Lesson plan
Documentary comedy
Documentary comedy is a form of comedy. The comic material used is presented in documentary style—usually, a report on a particular theme or issue—and with the same investigation and reporting methods used to gather the material. Well-known documentary comics include Dave Gorman, Danny Wallace, Tony Hawks, John Clarke and Bryan Dawe, Alex Horne, and Mark Steel. Often they are also done in a Gonzo journalism style, incorporating the documentarian as a comedic element or foil. All Gas No Brakes, Louis Theroux, Nathan Fielder, and John Wilson are prominent figures in this sub-genre. Docucomedy specials are also a common example of documentary comedy, interspersing traditional comedy with personal moments. However with the advent of social media comedy, the lines between traditional comedy and the presentation of authentic personal lives has been blurred It is not to be confused with mockumentary, a form of spoof in which a documentary is played "straight" but based on fictitious material.
Article summary
Documentary comedy is a form of comedy. The comic material used is presented in documentary style—usually, a report on a particular theme or issue—and with the same investigation and reporting methods used to gather the material. Well-known documentary comics include Dave Gorman, Danny Wallace, Tony Hawks, John Clarke and Bryan Dawe, Alex Horne, and Mark Steel. Often they are also done in a Gonzo journalism style, incorporating the documentarian as a comedic element or foil. All Gas No Brakes, Louis Theroux, Nathan Fielder, and John Wilson are prominent figures in this sub-genre. Docucomedy specials are also a common example of documentary comedy, interspersing traditional comedy with personal moments. However with the advent of social media comedy, the lines between traditional comedy and the presentation of authentic personal lives has been blurred It is not to be confused with mockumentary, a form of spoof in which a documentary is played "straight" but based on fictitious material.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.