The rise in humor scandals: a cross-national comparison of humor-related public controversies in eight European countries (1990–2022)

Abstract From Muhammad cartoons to debates over “wokeness”, humor frequently sparks controversies and scandals, yet the phenomenon remains under-researched. This study investigates the rise and characteristics of humor scandals in eight European countries – Belgium (Flanders), Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain – between 1990 and 2022. The research aims to map humor scandals, analyze their frequency, and understand their characteristics by integrating insights from humor studies and scandal research. Using a mixed-method approach, the study identifies 216 national-level humor scandals, revealing a substantial increase in their occurrence, particularly from the 2000s onwards. Drawing on media archival research and employing a codebook to track scandals – including elements such as norm violators, trigger events, and targets – the paper identifies two prominent types of humor scandals: professional comedy-based scandals and party-political scandals. The results highlight a near-universal increase in scandals involving humor targeting social groups and those triggered by social media, as well as a rise in scandals sparked by populist right-wing politicians, especially in Finland, Hungary, Italy, and Poland. The study calls for further research on the implications of humor scandals, including their impact on affective polarization, and suggests that such scandals challenge traditional understandings of the positive social roles of both humor and scandal.