Make 'Em Laugh: Common Ground in Comic Characters | Matthew R. Wilson | TEDxUM

Are some things always funny? While most jokes rely on cultural context, comic performers throughout history have found common sources of amusement that transcend linguistic or national boundaries. Actor and historian Matthew R. Wilson finds the funny in character types from Greco-Roman comedy, Commedia dell'Arte, Kyōgen, and contemporary film and television.
Matthew R. Wilson is an Assistant Professor of Performance in the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Mississippi and one of America’s leading experts in Commedia dell’Arte. He is a published theatre historian and playwright as well as a professional actor, director, combat choreographer, and physical comedy specialist. His credits include touring his one-man show across Europe, performing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and appearing opposite Kevin Spacey in the Emmy Award-winning House of Cards.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx