Parafictional Persona

The primary aim of my PhD research project is to explore how the concept of parafictional persona can be used to understand the phenomenon of comedian- performers appearing as ‘themselves’ in fictional media texts.

This paper makes the case that the 1950s sitcom represents the previously unacknowledged beginning of the tradition of parafiction in television, and traces its influence through to some of the most celebrated parafictional television shows of the modern era.

This paper applies the theory of parafictional persona to This Is the End (2012), positioning its ensemble cast as a key example of an increasingly common occurrence: actors and performers playing themselves in fictional media.