Can celebrity comedians make any jokes? Unlocking the nature of humour among Indonesian celebrity comedians on social media

Although humour on social media has attracted much attention in discourse and communication studies, little research has investigated this context among Indonesian celebrity comedians. Moreover, humour among celebrities on social media has become a prominent element of online communication. This study examines the nature and humour strategies among Indonesian celebrity comedians on social media. The data were collected from three kinds of social media, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook, and analysed using NVivo software to code and visualise the data. The findings indicate that Indonesian celebrity comedians employ four humour categories on social media: self-branding, sharing opinions, engaging in interpersonal discussions, and sharing personal lives. Importantly, self-branding is the most frequently employed category by Indonesian celebrity comedians, in which they develop a clear and consistent brand identity, share their expertise, engage with their audiences as well as fans, and maintain their professional presence. Finally, the implications of the current study provide us with insights and understandings about the nature of humour in the digital environment, particularly on social media. Therefore, the present study's findings offer insightful and positive implications among Indonesian celebrity comedians on social media, including increased engagement, a more relatable brand image, and better engagement with fans.