Applying Burlesque Rhetoric to Create Social Change

This paper focuses on three articles written in response to clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch’s new t-shirt line, which depicted Asian American caricatures that promoted negative stereotypes. The company removed the t-shirts from stores after receiving an overwhelming number of calls and e-mails from predominately Asian American college students. Although Abercrombie & Fitch took the t-shirts off the shelves, students and Asian organizations protested against the company, demanding more action to ensure that a similar event would not occur. In particular, this chapter first concentrates on the ways in which three college students use Burke’s (1984: 4) concept of burlesque humor in their articles. Next, we address how the rhetors use burlesque argumentation as a tool to save face. Third, we examine what we can learn from the limited audience of Asian Americans and how that can hinder the effectiveness of the burlesque arguments. Fourth, we then look at how the use of burlesque in these three articles was ineffective in producing a more dramatic and longterm transformation. Finally, we point out some required modifications of burlesque in order to advance social change. A closer examination of the three articles indicates how these student writers use burlesque to reprimand Abercrombie & Fitch, thus shedding light on the need to reshape society’s moral values related to minorities, specifically, the stereotyping of Asian Americans. In understanding the burlesque strategy, rhetors will have a better chance of creating a long-lasting difference when challenging the social responsibilities of major institutions, which often go unquestioned.