“The Problem With Comedy”: Hannah Gadsby, Trans Humor, and the Reinvention of Stand-Up
Owen Bergstein
Senior Thesis | 2026
“TheProblemWithComedy”:
OwenBergstein
Dr.Martinez,Dr.TeslaCariani
BUAcademySeniorThesis
4March2026
Introduction:WhatisTransComedy?
Thepasttwodecadeshaveseenanenormousblossomofqueer stand-upcomedians,withlotsofattentiongiventoprominentgay comics.Atthesametime,lotsofstraight,cisgendermalecomedians havebeguntogivelotsofattentiontoqueerissues.Transnesshas becomeahot-buttontopicforedgycomedians,eagertoearnthepraiseof atransphobicaudienceandthedisregardofwhattheydeemtobewoke cancel-culture.Yetthroughthisperiod,therehasremainedaremarkably lowlevelofattentionandresearchgiventotransandgenderqueercomics themselves.Farmorescholarlyworkhasbeendevotedtocisgender comediansdiscussingtransissuesthantotranscomics.Thisthesis, whichisbynomeansanencyclopediaoftranscomedy,triestoaddress thatbyanalyzingkeythemesoftranscomedyandwhytranscomicsuse them.
Thisthesisidentifiesthreeparticularthemesascentralto“trans comedy”:self-deprecation,directdiscussionoftransissues,anda “trans-ing” essentially,intentionalsubversion ofcomedicnorms.1 By tracingatransgendercomedian’suseofthesethemes,onecanascertain thecomic’srelationshipwithtransness,theiraudience,andthemself. Thisthesiswillexplorehowthesethemes,andwhattheyrevealabouta comedian’saudience,areparticularlyvisibleintheworkofcomedian HannahGadsby.
Gadsby,anon-binaryAustraliancomedian,gottheirstartin comedytodealwithsignificanttrauma.Aftersurvivingsexualabuse, hatecrimes,carcrashes,homophobia,transphobia,anddysphoria,they beganperforminginfestivalsinAustraliatomoderatesuccess.However, despitetheirnichecelebrity,theystruggledfinancially.Afterperforming eightdifferentcomedyhours,theydevised,wrote,andtoured Nanette,a specialthatnotonlytalksabouttraumabutusescomedictechniquesto makeitsaudiencefeel“theshapeoftrauma.”2 Init,theyrepeatedly unpacktheirowntrauma,telltheiraudiencetheywanttoquitcomedy,
1Foramoredetailedandaccuratedescriptionoftrans-ing,seePartThree.
2HannahGadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation (BallantineBooks, 2022),22.
andexplaineverythingtheythinkiswrongwiththeconceptoffame, especiallyincomedy.Netflixpickeduptheaward-winning Nanette in 2018,launchingGadsbyintoovernightinternationalfame.Gadsby followeditupwiththeNetflixspecials Douglas (2020)and Something Special (2023),andthenwiththeNetflixvarietyshow Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda (2024),whichfeaturedperformancesfrom up-and-comingtransandgenderqueercomics In2022,theypublished thecompanionmemoirto Nanette,called Ten Steps to Nanette, outlining howtheirlifeandcomedycareerledthemtotheturningpointthatwas Nanette.Theirsheeramountofcomedicoutputpairedwiththe invaluableresourcethatistheirmemoirmakesGadsbyaparticularly easycomictoanalyze.Gadsbyhasbeenablethroughouttheircareerto overcomethedangerousallureofself-deprecatinghumorbytrans-ing comedicnorms.Theythreadthedelicateneedleofnotself-deprecating, butnotleaningsohardintodirectpoliticaldiscussionthattheirwork exitstherealmofcomedy.Therefore,theyareaperfectexampletotrace thethemesoftranscomedythisthesisidentifies.
Ingeneral,transgendercomediansuseself-deprecatinghumor, discussionoftranstopics,andthetrans-ingofcomedicnormstoconform tomainstreampressure,attractaparticularaudience,andcreatepro-trans spacesthatpushtheboundariesofwhatcomedycando,respectively. Thepressuresplacedontransstand-upsarerevealedbytheiruseofthese themes,andhowagivencomicusesordoesnotusethesethemesis indicativeofwhatkindofaudiencetheyaretryingtocurate.Gadsby exemplifiesthis:thoughforyearstheyusedself-deprecationtoattracta mainstreamaudience,theyeventuallylearneditwasdetrimentaltotheir mentalhealth.Theythenbegantrans-ingcomedicnormstobuildanew comedyspaceforthemselftothrivein,treadingthroughdirectpolitical discussiontocullanewaudience.Gadsbyrevealsthatgenderqueerand transcomedianswhowanttoavoidself-deprecatinghumorcanbuild theirownaudiencesinwaysotherthandirectlydiscussingtranstopics. Transcomedianscansubverttheexpectationsofthemainstreambyusing atrans-ingofcomedicnormsinordertofostertheirownnicheandtruly blossom.
PartOne:Self-DeprecatingHumorandMainstreamAppeal Self-deprecatinghumorisamajorelementofmoststand-up comedy.Comediansfromacrossmanyidentityspectrautilizejokesat theirownexpenseinordertocurryfavorwiththeiraudience.However, thepressuresofthemainstreamcomedyindustryencouragetrans comediansinparticulartoleanheavilyonself-deprecation.Whenatrans comediantriestohavebroad-based,mainstreamsuccess,theyoftenend upfallingintoself-deprecatingwork,whichcanattimesreinforce stereotypesandtrauma.Indeed,thefirstyearsofGadsby’scareerwere definedbytheirself-deprecatingstyle,andtheirrisetomainstream successwasbuiltupontheirself-mockery.
Inwritingherbook Stand-Up Comedy and Contemporary Feminisms, theoristEllieTomsettspentyearsshadowingcomicsonthe UnitedKingdomcomedycircuit,observinghowcomedians’interactions andperformancesintersectedwiththeirgenderidentities.Becauseshe hasbuiltrealrelationshipswiththecomediansshestudies,Tomsett’s workoffersauniquewindowintogenderinstand-up.Tomsettdescribes howself-deprecatinghumoris,bynature,a“complexfeatureofcomic workproducedbythoseconsideredtobeminoritygroups.”3 Though self-deprecatoryhumorisnotproblematicperse,comediansfrom minoritygroupsoftenuseself-deprecationinorderto“ingratiateoneself withthemajoritygroup”byreflectingthemajority’sproblematic opinionsoftheperformer.4 Allormostcomicsuseit,butitisalmost forceduponcomediansfromminoritygroups,andthosecomicsbearthe addedburdenofhavingtorepresenttheircommunity.Whenonetrans comicmocksthemselfonstagetheydonotonlyteasetheirown being toaclose-mindedaudience,theystandinforalltranspeople. Gadsbythemselfputitbestin Nanette:“Doyouunderstandwhat self-deprecatinghumormeansforsomeonewhoalreadyexistsinthe
3EllieTomsett, Stand-up Comedy and Contemporary Feminisms (Bloomsbury Academic,2023),137.
4Tomsett, Stand-up Comedy and Contemporary Feminisms,140.
margins?It’snothumility;it’shumiliation.”5 Whetherornotitis intentional,self-deprecationfromwomenandtranspeopleis“inherently linkedtowidergenderpolitics,contemporaryfeminismsandcultural bodynorms,”Tomsettargues.6 Assuch,self-deprecatinghumorfrom minoritiesissimultaneouslymoreencouragedandcanbemore reinforcingofproblematicnorms.
AlthoughTomsettisprimarilydiscussingwomen,herremarks aboutgenderdiversecomediansringtruefortranscomicstoo.Infact, transgendercomediansfaceaparticularchallengebecausetheirbodies areoftenseenastaboo.Tomsettdescribesthatfatfemalecomicsoften opentheirsetswithajokeattheexpenseoftheirbodyinordertoputthe roomateaseandrelievethetensioncausedbytheirbodyinspace.7 Bodiesthatsocietyviewsas“grotesque,”includingfat,disabled,female, andtransbodies,areinherentlytension-creating,Tomsettargues.Indeed, transcomicsoftenopenasetwithaself-deprecatingacknowledgement oftheirownbody.TranscomicRowanZeolidescribesinan Autostraddle articleapieceofadvicetheyoncegotwhenshestarted comedy:“Atthetopofyourset,pointouttheweirdthingintheroom. Thishelpstakeadistractingfeaturemostoftheaudienceprobably noticedwithcuriosityorconfusion,andturnitintothebuttofajoke It’s moredifficulttoachievewhenthestrange,distractingthingisn’tapiece ofartonthewall it’syou.”8 Thecomedyindustryhastheexpectation thatcomicswillcallouttheelephantintheroom;afterall,itisabitof tensionthat’seasytoreleaseforasolidopeninglaugh.Thisexpectation landsdifferentlyfortranscomics.Manyhaveexpressedexhaustionover thecultureofcallingoutandmockingtheirowntransidentity.For instance,ZeoliinterviewstranscomicMx.DahliaBelle.Belledescribes
5HannahGadsby, Nanette,June19,2018,Netflix,18:00, https://www.netflix.com/title/80233611.
6Tomsett, Stand-up Comedy and Contemporary Feminisms,145
7Tomsett, Stand-up Comedy and Contemporary Feminisms,144.
