L’humour dans les coulisses des concours de beauté

Abstract

Based on a participant observation study as a volunteer in preparing the Miss Le Havre (in 2011 and 2012) and Miss Rouen (in 2011 and 2012) pageants, this article analyses the forms of humour involving the pageant and the Misses themselves behind the scene of the pageant. I particularly focus on derision in connection with gender. What does the derision make to the gender of the Miss? Does it subvert or transgress the figure of the Miss and its stereotypes? Mocking the Miss affects her symbolic dimension and the social representations of her role. Four specific backstage situations were identified as forms of self-derision and parody: waving to the public, posing for the photographers, rehearsing the parade, and questions addressed to the participants.

Keywords

• Miss
• gender
• self-mockery
• behind the scene
• agency