Laughing When You Want to Cry: Comedy for Class Struggle

This season focuses on what’s capturing and dividing the working class. But if we’re interested in more unity, what’s a good way to bring everyone together? How about a joke?

Rachel invited Gavin Matts onto this episode after seeing his standup set where he joked about debt, unemployment, and other class issues from a real-world perspective that are rarely seen on stage. She also speaks with Kenice Mobley, another NYC-based stand up, who talks about the realities of having a career in comedy without the financial or personal connections that are often needed to get ahead.

And Caty Borum, the executive director of the Center for Media and Social Impact and co-founder of the Yes And Laughter Lab, offers a big-picture view of the class contours of comedy - both for comics and the industry. She explains how comedy effectively meets universal human needs, and how class could be the next big topic in the entertainment industry.

Kenice Mobley: Instagram 

Caty Borum: Yes And Laughter Lab (Y’ALL) Center for Media and Social Impact

Gavin Matts: Instagram

Shifting Terrain: Instagram

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