A serious discussion of what's funny... or not. How comedy has changed.

[acarli]

Yesterday, I watched a brief, curb-side youtube interview of Chris Kattan. In this video, he was asked about how comedy has changed. His response was something like " I couldn't get away with a lot of skits today what I did on SNL". It occurred to me he was right. Seems like we have become too sensitive. I remember Eddie Murphy, Richard Prior, and the most misogynistic Andrew Dice Clay for God's sake. I thought he was sort of funny, but even I cringed sometimes at his jokes. I don't cringe too easily.

I find it hard to imagine these comedians having the same success in this #Metoo movement. If the goofy cleanish Kattan thinks he could not do the same today, then I'm sure that 90% couldn't do it either. What does that say about us? Does that make us snowflakes or have we progressed? I think the most likely answer is somewhere in between.

These are the changes I have seen the most.

(1) Less misogyny: (I've used that term about 3 times in my life). I've seen that very few comedians make jokes about abuse towards women. I've got to be honest about this. I think that's a good thing. I never thought it was funny.

(2) More political: Most of the comedians and actors have a are hardcore democrats. There's a huge bias in pretty much all of the media.

(3) Racism. Less race-based jokes. Weird that no one had a problem with Robert Downy doing blackface in Tropic Thunder. I don't think it would fly today. There is, however, an increase in jokes about Florida. Maybe targetting cultures is still ok.

Not a blockbuster thread, but I thought I'd throw this out there.

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[OgNasty]

Steve Carell recently said he didn’t think The Office would work today for the same reasons. Dukes of Hazzard, Roseanne, & even The Simpson’s Apu are victims of this. One of my favorite stand up routines of all time, Eddie Murphy Delerious, would no way be allowed today. I wonder where it will stop, or if this is how “ASS The Movie” came to be in the movie Idiocracy.

https://brobible.com/culture/article/steve-carell-no-reboot-office/

[Vaccaria]

I think it is a good progress. I see it less as restricting people from expressing themselves. Instead, it could be signs of being aware how powerful words can be, both in (unintentionally) empowering/enforcing certain beliefs and how people can be hurt by the jokes. Personally, I am impressed and glad that there are still so much fun one can have without being a racist or misogynist.

(2) More political: Most of the comedians and actors have a are hardcore democrats. There's a huge bias in pretty much all of the media.

I agree with this too. Jokes are now more about pointing out how things lack common sense, and usually public event/announcements are what gets joked about.

Things that are still okay: Things that are seemingly stupid/lack of judgement, culture/lifestyle/habits, politics.

[o_e_l_e_o]

You remind me of this short sketch talking about political correctness and being offended:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHMoDt3nSHs&feature=youtu.be&t=213

He pretty much echos my feelings about the whole thing. Don't like what someone has to say? Then don't listen to them.

[acarli]

You remind me of this short sketch talking about political correctness and being offended:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHMoDt3nSHs&feature=youtu.be&t=213

He pretty much echos my feelings about the whole thing. Don't like what someone has to say? Then don't listen to them.

That was hysterical and totally on topic. Notice that was 8 years ago. Even more relevant now.

[JSRAW]

When talking about taking offense in everything. one Indian YouTube channel named " AIB (All India Bakchod) did a sketch where they manage to bring News anchor, Director, even politician for satire. there are a couple of insides jokes but overall you guys might wanna check this out. tells the story of other parts of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXpFlTR-UEY

Language is Hinglish ( Hindi + English) including subtitles.

[paxmao]

Let's talk about the elephant in the humour room: You can't be a female humorist unless you make at least 1 joke about your period per session. Race has been replaced with feminazism.

[suchmoon]

It never was - and arguably shouldn't be - easy to make a good "punch-down" joke so no surprise that some of those don't age well. Sometimes it's quite obvious (not seeing many jokes about people burning alive in their cars) and sometimes it takes time to test it (Dave Chapelle comes to mind as someone who probably won't be as funny 20 years from now).

I don't see a particular problem with this. We'll never run out of stupid shit to laugh about.

[Pmalek]

We get offended too easily. Humour and stand up is about pointing out the differences between people, cultures, religions and having a laugh about it. It is not meant to offend and why would you be offended. The only things that should not be joked about are natural disasters and acts against humanity like The Holocaust, murder, rape.
Nobody mentioned The Three Amigos, did you guys watch that? https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=three+amigos+stand+up

   

[LTU_btc]

I agree that now it's very easy to offend someone with jokes, people are too sensitive now. LGBT, feminists, immigrants - they are accepting jokes too seriously. Now comedians have to be careful with their jokes if they don't want to apology for what they said later.
I'm not saying that comedies, standups are bad now - there is just too much politcorrectness. But I prefer old jokes. You know - black humor is like a pair of legs - not everyone has it.

[Pmalek]

You know - black humor is like a pair of legs - not everyone has it.

I see what you did there 
When we are on the subject of seeing... I once donated a bit of money to a charity for blind people but it is to bad they won’t ever see a penny of it 

[bchain22]

My Question is about my favorite TV show The Office.. would it work today? I feel like the world has got so sensitive regarding all kinds of jokes about so many things.. and that makes me wonder if The Office type of show can exist today without people getting mad about something after every episode. I think people who have watched The Office know what I'm talking about. Are we going too far?

