even though it is a comedy, there are various life lessons within the movie that show the importance of comedy when discovering larger meanings in life.

One commonly known part of the movie is Forrest Gump running. When I first watched it, I definitely found it comedic to see him start sprinting after he gets his heart broken. He continues to run for an extremely long period of time but within his journey, he explores the world, learns about himself, and grows as the main character in the film.

The unrealistic parts of the movie are what make it truly a good comedy, while it still comes across as a meaningful piece of film. Through comedy, many other larger themes are explored in Forrest Gump such as love, family, optimism, and being appreciative of life.

Aristotle believes that in order for a comedic work to have meaning, the protagonist should have a rise in fortune, while a tragedy should do the opposite. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fits both of these criteria perfectly. In 1958, Miriam “Midge” Maisel had the perfect life. She had a great husband, two beautiful kids, a spacious apartment in New York, and a high social status. However, after finding out her husband is cheating on her with his secretary, she gets extremely intoxicated and ends up finding a hidden talent for stand-up comedy. After getting discovered and working hard to hone her act, she ends up getting discovered and becomes the opening act for a famous singer. 

While this show is meaningful because it meets the terms that Arstole has set up, I believe it is special for a whole different reason. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel teaches women that there is meaning in life besides men and they can be successful without them. After telling her parents what happened, Midge is blamed for her husband’s actions and is told to go win him back because she will be nothing without him. They tell her to put on a sexy dress and makeup so she can win him back. While she was scared about her husband leaving and what everyone around her was telling her, she did not go back. Even when her husband came back to apologize to her, she did not accept it. She had faith in herself and used it to fuel her comedy.

In today’s society, there is more of a push for women to be independent. There is still some pushback from men saying that women will be nothing without them. However, we are seeing the opposite. More and more women are becoming successful without men backing them up or supporting them. Midge seemingly lost everything that was important to her. However, she got something better out of it. She gained faith in herself and the ability to be her own person, not a wife or a mother. 

10 Things I Hate About You is a classic romantic comedy set in Tacoma, Washington. The film stars Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford and Heath Ledger who plays Patrick Verona. Kat is adverse to mostly anyone and anything, including her sister, Bianca Stratford, who is the complete opposite of her. A new student, Cameron, is enamored with Bianca, however, her father has a strict rule on dating (unless Kat has a boyfriend she is not allowed to date), which is where Patrick comes into play. Patrick has girls falling at his feet with his bad-boy air and Australian accent, but these (of course) do not appeal to Kat. The movie is centered around a plan Cameron has, where he would pay Patrick to date Kat, to ultimately date Bianca.

According to Aristotle, “A comedy is a story of the rise in fortune of a sympathetic central character.” In this movie, that character would be Kat, her mother is no longer in the picture and she’s struggling to find her identity, not to mention the overwhelming decision about where she’s attending college in the fall, which her father is of no help. If that’s not enough, Joey, a boy from Kat’s past is trying to get with Bianca, which leads to the central conflict in the story. At the prom, Kat learns that Patrick was paid to date her, resulting in their “break up.” The movie title is from the title of the poem that Kat writes for her English class about Patrick, who is also a student in the class; the scene ends with her in tears and rushing out of the classroom. In the final scene, Patrick gifts Kat her dream guitar and confesses he’s fallen in love with her. This ending is representative of a romantic comedy as, “The… two sympathetic and well-matched lovers are united or reconciled.”

Kat and Patrick coming back together at the end represent the power of vulnerability, the acceptance of differences and a valuable character strength: forgiveness. Stiles plays a strong female lead, who acts according to how she wishes and does not back down to other males in the movie, although viewers learn that she was once heavily influenced by her peers and society’s expectations. Now, Kat has broken out of that shell and despite Patrick only being interested in her for the money at the beginning, he never criticized or judged her character or interests, unlike others in the film. Many people can relate to the ups and downs that Kat and Patrick face in the film, whether it be their relationship or the personal discoveries and challenges they experience.

While this film is not necessarily realistic, a romantic comedy is not meant to be. The ending is always supposed to be a happily ever after, which this one definitely is. When people choose to watch this genre, they are not looking for a tragedy or mirror of real life, but rather a feel-good ending.

Aggretsuko is a Japanese animated comedy (available on Netflix) centered around a 25 year old girl named Retsuko (the “Comic Hero”), who grows tired of her boring office job and hostile boss as she struggles to balance the responsibilities of adulthood. Throughout the 5 seasons of the show, there is a common theme centered on the idea and ugly truth about capitalism and how difficult it is to merely provide for even a simple lifestyle in today’s environment.

Retsuko is commonly getting into rough situations, such as needing to repay the debt for accidentally backing into someone’s car while parking, being overworked by her boss and given an excessive amount of paperwork to complete in little time, struggling to afford proper food due to her shortage of money after making too many online purchases, more. While these events are portrayed in a comedic light, the show does so in a way that doesn’t necessarily undermine or brush off these common struggles that many people today face, but it’s able to present it in a way that’s relatable and something that people can learn to laugh about instead of so much letting it ruin the joys we have in life. This can help the audience feel more seen and lifted up rather than succumbing to the harsh reality of how to sustain a decent lifestyle in today’s society, and through seeing the characters learn to manage and work through their struggles, they can learn to apply those skills to their own lives and well-being.

Since 1999, Seth McFarlane has led one of the most iconic cartoons in television history. Family Guy takes place in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island. The main cast includes a stereotypical American family with an idiotic dad, a rich high-pitched mom, a neglected daughter, a self-conscious son, and a talking baby and dog. From the outside, the show already seems to have a lot going on. Still, every episode feels original with different jokes and lessons, and while the show misses sometimes, it has a very strong legacy in the entertainment industry.

What makes Family Guy so special is the absurdity and randomness of its content. The show is known best for using cutaways that extend metaphors or jokes. The cutaways typically occur after one of the characters says, “This is just like/even worse/even better than that time..” A joke featuring a historical character/event, celebrity, or pop culture is shown on the screen. Family Guy’s cutaways are by far the most popular aspect of the show, with thousands of cutaway compilations all around the internet. The jokes can feel random to many, but the product of Family Guy has always attracted a specific audience.

Still, the jokes can be taken the wrong way at times. Family Guy has had a history of making racial, gender, sexual, and religious jokes, and the results have not always been the prettiest. As society continues to get softer, Family Guy is canceled much more often. Sometimes, people just find the jokes not funny, claiming they’re “cheap and low effort” and “appealing to 14-year-olds.” The jokes sometimes don’t age very well, and some question, “Is this even comedy, or is it just a slew of offensive marks?”

Despite all the negativity and controversy surrounding Family Guy’s products, the comedy has, in a way, saved the show. The rise of YouTube in the last 15 years and TikTok in the last 5 years has shone a light on Family Guy. Family Guy has reached quite literally every corner of the internet. “Family Guy Racist Moments”, “Family Guy Offensive Moments”, and “Family Guy Funny Asian Jokes.” The internet has feasted on every second of Family Guy’s content, and the show’s popularity has risen to levels it previously had never been at.

Overall, Family Guy has remained one of the most popular shows in entertainment, and whatever jokes they end up making will reach a certain audience. From Donald Trump’s animated baby hands to Tiny Tom Cruise, the use of satire and offense has brought Family Guy to a genre of its own.