8RowanZeoli,“FourFemmesontheCelebrationsandExpectationsofBeinga TransWomaninComedy,” Autostraddle,March21,2023, www.autostraddle.com/femme-comedians-on-trans-expectation-in-comedy/.
thatsheoncetriedtodoasetinwhichshedidnotaddresshergenderand sexualityatall.Thoughitfeltfreeingforher,shewasdistractedbya coupleinthefrontrow,whoaudiblydiscussedhergenderpresentation, saying“but,ithadapurse,butithadabeardshadow,but….”9 Whenshe doesnotaddressherownexistence,herbodybecomesanobject,an elephantintheroomforaudiencememberstogawkatandmispronoun. Shealmosthastoself-mockinordertosucceed
Thisneedforself-deprecationwasalessonGadsby,too,learned wellearlyintheircomedycareer.Fromthebeginning,theyperformed low-statuscomedy.Low-statuscomedyiswhenacomic’sjokesattempt toingratiatethemselfwiththeiraudiencebymakingthemseemequalor lowerinstatustotheirviewers,incontrasttohigh-statuscomedy,whena comictalksdown.Intheirmemoir,theywriteoflow-stylecomedy: “whenthisisdoneinserviceofajoke,itiscalledself-deprecationbutin thebigwideworld,itiscalled[threat-avoidance]...Ididn’tdecidetobe thiswayonstage;thispersonawasjustanaturalextensionofmyselfand whoIneededtobeinordertosurvive,bothonandoffstage.”10 Theyfelt theneedtobeself-deprecatingtodealwithathreateningaudience,andto makethemselffeelsafe.
Stillmorecrucially,theyneededself-deprecatinghumorinorder to survive.Beforewriting Nanette,theyhadwritteneighthour-long comedysetsandwerequitesuccessfulintheAustraliancomedyfestival circuit.Intheirmemoir,theydescribetheirrisetoAustralianfestival successinseveralcontradictoryways.However,itwasnotablypowered by“fearanddesperation”as,navigatingtraumaandfinancialinsecurity, theyalmostaccidentallyfellintocomedy.11 Theyweredrivenbyaneed tosurvive,tomakemoney,andthustomakeanyaudiencelaugh.Their decisionsintheirfirstyearofcomedywerebornoftheirfinancial insecurity theyneededmainstreamsuccesstobeabletoeat.Forthat reason,theydescribetheirearlyshowsasanamalgamationof
9Zeoli,“FourFemmes.”
10Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,234.
11Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,207.
“everythingI’veeversaidthatwasremotelyfunny.”12 Thisincluded self-deprecationandtraumaticstories.Self-deprecationcouldgeta laugh,andcouldmakethemmuch-neededmoney.Othersideeffectsdid notyetmatter.Theirfirstevercomedyhourincludedthestoryoftheir comingoutaslesbian(theywouldnotcomeoutasnonbinaryuntil Nanette),atalefilledwithfunnymoments,butlacedwithdeeptrauma andsuffering Forfinancialreasons,theyfeltcompelledtoincludethis storyforthelaughsitcouldprovide.Butemotionally,throughtellingthe story,they“rediscoveredtherawnerveitstruck,”anervetheyhidfrom theaudience.13 Ratherthanthestorycomingacrossasatrauma-laced saga,itwaspartofarepertoirewhosevibetheysumupas“I am a fat awkward lesbian from Tasmania. ”14 Becausetheycouldfindsomehumor inthehomophobiatheyhadfaced,itbecameapartoftheiract,evenas thatsimultaneouslyreinforcedthehomophobiaandsealedthegraveof theirownsuffering.
Ofcourse,thesamefearanddesperationthatdrovethemto discusstheirtraumaonstagedrovethemintothebeckoning mace-wieldingarmsofself-deprecatinghumor.Althoughtheyhadnot yetcomeoutastrans,theywereopenlygay,relatively androgynous-presenting,andfat,elementsoftheiridentityand presentationthatweresimilarlyuncomfortabletoaudiencesastransness. Audienceswouldregularlymakefunoftheirbody,evencomingupto theminthestreettoofferbarely-disguisedbarbs.Thoughthisbrought completeshame,theywrotethat“Ididn’thelpthesituation.EverytimeI walkedonstage,IwouldmakefunofhowIlooked.Iwasverygoodatit too.Iamwaybetteratfatjokesthananybodywhothinksthey’re funny.”15 Thisritualizedself-degradationhelpedfueltheircomedyrise, butitwasdeeplyunhealthy.Theyspentadecadewritinganhour-long showayear,andwiththenotableexceptionoftheir2012show,allwere builtonthesamehodgepodgeofself-deprecation.Theybegantaking
12Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,207.
13Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,208.
14Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,203.Italicsoriginal.
15Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,221.
Valiumandmixingitwithalcoholtocopewithtelling“mystoriesfor laughsasthehumiliationistearingmyself-esteemtoshreds.”16 The humiliationofmockingthemselfonstagewasaweapontheywielded againstthemself,brutalizingtheirmindandbody.Theystruggledfrom worseningdepressionandsuicideideation,whichtheythenmadejokes about,creatingaviciouscycle.Gadsbyisaprimeexampleofthe psychologicaldangerself-deprecatinghumorcanpose
Thedriveforsucces anecessarydriveinorderforthemtoput foodonthetable droveGadsbytoself-deprecatinghumorandthe compartmentalizationoftrauma.Ironically,thoughtheyneeded self-deprecatinghumortosurvive,italmostwipedthemoutaltogether.
