A Critical Discourse Analysis of Immigration Satire in Joe Wong’s Stand-Up Comedy

Political satire has long been used as a means of critiquing societal structures and governmental policies, particularly in the realm of immigration, where humour can expose contradictions, stereotypes, and biases within dominant ideologies. This study analyses Joe Wong’s satirical performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, focusing on how humour operates as a form of political commentary that challenges immigration policies and discourses associated with former U.S. President Donald Trump. Drawing on Van Dijk’s (2001) Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, the research examines Wong’s linguistic strategies, pragmatic flouting of conversational norms, narrative framing, and interaction with the live audience. Findings suggest that Wong’s satire disrupts discriminatory political narratives while fostering a sense of solidarity around immigrant identity, enabling audiences to critically reflect on exclusionary attitudes and power dynamics. By demonstrating how stand-up comedy can simultaneously entertain and resist political dominance, this study contributes to broader scholarship on political humour, discourse, and resistance, highlighting satire as a performative tool for challenging entrenched social prejudices and reimagining immigrant representation in the public sphere