My surname makes people laugh – so I turned it into a research communication tool

Surnames shape our identity. They can be a point of reflection, especially if the surname is rare, has a unique meaning, or holds special sentimental value. They often spark curiosity about family history or the need to carry on a legacy.

I have what many might think is an unfortunate or embarrassing surname – Mycock. It has powerfully shaped my personal and professional life. Having my surname is a daily trial, eliciting a range of responses from suppressed to open laughter and unsolicited comments. But I am also aware of the joy my surname brings and how it can break down barriers when meeting people. This has opened up space for me to consider the potential of comedy as a form of research communication.

The Mycock surname originates from the rural communities around the market town of Buxton in Derbyshire. There, it is relatively common and stimulates little comment. When I left this refuge to go to university in Salford during the mid-1990s, my life changed. The daily tribulations of having this unfortunate surname led me to avoid using it in public whenever possible.

Gaining a doctorate opened a new strand of jokes – being Dr Mycock has not been easy. I rarely wear conference badges and avoid using my name on PowerPoint title slides. My students have taken delight in being lectured by Mycock, and shown great creativity in citing my research in their essays.

About two years ago I began doing comedy shows about living with my surname, largely in response to suggestions from friends and work colleagues. These shows have proven far more successful than I ever could have envisaged. I have sold out gigs across the north-west of England and Scotland over the past couple of years.

I deliver my shows like a lecture (in the style of comedian Dave Gorman), using my teaching experience to mix comedy with educational content in an engaging way.

Comedy as research communication

My experience as an academic researcher has allowed me to explore not only the origins and importance of surnames, but also why people laugh at my surname. This includes a consideration of how the phallus has grown as an increasingly resonant symbol of protest in democratic politics, particularly at the ballot box. Research in the US also indicates that anxieties about penis length and perceptions of masculinity appear to correlate with voter choice.

I’ve also drawn on research to explore the effect of having an unfortunate surname including on self-esteem, anxiety, job interview and career chances, meeting a partner and even a greater likelihood to commit crime.

In the show, I also discuss the travails of having an unfortunate surname in the digital world. I explore research on the so-called Scunthorpe problem, whereby automated internet content filters mistakenly block innocent words, emails, or usernames because they contain a sequence of letters that match a prohibited profanity.

To my surprise, I have also been commissioned to make a programme for the BBC Radio 4 Illuminated series called Andy Mycock: Named, Unashamed. It explores my journey to coming to love my surname and engagement with the broader community of the unfortunately named. This has been a deeply rewarding experience. I worked closely with my producer Olivia Swift to develop the script and content for a non-academic audience. It has drawn strongly on my experience of engagement with different forms of broadcast media over the past two decades and also encouraged me to adapt my often too-academic style of presentation.

I am by no means the first to recognise the potential of comedy to help researchers build novel connections with the public. The Bright Club, established by UCL, has run comedy nights since 2009 where staff and students perform short sets about aspects of their research or teaching.

The Science Showoff brings together researchers and comedians to host comedy nights in London and is staging the UK Science Comedy Festival in July this year. In Scotland, The Provocateurs are a group of academics and university public engagement professionals who host comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe festival and elsewhere to promote research through comedy.

Humour – when appropriate – has the potential to enrich the educational experience for students and reach public audiences in novel and engaging ways. Gaining experience of using comedy to engage with the public has encouraged me to reflect on the utility of the academic skills and experiences I have accrued as an educator and a researcher over the past 25 years of my career. They have provided a solid basis to further develop my approach to public engagement as an academic and open up new avenues which connect my personal and professional life.

Comedy has also allowed me to come to like my surname; it brings some light-relief in an increasingly dark world. I no longer see it as unfortunate but now realise that it has allowed me to build unique connections with students and colleagues across academia and beyond. No one forgets when they met Dr Mycock.

Andrew Mycock does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.