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Frank DeLima, a comedian whose performances draw on Hawaii's many ethnic communities, and Corky Trinidad, a political cartoonist, discussed what distinguishes acceptable ethnic humor from humor that offends or demeans. The concrete question at issue is whether ethnic humor rooted in Hawaii's plantation-era multicultural experience can remain a unifying force as the state's population grows more diverse and less connected to that shared history. DeLima argued that ethnic humor in Hawaii developed as a form of mutual recognition among groups who lived and worked closely together, and that it functions to ease social tensions and welcome newcomers into the local community. He acknowledged, however, that the arrival of residents unfamiliar with that context complicates matters. Trinidad held that no subject is inherently off-limits for humor, with good taste serving as the only necessary restraint. Both guests discussed the difference between humor that laughs with a group and humor that mocks or denigrates it, and agreed that the ability to laugh at oneself is essential. Callers from the community raised specific cases, including the use of ethnic material in school performances.
Transcript
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Companion newspaper commentaries
Commentaries by the guests, published in The Honolulu Advertiser around the broadcast.
