SIMPLY ENTERTAINMENT? CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND POST-TRUTH IN CONTEMPORARY COMEDY

Authors

  • Dr. art. Zane Radzobe Institute of Arts and Cultural Studies of Latvian Academy of Culture, Latvia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55877/cc.vol30.491

Keywords:

comedy, entertainment, conspiracy theories, theatre, post-truth, audience

Abstract

The paper concentrates on conspiracy theories as a subject for contemporary comedy. Based on performances by Latvian theatre artists, the author argues that comedies in the post-truth media environment function as a hybrid genre, mixing entertainment and public discourse, fact and fiction. The article concentrates on the strategies used by the performers to influence the discourse of conspiracies and mould their audience’s perceptions and beliefs by strengthening their pre-existing biases.

Supporting Agencies
This research is funded by the Latvian Council of Science, Project “Jeopardizing Democracy through Disinformation and Conspiracies: Reconsidering Experience of Latvia” (No. lzp-2019/1-0278).

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

  • Dr. art. Zane Radzobe, Institute of Arts and Cultural Studies of Latvian Academy of Culture, Latvia

    Dr. art. assist. prof. Zane Radzobe, Latvia University, Latvia

     

References

Akots, N. (2022). Smieties vai skaidrot? La.lv, 10.11.2022. Available: https://www.la.lv/smieties-vai-skaidrot (viewed 18.02.2024)

Beeler, K., Beeler, S. (2022). Going digital in a small city hub: community theatre and dog performance events during lockdown. In: I. Gemmel, J. Wang (eds.). Creative Relilience and COVID-19: Figuring the Everyday in a Pandemic. London, New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003213536-15

Boland, A. (2020). The Challenges and Surprises of Making Theatre of Zoom. Rescripted. Available: http://rescripted.org/2020/09/01/challenges-zoom-theatre/ (viewed 18.02.2024)

Carlson, M. (2011). The Haunted Stage: The Theatre as Memory Machine. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press.

Dailes teātris. (2019). Blokmājas dons Kihots. Available: https://www.dailesteatris.lv/lv/izrades/2019-2020/blokmajas-dons-kihots (viewed 18.02.2024)

Kaktiņš, A. [@ArnisKaktins] (2022). “Vai pastāv Pasaules valdība – t.i. kāda slepena organizāciju vai cilvēku grupa, kurai ir ietekme uz visiem pasaules procesiem, kura kontrolē daudzu pasaules valstu valdību darbu? 2022.gada septembrī apstiprinoši atbildēja 53%. Tikai 27% uzskatīja, ka tādas nav!”, 01.11.2022. Available: https://twitter.com/ArnisKaktins/status/1587446755511001088

McConachie, B. (2013). Theatre and Mind. Palgrave Macmillan. McIntyre, L. (2018). Post-truth. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Ödmark, S. (2018). Making news funny: Differences in news framing between journalists and comedians. Journalism. No. 22 (6). https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884918820432

Pavis, P. (2003). Slovarj teatra. Moskva: Progress.

Rozentāls, A. (2019). Dīvaiņi pret ciniņiem. Kultūras Diena, 06.10.2019. Available: https://www.diena.lv/raksts/kd/teatris/divaini-pret-cinikiem.-izrades-_pedejais-salmins_-recenzija-14227744 (viewed 18.02.2024)

Rozentāls, A. (2022). Vai, vai, mūsu mīļie! Kultūras Diena, 06.11.2022. Available: https://www.diena.lv/raksts/kd/recenzijas/vai-vai-musu-milie-jrt-izrazu-_revolucija_-un-_operacija-mindfuck_-recenzija-14289174 (viewed 18.02.2024)

Scepanski, P. (2021) Tragedy Plus Time: National Trauma and Television Comedy. Austin: University of Texas Press

Svarinska, M. (2020). Kā lai uzlabo mūsu pasauli. Latvijas Avīze. Kultūrzīmes, 8.–14.07.2020., 7. lpp.

Downloads

Published

15.12.2025

Issue

Vol. 30 (2025): Culture Crossroads

Section

PERFORMANCE AND POLITICS: HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Culture Crossroads

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.