Aurora Browne of Baroness Von Sketch on Creating from the Gray Area

Join Sexual Violence Educator Kiara Mikita, PhD (she/her) as she engages with Comedienne Aurora Browne (she/her), infamously of Baroness Von Sketch, as they discuss sexual violence via observations about bikes and cars, Taylor Swift, and dirty jokes in comedic workplaces, among other fascinatingly connected things. Tune in for discussion about this and more...

About Aurora Browne

Best known most recently for her writing, acting, and co-creation of Baroness Von Sketch, Aurora Browne is one of Canada's busiest and most talented comediennes. A gifted actress, Browne brings years of theatre training to her comedic take on the world. Her performances are a mix of sunny charm and dark, twisted humour. Her commitment to her unique characters results in what Eye Weekly called, "absurd verisimilitude." Whether she is playing a too-perfect mom or a sadistic princess, Browne takes her characters as far as they will go and then some. Loved by audiences and critics alike, Browne has also been nominated for numerous awards. In 2000, she was nominated for the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award. As part of the Second City troupe she won the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Sketch Troupe as well as Best Sketch Show, and individually she has been nominated for Best Female Improviser. Aurora is a Virgo. She enjoys long walks in the country, dirty jokes, and science fiction.

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THINK IT’S TOO RISKY TO MAKE JOKES ANYMORE?

Join us throughout Sexual Violence Awareness Month and explore comedy about sexual violence. We will consider how and why humour can connect or divide us, why being funny today matters, and how to make edgy jokes that land.

Join Sexual Violence Educator, Kiara Mikita, PhD and Stand-Up Comedian, Em Cooper Throughout May

Come learn and laugh with Sexual Violence Educator, Kiara Mikita, PhD (she/her) and Stand-Up Comedian, Em Cooper (they/them), as they explore the community-building, risk-taking, and cathartic laughter that comedy about sexual violence makes visible. Join them in challenging the popular misconception that increasing awareness about sexual violence means that “you can’t make jokes anymore.” Join Kiara and Em this month as they make clear that playful engagement, critical thinking, and being funny in interpersonal interactions can be inclusive–not mutually exclusive–acts.

Some of the media our facilitators might speak about are included in this Sample Media List that webinar participants are welcome to explore.

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Think Sexual Violence Awareness Month can't include humour? Think again!

It’s probably safe to assume that most of us have heard that there’s nothing funny about rape, and, therefore, by extension, there’s nothing funny about sexual violence. We agree. There is nothing funny about people sexually violating others.

So, why take up comedy about sexual violence?

The short answer is that we want to learn more about how and what we can do about sexual violence, together. Laughter is an expression and an experience that can bring us together. We think there is much to learn from the wisdom of other approaches and experiences that can deepen our work in preventing, intervening, and responding to sexual violence. Comedy can offer us new ways to look at the world, our work, and ourselves, and playfully lowers our guards in the process.

If you feel hesitation or anxiety about exploring jokes about sexual violence, please know that we take up this work with care, consideration, and resources to facilitate thoughtful and powerful learning opportunities for those who choose to share in this with us.