Has comedy really been stifled by "woke"?

HomerJS · Feb 2, 2024

I for one, love a good racist joke. In the proper context can be really funny. Right wingers have claimed "woke" has killed comedy. That left wing network NBC with that leftist show Saturday Night Live has been airing this bit on Weekend Update for a while. Colin Jost and Michael Che read each other's jokes live on live TV for the first time.

Here is one of the latest episodes and tell me if "woke" is killing comedy how has NBC managed to air this bit for a while?

Anther one

Fanatical Meat · Feb 2, 2024

I saw that clip it is fierce.

As a white guy, I love Chris Rocks old stuff. I am uncomfortable repeating it.

iRONic · Feb 2, 2024

Nah, it's still fine. It's an easy target for them since they're the butt of many of their jokes anyways.

Seth Myers has a similar bit called Jokes Seth Can't Tell. His black writer and lesbian writer tell the racist and homophobic jokes.

Perknose · Feb 2, 2024

I just re-watched Deadwood and I can tell you, they couldn't have made it today without sparking uproar and controversy. One small case in point, I can't even fully type the full name of one of the characters, the N*gger General Samuel Fields.

Exterous · Feb 2, 2024

Wokeness? It's probably more social media in general and how easy it is to direct hate at someone. We like comedy specials and go to a number of shows a year and it's pretty common these days to hear a comedian explain that a joke is actually just a joke. Or make reference to the hateful comments they get. A number of comedians have commented on how it's changing the profession and not really for the better. But that change is coming from really anyone who feels offended and I'm sure some comedians probably feel differently

Drach · Feb 2, 2024

Can't leave out this equal opportunity slap down.
Ty HomerJS for the extra laughs . 👍

Pens1566 · Feb 2, 2024

That ongoing Che/Jost bit on SNL weekend update is one of the funniest things I've seen recently. Reminds me of some of the stuff that Chappelle's Show did.

Also, that one in the OP with the guest ... she was an actor that Che brought on. Not a real person. Just that much funnier.

ivwshane · Feb 2, 2024

I’d say yes. Comedy, to me, has lost its edginess. Every “cringe” joke seems to need an explanation on why it’s just a joke or why the comedian doesn’t really think that way. Add to that some jokes seemed forced and cliched.

The comedians that seem to be doing well are the story teller types.

However the punchline type comedians seem like a dying breed. The last good comedian that did punchline type stuff was Anthony jeselnik and it’s been a couple of years since he’s put anything out.

But who knows it could just be me getting old.

I'dluv2 · Feb 2, 2024

Could Blazing Saddles be mad today? I don't think so.

Greenman · Feb 3, 2024

Take a look at the flack Dave Chappelle gets.
For reasons I don't understand, we seem to pander to the permanently offended.

MrSquished · Feb 3, 2024

Greenman said:
Take a look at the flack Dave Chappelle gets.
For reasons I don't understand, we seem to pander to the permanently offended.

The largest group of permanently offended people in this country are right wing snowflakes.

There is an overly PC part of the left wing, but they are an overall small part of the movement. Just very loud and the media loves to amplify them.

Literally the right wing base is offended by anything from beer, to many books, to Taylor Swift. It's bigly sad.

Indus · Feb 3, 2024

He's that guy..

Fanatical Meat · Feb 4, 2024

So this is sort of funny because in our times it’s not expected.
Yes I being a white man am uncomfortable posting it.

IronWing · Feb 4, 2024

I'dluv2 said:
Could Blazing Saddles be mad today? I don't think so.

It couldn't be made then. Mel Brooks made it anyway.

HomerJS · Feb 4, 2024

I'dluv2 said:
Could Blazing Saddles be mad today? I don't think so.

If SNL can do those skits a Blazing Saddles style comedy could be, if done right.

GodisanAtheist · Feb 4, 2024

There is always a comedy that "couldn't be made" when it was made, even though they aren't black listed and broadly enjoyed even today.

Everyone says "Tropic Thunder" couldn't be made today, even though it was made in a reasonably progressive environment and is still considered a hilarious movie that hasn't been review bombed to oblivion.

It's all about the *tone* of the comedy. The problem with conservative comedy is that it tends to punch down, there is a kind of meanness to it. Progressive comedy tends to punch up or bring up societal issues in a "safe" way.

