Authors: Arina Das
Abstract: In today’s digital ecosystem, memes have become influential toolsIof communication, especially in the realm of celebrity culture. While their humour and virality attract widespread engagement, this study investigates how such content can distort, simplify, or even erase factual understanding. Focusing on a three month period (October to December 2024), the research examines high engagement celebrity memes on Instagram and Facebook using a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework. By analyzing both the visual textual elements of the memes and audience responses in comment sections, the study uncovers how humour frequently overshadows truth, reducing complex public narratives to easily consumable jokes. Findings reveal recurring patterns of objectification, ageism, slut shaming, and misinformation, often masked as harmless entertainment. Audience engagement further reinforces these distorted portrayals, indicating a cultural shift where emotional appeal takes precedence over informed discourse. The research also highlights how platform algorithms favour humorous, sensational content, amplifying its reach regardless of its accuracy or ethical implications. While humour can be powerful medium for critique and resistance, its overuse, particularly when misapplied, poses significant risks to public understanding. This study emphasizes the urgent need for critical media literacy and ethical content creation in order to preserve the integrity of information in an era whereIhumour increasingly dominates digital storytelling.
