Humor and Migrant Stories from Around the World

Videos

Tama’s Tales: Making fun of migration stereotypes (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

https://play.swissinfo.ch/play/tv/society/video/ma…

SOUTH AFRICA

Trevor Noah, Excerpt from Live at the Apollo (2013) [8 min 4 secs]

ASSIGNED READING

Trevor Noah, Born a Crime(Immorality Act – Ch 3)

Humor and Migrant Stories from Around the World Questions:

1a. Tama’s Tales vlogs “Making Fun of Migration Stereotypes,” (5 pts)

Both of the assigned Tama’s vlogs feature Tama, who was born in Switzerland but says other Swiss people will never really accept her as Swiss, interviewing other immigrants.

In the first instance, “Making Fun of Migration Stereotypes,” she interviews immigrants from Eastern Europe who made a movie making fun at how assimilated immigrants would exaggerate their hardships hoping to profit from some TV exposure in the comic film Die Migrantien.

Find a clip from the film featured in the video which satirizes or makes fun of stereotypes even immigrants themselves have about other immigrants and their lives. Give the time stamp and describe what is going on in the clip you chose.

1b. Tama’s Tales vlogs “Making Fun of Migration Stereotypes,” (5 pts)

Explain whether or not you found the scene you discussed above funny and why that was the case.

2a. Tama’s Tales vlogs “What Does it Take to Feel Swiss in Switzerland” (5 pts)

Both of the assigned Tama’s vlogs feature Tama, who was born in Switzerland but says other Swiss people will never really accept her as Swiss, interviewing other immigrants.

In the episode, “What Does it Take to Feel Swiss in Switzerland,” Tama explains that her compatriots always see her as an outsider despite the fact that she was born inLangenthalLinks to an external site. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., Switzerland. People always want to know where she’s really from. She contrasts that with Emily’s comfort in claiming she’s Canadian, even though both of her parents were immigrants to that country.

Explain what the “featured food” both women prepare during the course of the vlog is and why it was chosen to represent Canadian culture. Give time-stamps that show what part of the video you’re getting the information from.

2b. Tama’s Tales vlogs “What Does it Take to Feel Swiss in Switzerland” (5 pts)

Explain how Tama, not Emily, feels about Canada and what basis she has for the opinions she holds about that country. Give time-stamps that show what part of the video you’re getting the information from.

3a. Husband, Andrew. “Romesh Ranganathan is More than ‘Just Another Immigrant.'” (5 points)

Cut and paste a quote from this article that illustrates the differences between 2 places—either comedy in the US vs. comedy in Britain, or else Ranganathan’s earlier reality show where he went to Sri Lanka and the show where he brought his family to the US.

3b. Husband, Andrew. “Romesh Ranganathan is More than ‘Just Another Immigrant.'” (5 points)

Explain whether or not you agree with the quote you pasted for the question above and WHY. Give at least one reason and explain how it relates to the featured quote.

Clip: Just Another Immigrant (5 pts)

Identify one of the featured topics of conversation from the clip you found to be either funny or not funny and explain why you had the reaction you did. Give time-stamp.

5 a. Johri, Vikram. “Coming to America: Comedian Hasan Minhaj’s Hilarious Take on his Indian Parents and Dating” OR James Griffiths and Euan McKirdy, “Netflix pulls ‘Patriot Act’ episode in Saudi Arabia after it criticized official account of Khashoggi killing.” (5 pts)

Cut and paste one sentence from either article discussing the comic’s politics rather than his humor. Please identify which article your quote comes from.

5 b. Johri, Vikram. “Coming to America: Comedian Hasan Minhaj’s Hilarious Take on his Indian Parents and Dating” OR James Griffiths and Euan McKirdy, “Netflix pulls ‘Patriot Act’ episode in Saudi Arabia after it criticized official account of Khashoggi killing.” (5 pts)

Explain whether you think the quote you pasted above, was fair or relevant for readers who want to understand Minhaj’s brand of humor.

If so, give an example (direct quote or paraphrase) from the same article that explains why politics matter in this context.
If not, give an example (direct quote or paraphrase) from the same article that was more helpful in giving you a sense for Minhaj’s humor.

Trevor Noah, Excerpt from Live at the Apollo (5 points) and Born a Crime (through Ch 3)

Identify an excerpt from Noah’s stand-up that corresponds to something you read from the assigned reading. Give time stamp and page # / location # / or time-stamp from audiobook. Compare how the same information performed on stage has the same or a different tone to when read on the page (or listened to on the audio book).

Last Updated on March 24, 2019