Abstract
The article studies the comic aspect of the main anti-values attributed to a “celebrity” social group in a comedy show “Roast of Bruce Willis”. Recordings and scripts of the humorous program “Roast of Bruce Willis” were used as the material for the study. The article uses a linguistic-and-axiological approach aimed at identifying axiological meanings included in the sphere of value concepts of the status group under examination. Any sphere of value concepts of a stereotypical group in general and any linguistic and cultural type in particular includes both values and anti-values. Comic discourse deals with anti-values which trigger laughter. The author identifies the following ridiculed stereotypical anti-values attributed to the linguistic and cultural type of "A Hollywood Star" whose representative is the character of “Roast of Bruce Willis”: lack of talent, stupidity, unattractiveness. Lack of talent is actualized by the criticism of actor’s work. Stupidity is actualized by condemnation of the actor’s irrational behaviour. Loss of attractiveness and as a result a failure to meet Hollywood beauty standards is also mocked at. The study is important because along with the general anti-values which are characteristic of the comic image of "A Hollywood Star", the author also identifies certain personal qualities of the character of “Roast of Bruce Willis” that are ridiculed: the actor’s morals, attitude to work, arrogance. The article analyses the linguistic means used to achieve a comic effect: comparison, metaphor, hyperbole, obscene language.
Keywords
Linguistic and cultural, axiological, anti-values, humorous, metaphor, obscene language.