PartTwo:AudienceSelectionandDiscussionofTransTopics
Gadsbywrote Nanette asacryforhelp.Desperatetoescapetheir cycleofself-deprecationandever-worseningtrauma,theyscrawledona pieceofpaper:“THEPROBLEMWITHCOMEDY[:]IFEARTHATIF IKEEPPRIORITIZINGPUNCHLINESIWON’TBEABLETO CONTINUEMATURINGENOUGHTOKEEPAHEADOF SUICIDE.”17 Thatwasthefirstofmanynotesplanningoutwhatwould becomeacompleterebukeofthesystemsthatforcedtheminto self-deprecatinghumor.
Nanette isnotablyverymetaandself-referential,discussing comedyitself.Thoughthespecialrunsoveranhour,alotofattentionis giventoamomenttwentyminutesin,whenGadsbystartstopublicly addresstheirgender.Theymuseontransissuesandtheirownidentity.18 Inamomentwheretransnesswasahot-buttontopicforcisandtrans comicsalike,Gadsby’spro-transstancewasarefreshingtaketomany critics.Mainstreamculture’sobsessionwithcomedyabouttranstopics meansthatmainstreamtranscomicsoftenenduphavingtodefendtheir owntransnessverypublicly,usingtheircomedystageasapolitical platform.Atthesametime,transcomicsonsmallerscalesarefreerto
16Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,225.
17Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,323.Capsoriginal.
18Gadsby, Nanette.
discusstransjoy,ornottodiscusstransnessatall.Therefore,howa comicdiscussestranstopicscanbealitmustestfortheaudiencethat comicintendstofoster.AsGadsby’saudiencehasevolvedsince Nanette, sotoohasthewaytheydiscussedtransissuesevolved.In Nanette,they foregroundtheirgendertomakeapointtoalargelyheteronormative audience.By Something Special, theybackgroundtheirgenderandmove awayfromdirectdiscussionoftranstopicstoappealtotheirlargely genderqueeraudience.
Transgenderismhasbecomeanincreasinglytrendytopicin stand-upsincethemid2010s.Ofcourse,transpeopleandidentitieshad beendiscussedincomedyforyears,butthepastdecadehasseena handfulofsuccessfulcomedians,mostlystraightcisgendermen, adoptinganew,aggressivelyself-righteousstyleofhigh-statuscomedy. ComedianslikeDaveChappelleandRickyGervaishavegoneviralfor theirrantsabouttranspeople,andhavebeencriticizedforusingtheir spotlighttodegradetransidentities.Othercisgendercomedians, includinghigh-profilecomicslikeJamesAcaster,haveusedtheir specialstoweighinsupportoftranscomics.19 Thisobsessionwith comedyabouttranspeople,pairedwithaudiences’perceptionoftrans bodiesaselephantsintheroom,meansthatmanytranscomedians,even whennotself-deprecating,feelforcedtodiscusstranstopicssanshumor. Beingtransinaspaceobsessedwithtransnessmeansdiscussingit onstageisalmostunavoidable.NewtranscomicAbbieJoneswrotein Autostraddle thatwhenshestartedcomedy,shewantedtowrite observationalone-liners,agenreshesawaslargelybelongingtocis whitemen.Instead,hercomedyteacherencouragedhertoleaninto discussinghergender,rewardingherwith“claughter:”clap-laughter giventoexpressagreementwithajoke’spolitics,ratherthanitsmeritsas ajoke.Joneswrotethatshedoesnot“wanttobepigeonholedasa‘trans comedian,’”butfeelspressuredtobytheobsessionwithtransnessin
19JamesAcaster, Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999,February13,2023,Vimeo,2 hr.,6min.,27sec.,https://vimeo.com/799500985.
comedy.20 Evenpro-transaudiencesseetranscomicslargelyfortheir transidentities,callingonthemtobepoliticalratherthancomedicin exchangeforlaughter.
ThepressuretodiscusstransnessonstagecomesthroughinMae Martin’s2023Netflixspecial Sap.Martin,asuccessfulCanadian comedianwhocameoutasnonbinaryin2021,uses Sap todiscusstheir childhoodstrugglesandsearchforhappiness Woventhroughthisisan implicitunderstandingofdysphoriaandtrans-relatedstruggles,butitis rarelymentionedinthefirst50minutesofthespecial.Then,54minutes in,theirplayfulonstagedemeanorturnsserious.“Iwanttotalkabout, like,thegenderthingforasec,”theysay,toriotousclaughter.21 They spendaminutejustdiscussingtransness(andcolonialism)explaining,in high-status,thehistoryofothergenderstotheiraudience.Thejokesare sparse,buttheapplauseandclaughterareprevalent.ThenMartin’s demeanorchangesyetagain.Lookingdown,theysay:“theannoying thingis,Idon’treallywanttotalkaboutgender,becauseit’skindof lose-lose,right?Especiallyifit’ssomethingthatpersonallyaffectsyou andyoucareabout…yougetemotional,you’vealreadylost…butIfeel likeIshouldtalkaboutit,becauseeveryoneelseis.”22 Theydiscusshow bigcomedians‘punchdown’onthetranscommunity,andhowtheyhave tobepreparedtodiscussthosecomediansineveryinterview.Theysmile, buttheirjoyreadsasforced.Theiraudienceclap-laughsheartily.Though theydoquicklytransitionbacktojokes,includinganotherfiveminutes ofupliftingtrans-relatedjokes,theirdirectdiscussionoftranstopics remainsamajorpointofthespecial.Despitetheirdirectlinethattheydo notwanttohavetotalkabouttransness,NetflixusedMartin’strans identityasasellingpointforthespecial,referencing“thegender spectrum”initsone-sentenceblurb.Toanaudienceobsessedwithdirect
20AbbieJones,“AsaTransWomanGettingIntoStand-UpComedy,CanIAvoid JokesAboutMyIdentity?,” Autostraddle,April29,2024 https://www.autostraddle.com/trans-woman-stand-up-comedy-personal-essay/.
