Abstract

This chapter explores the role of humor in user-generated remixes by turning to humor theories developed primarily by scholars within the fields of philosophy, linguistics, and psychology. While the dominating theories of humor are limited to verbal humor, they also prove useful to the study of audiovisual remixes. By providing close analyses of three different forms of remixes, this chapter explores the way in which remixes are often constructed in a manner reminiscent of the structure of jokes. The chapter aims at contributing to a broader understanding of remixes’ enormous and enduring popularity, and to illuminate the continuing benefits of interdisciplinary approaches to the analysis of popular music.