Humor In The Film 'The Last Laugh'

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Recommended: How do we remember the Holocaust through films

Humor and war are two words that typically do not belong together in the same sentence, or even in the same text, but the concept of humor during (and following) war is addressed in the documentary, The Last Laugh (Pearlstein, 2016). The documentary was directed by Ferne Pearlstein and produced by Ferne Pearlstein, Robert Edwards, Amy Hobby, Anne Hubbell, and Jan Warner. The Last Laugh focuses on the Holocaust as a topic of humor, and there is great insight on the topic from filmmakers, comedians, and Holocaust survivors. Near the beginning of The Last Laugh, Sarah Silverman mentions “comedy puts light on to darkness and darkness cannot live where there is light. They (Holocaust memories) stay in this dark and in a taboo place if they are not …show more content…

I also thought that this documentary may help me, and possibly those who share beliefs similar to mine, to be more open to jokes regarding sensitive and taboo topics and in understanding why people choose to make these types of jokes. The documentary, as well as other significant texts have helped me realize that humor played a crucial role during the time of the Holocaust and continues to still play this role for many. Clementi (2013) states “producing art — and laughter — during the war was a way for the victims to array creativity, civilization, and pacifism against the brutality of genocide” (p. 258). This statement gives a bit of insight into why humor was used during the war and why it is still used today in regards to the saddening events that took place over the span of several years. Along with these questions, it will be crucial for both sides to understand where the line should be drawn on these types of jokes and who should ultimately be able to find humor in the Holocaust. The ultimate questions are whether jokes need to be made in order for the event to be remembered by generations to come and is there a better way to tell these jokes while also showing empathy towards those who who have survived one of the most horrific genocides in the history of the

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