21MaeMartin, Sap,March28,2023,Netflix,54:00, https://www.netflix.com/title/81628816.
22Martin, Sap,56:30.
discussionoftranstopics,Martin’sone-and-a-quarter-hourspecialboils downtothefiveminuteswheretheytalkabouttheirgender.
Martin’sdiscussionoftranstopicsisparticularlynotablebecause oftheaudiencetheyaretryingtoattract.Martinhaspositionedthemself asasortofqueerambassadorinheteronormativespaces,evenpenninga youngadultbook, Can Everyone Please Calm Down? A Guide to 21st Century Sexuality abouthowtonavigategenderandsexuality Unlike Gadsby,whothrivesintheexperimentalfestivalcomedysceneandhas writtenaboutdreadingthe“boysclub”vibeofcomedyclubs,Martin’s workhasalwaysbeenmoremainstream.TheygottheirstartinCanadian andBritishcomedyclubs,notoriouslymale-dominatedheteronormative spaceswithmale-dominatedheteronormativeaudiences.Intheirmemoir, GadsbydescribestheUKmainstreamcomedysceneMartingrewupin as“afairlyshittyexistenceallinall.”23 Gadsby’sperformancestyledoes nottranslatetotheBritishclubsceneand“panelshow”style,as witnessedbytheirawkwardappearanceona2018episodeof“QI”where theyspokerarelyandfidgetedawkwardly.Martin,meanwhile,has appearedtoacclaimontheBritishgameshow“Taskmaster”andholds mainstreamattentionwiththeirsuccessfulpodcast.Martin’sintent on andsuccessat mainstreamappealcorrelatesdirectlywiththeir directdiscussionoftranstopicsforclaughter.
Meanwhile,Gadsby,becausetheyareseekingaparticularqueer audience,describestheirgenderqueernessverydifferentlyonstage.In theirmemoir,theywritethatwith Nanette,“Iwastryingto cull my audience,IwastryingtofindmysmallpocketofgenuinefanssoIcould bewhoIwantedtobeonstage,withoutworryingaboutmakingabroad audiencefeelcomfortable.”24 Afteryearsofsufferinginself-deprecating humortotrytogetenoughfanstosurvive,theyneededtocutdowntheir fanbase.Theywerenottrying,likeMartin,toappealtoabroadaudience andmaybechangetheiraudience’smindabouttransness.Theywerenot succumbingtothepressuresofthemainstream,becausetheywere
23Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,217.
24Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,23.
deliberatelytryingtofindasmalllagoonoffthemainstreamwherethey couldswiminpeace.Assuch,theirdirectdiscussionoftranstopicsis differentfromMartin’s.In Nanette, theydiscussreceivingamessage fromafanaskingthemtocomeoutastransgender.Theyrespondwith“I don’tdescribeastransgender,Idon’t.Imean,I’mclearly gender-not-normal…Iidentifyastired.”25 Theyrejectanylabel, mocking‘gender-normal’peoplewhowantgendertofitnicelyintoeasy binariesas‘weirdos.’Theyonlydiscussgenderfortwominutes,harping ontheline“calmdown,gendernormals.”Insteadofactingexplanatorily, theyjusttellcisgenderpeoplewhattodo.Interestingly,Gadsbydoesnot lookattheiraudiencewhentalkingto‘gendernormals.’Theyaretalking toan other:inthecomedyspacethey’reculling,genderqueernessisthe intendedbackdrop.There’snoneedforoverexplanationorapologizing. Therearefewermainstreampressures.JustasMartin’sdirectdiscussion oftranstopicsrevealstheirmainstreamaudience,Gadsby’srevealstheir morenichequeeraudience.
PartThree:Trans-ingofComedicNormsandtheCreationof aTransComedySpace
After Nanette, Gadsby’sworldchanged Theywerelaunched intoovernightfame insomeways,theirattempttorehoneasmaller audiencebackfired.Theyaccidentallyunlockedavastreserveof would-becomedyfanswhoothercomicshadnotspokento.Suddenly, theywereschmoozingatHollywoodparties,showeredingiftsfrom celebrities.26 Buttheydidnotstoprefiningtheiraudience.Instead,their workbecameevenmoresubversive.Theystartedtogobeyondbuilding anaudienceforjustthemself,andbegantofosteratrans-positive comedyspaceforothertranscomicstothrivein.Gadsbyrevealsthatit’s possibletofosteraparticulartransandqueeraudiencewithouthavingto leanonclaughter-inducingdirectdiscussionoftranstopics.Indeed,by trans-ingcomedicnorms,Gadsbychangednotonlytheircareerandtheir
25Gadsby, Nanette,20:00.
26Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette,12.
audiencebuttheworldofqueercomedywritlarge,pavingaboldpath forfuturegenderqueercomics.
Withinqueerandtranstheory,thereisnosetdefinitionof “trans-ing”asaterm,withdifferenttheoristsofferingdifferenttakeson what“trans”meansintheabstract,andhowitcanbeappliedtocultural contexts.Somescholarsarguethattrans-ingcanbeabstractedand appliedbroadlyfollowingsomedefinition;somescholarsresist definitionasoppressive,andseetheapplicationof“trans-ing”tobea harmfulabstraction.Whiletosome,trans-ingcanalsoinclude recenteringoftransissuesandafocusonself-identification,forthe purposesofthispaper,“trans-ing”isdefinedasactivelymovingfroman unchosenandharmfulstartingplace,whichwasprescribedbycultural norms,toachosenendpoint.ThisdefinitionbuildsonSusanStryker's definitionoftransgenderas“themovementacrossasociallyimposed boundaryawayfromanunchosenstartingplace.”27 Specifically,inthis paper,the“culturalnorms”whichimposeastartingplace(or,per Stryker,a“boundary”),arethenormswithinthefieldofstand-up comedy.Thoughnormsvarywidelybetweendifferentstand-upspheres, includingnotablybetweenthefourhubsofEnglish-languagestand-up (theUnitedStates,Canada,theUnitedKingdom,andAustralia),most jokesaresubjecttothesamebasiclaws,andcomediansoftenoperatein similarenvironmentswithsimilarpressures.Broadlyspeaking,ifthese lawsandpressuresarestiflingorharmfultoacomedian’sidentity,body, being,orperformance,theybecomeboundaries.Anactivechoosingto moveacrosstheseboundariesisatrans-ingofcomedy.
Itisimportanttonotethat“trans-ing”describestheprocessof applyingtheprefix“trans-”tosomething(hencethehyphenintheterm). Thoughtransgendernessisoneinstanceoftrans-ing thatis,the trans-ingofgender,trans-ingwritlargeisnotnecessarilytransgender. Comediansofanygenderbackgroundcananddotranscomedicnormsin theirwork.Thatsaid,thispaperisparticularlyinterestedintransgender comicstrans-ingcomedicnorms.
27SusanStryker, Transgender History,(SealPress,2008),1.
Gadsby’sworkisnotableforits continuous trans-ingofcomedic norms:notonlydidtheybreakcomedicwallswith Nanette,theybroke differentcomedicwallswith Douglas,andagainwith Something Special Theirworkisnotonlytrans-ed,itisconstantlyre-trans-ingininteresting ways.Theirworksince Nanette epitomizeshowacomedianwho constantlytrans-escomedicnormscancreateanew,interesting,more positivecomedicspace Whiletheyarefarfromtheonlycomediantobe trans-ingcomedy,thissectionwillfocusonhowtheirworksince Nanette hastrans-edcomedicnormsandhowthathasimpactedtheirbuildingof anewcomedyspace.
Nanette itselfis,arguably,thegreatesttrans-erofcomedicnorms thiscentury.ForacomedyspecialthatwonanEmmy,aPeabody,and numerousfestivalawardsforitsstand-upexcellence, Nanette receivedan awfullotofcriticswhocalledit“notcomedy.” TheGuardiancalledita “disavowalofcomedy…disguisedasastand-upshow.”28 Intheir memoir,Gadsbydescribesthatforeveryfanhailing Nanette asanew stepforwardforcomedy,therewereothercomicswhodecrieditas uncomedic.EllenDeGeneresfamouslycalledita“soloshow,”nota stand-upcomedyshow.29 YetGadsbyhasremainedadamantthat Nanette isstand-up,justtrans-ed Theywriteintheirmemoir:“Nanette isnot ‘technically’acomedyshow,butthetwistis,sheisnotcomedyinthe samewaythatFrankenstein’smonsterisnotahuman…Itook everythingIknewaboutcomedy,thenIpulleditallapartandbuilta monsteroutofitscorpse. Nanette wouldnothaveworkedifitwerejusta theatreshowgate-crashingacomedystage.”30 Theyforgivepeoplefor takingthesupremelyuncanny Nanette andmistakingitforaspeechora rant,butpointoutthatmanycomics(largelystraight,cisgenderwhite men)makeentiresetsoutoflongrantings.Inreality,Gadsbybelieves
28BrianLogan,“HannahGadsby:‘Quitcomedy?Ican’t–I’vegotnoother skillset!,’” The Guardian,October19,2019 https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/oct/19/hannah-gadsby-quit-comedy-i-c ant-ive-got-no-other-skillset.
29Gadsby, Ten Steps To Nanette,17.
