Temple
University law professor to discuss humor and the law at URI Honors Colloquium,
Nov. 3
KINGSTON, R.I.,– Back in the 1990s, Pepsi ran a promotional
campaign encouraging consumers to collect points from Pepsi labels to redeem
prizes. One of the prizes was a fighter jet. An ambitious guy came up with the 7 million points and waited for Pepsi to make good on its promise. Pepsi refused, claiming the ad was a joke. The dispute ended up in court, which ruled in favor of Pepsi. Why?
Laura E. Little, a law professor at Temple University, says Pepsi’s offer was too unbelievable to support a legal case. She should know. Little, the Charles Klein Professor of Law and Government at Temple’s Beasley School of Law, is an expert on the legal regulation of humor.
She’ll share her wisdom with the University of Rhode Island Nov. 3 during a talk for the Honor’s Colloquium, which focuses this year on The Power of Humor. The talk will start at 7 p.m. in Edwards Hall, 64 Upper College Road, on URI’s main campus.
Those unable to attend the lecture can watch it live online at URI Live!
There’s a long history of litigation involving humorous speech. So-called “humor scholars’’ have been trying to figure out the essence of humor for centuries. Little’s scholarship explores how human experiences such as laughter, loyalty, gratitude, jealousy and envy integrate with legal institutions.
URI recently chatted with Little about her work, humor and more.
You say that “incongruity’’ is an important part of comedy, as far as the courts are concerned. Please explain.
Courts are frequently asked to evaluate whether comedy gives rise to a legal claim. Questions about comedy emerge in many legal categories —contract, trademark infringement, defamation and employment discrimination are a few examples. In deciding whether a legal claim succeeds, courts analyze whether a communication is just a joke that should escape legal challenge.
Courts tend to find they should not regulate comedy reflecting incongruities. Incongruity in humor can take a variety of forms, but usually arises because the joke includes a surprise or unlikely juxtaposition of concepts.
Parody is used often in humor. Do the courts generally side with the parodists – or the person or thing being ridiculed?
Parody is a favorite type of humor in American law. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court has stated that parody serves as an important part of our political discourse and deserves rigorous constitutional protection.
How do courts treat humor that focuses on sex – or distasteful comedy?
Lawmakers are less likely to protect this type of humor. Although some cases state that law should not regulate matters of taste, my research shows that courts tend to impose liability for off-color jokes on matters such as sex, violence, death and incest.
What types of jokes would be considered sexual harassment in employment discrimination cases? When do workplace jokes cross the line?
Jokes do not amount to sexual harassment unless they are so pervasive and so mean-spirited that they actually change the workplace conditions for the victim of the jokes. Before deciding that an employer is liable for employment discrimination, a court will look to whether jokes ridicule the victim on account of her sex.
What about defamation claims? Do courts tend to support comedic expression rooted in First Amendment rights?
Yes, the First Amendment protection of freedom of communication plays a key role in defamation suits for libel or slander. Courts understand that “many a truth is said in jest.” For that reason, a statement that appears on its surface to be a cruel joke may convey an important message of public concern. When that is the case, the First Amendment usually prevails and the lawsuit fails.
The major sponsor of this year’s Honors Colloquium is the URI Honors Program.
Other URI sponsors are Office of the President; Office of the Provost; The Mark and Donna Ross Honors Colloquium Humanities Endowment; The Thomas Silvia and Shannon Chandley Honors Colloquium Endowment; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Pharmacy; The Harrington School of Communication and Media; John Hazen White, Sr. Center for Ethics and Public Service; Gender and Women Studies Program; Theatre Department; Talent Development Program; College of Engineering; College of the Environment and Life Sciences; College of Human Science and Services; College of Business Administration; College of Nursing; Division of Student Affairs; Department of Marketing and Communications; Department of Publications and Creative Service; Instructional Technology and Media Services; ASF College of Continuing Education, URI Providence; and URI Family Weekend 2015.
This year’s organizers of the colloquium are Rachel DiCioccio, professor of communication studies, and Brian Quilliam, associate dean and professor of pharmacy. For more information on colloquium events contact Deborah Gardiner at 401-874-2381 or debg@uri.edu.
For information about ways to support the Honors Colloquium, contact Lynne Derbyshire, URI professor of communication studies and Honors Program director, at 401-874-4732. If you have a disability and need an accommodation, please call 401-874-2303 at least three business days in advance.
For TTY assistance, please call the R.I. Relay Service at 800-745-5555.
For more details about the events, visit Honors Colloquium.
Pictured above: Laura E. Little, the Charles Klein Professor of Law and Government at Temple University. Little will talk about humor and the law on Nov. 3 at the University of Rhode Island’s annual Honors Colloquium. Photo courtesy of Laura E. Little.