Both Blazing Saddles and Tropic Thunder have strong race based comedy in them, but are not themselves racist movies because they're diminishing racism through humor, not elevating it.

HomerJS · Feb 4, 2024

GodisanAtheist said:
There is always a comedy that "couldn't be made" when it was made, even though they aren't black listed and broadly enjoyed even today.

Everyone says "Tropic Thunder" couldn't be made today, even though it was made in a reasonably progressive environment and is still considered a hilarious movie that hasn't been review bombed to oblivion.

It's all about the *tone* of the comedy. The problem with conservative comedy is that it tends to punch down, there is a kind of meanness to it. Progressive comedy tends to punch up or bring up societal issues in a "safe" way.

Both Blazing Saddles and Tropic Thunder have strong race based comedy in them, but are not themselves racist movies because they're diminishing racism through humor, not elevating it.

The 40 Year old Virgin - 2005. Plenty of racist jokes in that movie. It could be made today.

Conservatives are just looking for justification to be openly racist be claiming "woke" is killing comedy.

I put "woke" in quotes to indicate I'm using their version, not the real definition of woke.

brycejones · Feb 4, 2024

Greenman said:
Take a look at the flack Dave Chappelle gets.
For reasons I don't understand, we seem to pander to the permanently offended.

Irony

HomerJS · Feb 4, 2024

Here's a bit from around 2005. White comedian repeatedly using the n-word and it's really funny. You could do this same bit today. Somehow people on the right can't distinguish this from the time Michael Richards got in trouble repeatedly using that same n-word.

Good

Not so good. This is what conservatives really want to do. Trump has given then tacit permission because anti-woke

balloonshark · Feb 4, 2024

I grew up watching comedy on HBO. As long as the comedy isn't mean spirited I'm fine with most jokes. I don't like when a comedian wastes my time by tip-toeing around a joke because they are afraid of a few people. I also hate when they whine about wokeness. I've stopped watching in the middle of specials before. I don't watch comedy to hear them complain. I watch to laugh, improve my mood, relax and to extend my life by reducing stress.

IMHO Netflix is ruining comedy with their overpaid, mediocre comedy specials.

I really enjoy Dave Attell's - Road Work special. That is as far from woke as you can get.

ch33zw1z · Feb 5, 2024

Since woke is meaningless, I’ll have to say no

Thump553 · Feb 5, 2024

IronWing said:
It couldn't be made then. Mel Brooks made it anyway.

Dang, I was going to post the exact same thing.

BTW if you have only caught Blazing Saddles on a streaming service, you have probably only seen 3/4 of the movie.

cytg111 · Feb 5, 2024

You cant ask us this question. We're not the age demographic where this cancellation thing is a thing.

ch33zw1z · Feb 5, 2024

cytg111 said:
You cant ask us this question. We're not the age demographic where this cancellation thing is a thing.

Umm, yea we are, conservatives have been cancelling people and ideas for centuries upon centuries. They’ve squeezed society for so long that when people start to reject their ideology then they feel “canceled”, while simultaneously STILL canceling others. It’s projection all the way down.

mikeymikec · Feb 5, 2024

I think there's a really easy way to answer this question. Can one go on YouTube and find some stand-up comedians from say the last ten years who provide plenty of comedic entertainment?

As far as I am concerned, the answer is yes.

If for you the answer is no, then I'm inclined to ask what kind of material are you looking for.

If comedy was being stifled by the latest bogeyman (I'm personally filing this question under "kids these days don't respect their elders", "no-one wants to work any more" and "tech is killing our social culture", all of which are concerns that have been circulating for at least a hundred years), the effects would be obvious. Recycled comedic content - especially among up and coming comedians - used to be commonplace because it wasn't all over the Internet. If comedy was being stifled, then recycled and increasingly unfunny content would be all one could find.

Here are some examples I've watched lately that IMO were pretty funny:

Taylor Tomlinson - Self-Fulfilling Prophecy - YouTube

https://youtu.be/mia9RdDQ7LI?t=332 (only about a minute from the bookmarked time index)

Jimmy Carr - His Most Offensive Joke Ever

Jimmy Carr telling what is the most offensive joke he's ever written!

www.youtube.com

In case some killjoy thinks about responding with, "well, I didn't find those funny...", I honestly don't care.

Has comedy really been stifled by "woke"?

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