30Gadsby, Ten Steps To Nanette,22.
that Nanette canbewhatitcanbebecauseitisanamalgamationof comedicsubversions.It’snocoincidencethattheydescribeitasa comedicFrankenstein’smonster,whileFrankenstein’smonsterisinfact thesubjectofStryker’smostfamouswork.InStryker’s“MyWordsto VictorFrankensteinabovetheVillageofChamounix,”shereclaims Frankenstein’smonsterasatransiconwithwhomshefeelsgreataffinity asabodilyOtherinsociety 31 Thismakessomesense Frankenstein’s monsteris,indeed,atrans-ingofhumanembodiment.Inthesameway, Nanette trans-escomedy.Inadeeplyabstractedsense,itiscomedy:a longbuildingoftensionfollowedbyacatharticrelease.Butatthesame time,itistrauma.Itiscomedy,andyetitbreaks,itcrosses.
Thattrans-ingofcomedycontinuedwith Douglas. Douglas isa showabouttheirexperiencewithautism.With Douglas,Gadsbybreaks theexpectationthatcomedyshouldbesurprising.Abyproductoftheir autismisthattheyoften“seekoutspoileralertstoavoidgettingpanicked byunexpectedplottwists.”32 Itisoftensaidthatcomedyrequiresthe elementofasurprise.Ifyouknowthepunchlineinadvance,it’snot funny.Forthisreason,comediansareoftenresistanttoaddingtrigger warningstotheircontent. Douglas provesthistobefallacious.They openbylayingoutexactlywhat’sgoingtohappeninthespecial, removingallelementsofsurprise.33 Theyincludeasemi-joculartrigger warningthatthepatriarchymightbeoffended.Yetthespecialisonly madebetterbythespoiling.Whenthefinalpunchlinehits,theaudience canbeheardlaughingtwice:thefirsttimeatthebrillianceoftheline, andthenagainwhentheyrealizetheyhadbeentoldtobeexpectingit.34
31Stryker,Susan,“MyWordstoVictorFrankensteinAbovetheVillageof Chamounix:PerformingTransgenderRage,” GLQ,DukeUniversityPress,June 1,1994. https://read.dukeupress.edu/glq/article/1/3/237/69091/My-Words-to-Victor-Fran kenstein-Above-the-Village
32Gadsby, Ten Steps To Nanette,273.
33HannahGadsby, Douglas,May18,2020,Netflix, https://www.netflix.com/title/81054700.
34Gadsby, Douglas,37:30.
With Douglas, Gadsbymovesacrossthenormofjokesbeingsurprising, creatinganeurodivergent-positivetrans-ingofcomedy.
Something Special,too,trans-ednorms,thistimemoresocietal thancomedic.Thecheeriestoftheirspecials, Something Special centers aroundGadsby’sproposaltotheirnow-wife.Netflixadvertised Something Special asa“feel-goodcomedyspecial,”andindeeditis. Aftertwoshowslampooningthepatriarchyandunpackingdarktrauma, theyopen Something Special tellingtheaudience“thisisgoingtobea feelgoodshow…becauseIbelieveIoweyouone.”35 It’sapure feel-goodromantic-comedy“payoff”afterthedarknessof Nanette and Douglas.Butthere’ssubversionin whom thespecialis‘feel-good’ for. Whentellingthestoryoftheirwedding,Gadsbydiscussesthenovelty shark-themedcaketheyserved.Theydescribewantingto“tricka Christianbakerintomakingagayweddingcake,”inwhatbecomesa lampooningofChristianity.Thentheysayofthebaker:“he’sgoingto hell…we’veallgottodoourbittogetthroughthisgayagenda,sending Christianbakerstohelloneatatime.”36 Thepronoun‘we’hereisthe key.Thisiscomedyforaqueeraudience.There’snoneedtoappeasea conservativeorhomophobicviewer:thisistheircomedyspacetomake funofwhotheywant Attheendofthejokeaboutthebaker,they commentslyly:“Ididn’tsaywhoit’safeel-goodshowfor.”37 Hereinlies thetrans-ing. Something Special takestheheterodoxicalnormofa rom-comcenteredaroundmarriage,whichwasreservedforstraight couplesuntilthiscentury,andtwistsitonitshead.Thisisnottheusual feel-goodrom-comcomedyshowwhereastraightmanstandsonstage andgushesabouthiswife.It’saqueershow,butcrucially,thatqueerness neverhastobeexplicitlydiscussed.There’sanassumptionthatthe audienceisqueertoo,willingtobackgroundGadsby’squeernessand appreciatetheirownfeel-goodshowforonce.
35HannahGadsby, Something Special,May9,2023,Netflix, https://www.netflix.com/title/81598434,1:30.
36Gadsby, Something Special,5:30.
37Gadsby, Something Special,5:38.
