Humor and Health in the Media: Raising the Question, Should Illness be Funny?

by Malynnda A. Johnson

Overview

Examining popular media portrayals of various health topics, this book offers a critical analysis of how those mediated messages can impact, for good or ill, people’s physical and mental health.

Looking specifically at how various depictions of health topics have both aided in the normalization of health topics such as neurodiversity and HIV while also critiquing the dissemination of misinformation on these same topics, this book offers insight into the ways in which humorous content can both help and hurt. The author draws on a critical analysis of popular media including shows, social media, and stand-up specials, as well as interviews with those who use humor within health settings, such as Red Nose Docs, comedians who focus on their own health issues.

This insightful study will interest scholars and students of health in popular culture as well as health communication, media studies, public health administration, and health policy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032411989
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/26/2025
Series:	Routledge Research in Health Communication
Pages:	214
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Malynnda A. Johnson (PhD, University of WI–Milwaukee, 2012) is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication. She primarily teaches health communication and media studies and various courses, including interviewing and counseling, persuasion, interpersonal communication, media criticism, and cross-cultural communication. She has authored three books on media representations of health topics, including her most recent examining humor's role in our health. Additionally, she is actively working within the medical field, training patient advocates and providers on ways to improve their communication when working with minority groups (specifically, neurodiverse and transgender populations). Both professionally and personally, her goal is to help all people feel their voices are heard and to help make difficult conversations less difficult.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter One: How and Why We Experience Humor

Chapter Two: A History of Humor and Health

Chapter Three: Laughing Through the Pain Benefits of Humor

Chapter Four: The Dangers and Dark Sides of Humor

Chapter Five: Humor and Stand-Up: Healing Through Storytelling

Chapter Six: Serious Illness, Silly Conversation

Chapter Seven: That’s Not Funny: When Comedy Misses the Mark

Chapter Eight: I Got a Joke for You: Building Community through Social Media Platforms

Conclusion