Mikhail Bakhtin's concept of carnivalesque is largely one of licensed transgression (according to Terry Eagleton) as well as liberation and emancipation. It's a form of release from ideological, political and legal constraints.
Carnivalesque is often characterized by sacred parody, abusive language (especially directed toward God), grotesque realism, and masks and clown figures.
Though initially it may seem a stretch, and I suppose I could be missing the point entirely, but much of our modern forms of comedy seem to take after the carnivalesque strand. This idea of humorously and wildly pushing boundaries with purpose that this concept represents is very much apparent in Eddie Izzard's stand up bits.
Not only is he making light of integral traditions of the Christian faith, he is also known for rather course language, and there is even an element of a mask and costume with his attire and heavy makeup.
Laughter is most definitely an important part of carnivaleque ideologies, as we see in chapter one of Rabelais and His World. And even though we laugh nonchalantly at Eddie Izzard or any other comedian who references religion, or even our own faith, we laugh because we recognize truth in the individuals' words. That possible truth then, like much of what is considered "art," forces us to question our perceptions and realities.
http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/english/bbarrie/shakespeare/bakhtin_rab.html
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