[soulcancer]

first of all...the state of comedy (in these orwellian days) is such that OP is, right now, at serious risk of having a raging social-media-mob relentlessly haranguing his employer and demanding that he starve you to death for even bringing such a thing up in a public place...second....it aint supposed to be this way...some have stated that "these things dont age well"...or some such thing...i disagree...what has changed is peoples tolerance for....well, any friggin thing....it seems that ppl are just chomping at the bit these days to be offended and pissed off about something...i think it is precipitated by the cultivation of a generation of ppl who seem mortally wounded by the lack of a trophy simply for rolling out of the rack as i reheat my lunch leftovers...ppl who, consequently, have absolutely nothing driving them forward in life...and, are therefore just dyyyyying to have a cause for which to martyr their useless lives on some snapface chatbook crap...i mean, jesus christ, its usually not even coming from the group that has been "maligned"....its always some well-to-do, morally-superior elitist trying to fulfill some sick sense of noblesse oblige...which in itself presupposes a lack of ability on the part of target group and is therefore more racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ad nauseum

[Pmalek]

We need humour in this bear market, who cares what the media or easily offended people think.



https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2447818065332646&id=198611770253298




https://www.facebook.com/punbasedhumor/photos/a.743768985773863/1265034190314004/?type=3&theater

[MULTIK888]

It seems to me that the jokes today are much less to Express the state of mind which is positive and fun atmosphere.
Now 50% of all subjects for humor - It's Humor below the belt and it is frankly beginning to annoy and enrage. Why is it necessary to joke about how someone tore his girlfriend or what his small penis...
I am ashamed of humorists who carry such nonsense from the stage in the presence of children and girls. There are many interesting topics only at the mention of which just begins to hurt the stomach. And the one who makes people laugh without profanity - I think today he is a true professional!!

[suchmoon]

It seems to me that the jokes today are much less to Express the state of mind which is positive and fun atmosphere.
Now 50% of all subjects for humor - It's Humor below the belt and it is frankly beginning to annoy and enrage. Why is it necessary to joke about how someone tore his girlfriend or what his small penis...
I am ashamed of humorists who carry such nonsense from the stage in the presence of children and girls. There are many interesting topics only at the mention of which just begins to hurt the stomach. And the one who makes people laugh without profanity - I think today he is a true professional!!

Is someone forcing you to listen to jokes you don't like? Sounds like you're in a completely voluntary situation (you mentioned a stage). I can see how that could be a problem e.g. in a workplace or somewhere else where you don't have a choice but other than that - just ignore it. "Children and girls" appreciate your concern but they'll be fine.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

I think it is a good progress.

Oh hell no, it's not progress when you can't write jokes about something for fear of offending people.

Men and women are extremely different, which is something that this new wave of feminism seems to want to ignore.  I'd love to hear jokes about the #metoo movement and any other thing that would offend me.  I love racist jokes.  I love jokes about white people, fat people, crippled people, jokes about afflictions or characteristics I have.

Political correctness has gone WAY too far, and I hate to say this but the election of Donald Trump just pushed people right over the edge--for a lot of reasons that I don't feel like typing because I've spend all day masturbating to the Enumclaw Horsefucking video and my fingers are fatigued.  Mr. Hands did a fantastic job in that, by the way and the rodwork by the horse was outstanding.⁽¹⁾

This is going to pass.  This won't be the new norm.  I'm hoping this to be the case, anyway.  If you can't tell dirty/filthy/sick jokes professionally to people who have the choice to not tune in or show up to hear them, this world just might have sailed through some sort of morality wormhole. 

(1) It's a joke, son.

[suchmoon]

This is going to pass.  This won't be the new norm.  I'm hoping this to be the case, anyway.  If you can't tell dirty/filthy/sick jokes professionally to people who have the choice to not tune in or show up to hear them, this world just might have sailed through some sort of morality wormhole. 

There were always different jokes for different audiences. I blame the interwebtubes for the incessant complaining about shit that doesn't concern the complainant in the slightest. Somebody tweetgrams something somewhere and now everyone feels obligated to have an opinion. And it tends to be an outraged opinion, probably because we're not going out as much and not getting into each other's faces at the old-school Tinder AKA the bar.

So in general I don't think this needs to "pass", we just need to re-learn how to deal with things around us that are now more 24/7 than ever before. Try to be less outraged about jokes, less outraged about people outraged about jokes, etc.

[Pmalek]

I am just gonna throw this one out there. Do you know who sent me this joke?
A black guy from Barbados that my cousin is dating. We both thought this was hilarious.



My cousin has been going out with this dude for about 9 months. He is about 5-6 years older than me and calls me 'cracker' or 'son'. The guy has no problems with race, religion, his skin colour and you know why? Because his heart is in the right place and he sees the same in me and my family. What I am trying to say is there is a big difference joking about these things for the fun of it and actually saying them in order to hurt someone based on skin colour, religion, etc. People and cultures are different and comedians shouldn't be worried about pointing these things out and having a laugh about it.
We go out every time they are in town and it is usually him, his cousin (also black obviously) and me (white cracker ) or just the two of us and we are so different in everything. He talks in a different way, dresses differently, his hair is different, he walks differently, the food he prepares and eats is not like mine, he sits differently in bars and we joke about these things, we tell dirty jokes and even racist jokes and there is absolutely no tension there whatsoever because we are both confident with who we are and and have no problems with one another i think that is what it is all about. 

[Spendulus]

....

This is going to pass.  This won't be the new norm.  I'm hoping this to be the case, anyway.  If you can't tell dirty/filthy/sick jokes professionally to people who have the choice to not tune in or show up to hear them, this world just might have sailed through some sort of morality wormhole.  .....

For several decades I check the Improv and other comedy clubs in Vegas about twice a year. One after another acceptable areas for comedy have been destroyed.

Now these clubs operate in casinos, and I suspect that the problem is that if they offend ANYBODY, then lawsuits.

But it is what it is.

As far as films, try producing Blazing Saddles today.