Gadsby’strans-ingofcomedyisnoaccident:itisadeliberate movetobuildanewspaceincomedywhereamorediverseslateof comedianscanthrive.Bybreakingdownharmfulrulesofcomedy,they pavethewayforayoungergenerationofgenderqueercomicstofollow intheirfootsteps.Thisisabundantlyclearin Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda. The2024special,whichismoreavarietyshowhostedby Gadsbyandfeaturingsevendifferenttranscomics,wasdreamtupby GadsbyinresponsetoNetflix’spromotionofaDaveChappellespecial thathadbeencontroversialforitstransphobiccontent.38 Intheiropening remarks,theytellthestoryofwritingalettertoNetflixCEOTed SarandosaskingforsomesortofreparationsforChappelle’sspecial. Referringtotheproblemoftransphobiainmainstreamcomedy,Gadsby saidof Gender Agenda:“itwon’tfixit,it’snotenough.Justonenight… likethisisthecarbonoffsetshow,youknowwhatImean?”39 It’sjusta smallbandaidonalargercomedicwoundGadsbyishopingtoheal.
Butthegenderqueercomedians’workontheshowrevealsthat Gadsby’strans-ingofnormshasbeguntohealthatwound,creatinga newcomedyspacetheycansharewithotherup-and-comers. Nanette provedthetraumainself-deprecatinghumor,andbyandlarge,the comicson Gender Agenda avoidedit Mx DahliaBelleevenriffedon theconceptoftranscomicsasanelephantintheroomtobegawkedat withajokeattheopeningofher Gender Agenda set.Sheopensby apologizing,saying:“Iamundercontractualobligationtoletyouknow thatIknowthedifferencebetweenmyselfandanon-transgender woman.”40 Thesupportiveaudiencelaughs,awarethatBelleismocking theexpectationthattranscomicsshouldcomeoutandexplainor apologizefortheirownexistence.Shecanaffordtosubvertthenormof mockingherselfbecausethe Gender Agenda hasbeenprimedby Nanette Theaudiencewasprimedforqueerness,justastheyhadbeenin Something Special. Forinstance,whenDeAnneSmithtakesthestage,
38HannahGadsbyetal., Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda, March5,2024, Netflix,https://www.netflix.com/title/81607199,2:30.
39Gadsbyetal., Gender Agenda, 8:00.
40Gadsbyetal., Gender Agenda, 47:20.
theirqueernessandgenderqueernessisabackgroundassumption.They donotcomeonstageexplainingthemself,insteadlaunchingintoaseries ofbody-positive,nichejokesaboutgayandtranstopics.41 Theydiscuss elementsoftheirtopsurgery,anddescribematryoshkadollsasgayicons. Theirsetisacelebrationofqueerandtransjoywithoutneedingto foregroundtheirowngenderorexplainanything.Asin Something Special, cisgenderandheteronormativepeoplearetheothers,eventhe buttsofthejokes.
Conclusion:TheGreatGadsby
Astheirmemoirmakesclear,HannahGadsby’slifeandcareer hasbeenfarfrompeachy.ToinanywayrecommendGadsby’spath throughcomedywouldbeagrossignoringoftheiryearsofsuffering, deeptrauma,anddifficulties.ThisthesisusesGadsbysimplybecause theyaretheclearestexampleofhowagenderqueercomediancanuse differentthemesoftransstand-uptobuild,cull,andchangetheir audience.Thereareothermoretranscomediansmentionedinthis thesis andmanymorethancouldeverbelistedinadocumentthis short;asimilarprojectcouldnodoubtbedonewitheachoftheir respectivecareers Indeed,futureprojectsshoulddothis,toremovethe biasofamonographiclens.Indeed,muchofGadsby’scareermustbe attributedtotheirintersectionalidentityasagay,autistic,fat,autistic, Australianwomanandnotjusttotheirgenderqueerness.Thisthesishas triedtobringinothercomedianstohighlightthethroughlinethat genderqueernessprovides;hopefullyfuturestudieswilldothesame.
Thatsaid,muchofGadsby’scareerhasbeenutterlyexemplary. ThepastdecadehasseentheirrisefromarelativelyobscureAustralian festivalcomic,sufferinggreatly,tooneofthemostwidely-revered comediansontheplanet.Bothsidesofthatsuccessfulreinventionare dueinnosmallparttotheiruseofclassictranscomedicthemes.They brokedownself-deprecatinghumorin Nanette,doveheadlonginto autismin Douglas, andbuiltapro-transcomedyspacewith Something 41Gadsbyetal., Gender Agenda, 35:15.
Special.Now,theyareusingtheirplatformtobuildanewcomedyspace whereothergenderqueercomicscanthrive,includingnotablywith Gender Agenda
Thisisnottosaythat Gender Agenda isperfect,orthefinal evolutionoftranscomedy.Certaincomicsstillreceivedplentyof claughterandsomeoutrightbombed.Ultimately,that’sevidentfromthis thesis’sgreaterpointthateachgenderqueercomicisunique Eachcomic uses,ordoesnotuse,thethemesoftransstand-updiscussedtogrowor culltheiraudienceindifferentways.JustbecauseGadsbyishelpingto buildaparticularcomedicnichefriendlytothebrandoftranscomedy theywanttoseedoesnotmeanthateverytranscomichastofillthat niche.Gadsbyisbutaroadmapforhowacomediancanbuildtheir audiencewithself-deprecatinghumor,cullitwithdirectdiscussionof transtopics,andreimagineitwithatrans-ingofcomedicnorms.
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