I don’t really care about super niche comedians who are based, I just think that generally speaking comedy is an insanely weaponized form of entertainment.
From my perspective this is pretty self-evident, just wondering if any of y’all have dug into this or disagree for whatever reason.
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Edgy memes and cringe humor have been used to rope young men into online alt-right stuff so I wouldn’t be surprised if standup comedians are the same.
I gotta agree. Those bastards smuggle right wing shit in innocuous jokes so that they can call people like me a hypocrite.
The people who listen to these reactionary fools have pathetic defenses for doing so.
I agree wholeheartedly with you and everyone else in the comments. In college, I studied under a philosophy professor who was Marxist, introduced me to Wittgenstein, Virno, a few others. He was investigating humor for a while. Because of him, I started to examine humor more deeply and reject a lot of shit I had felt was harmless in the past.
There is no such thing as “just a joke,” it always serves a purpose. So then, what purpose does a racist joke serve? To spread racism, to promote racism, to befriend a racist, to test out if a new acquaintance is a racist or cool with racism, etc. I don’t know where any of these are prosocial motives.
Commenting on one’s own experience as an oppressed minority is a different field of relation, but doing it for the entertainment of white folks and profiting from it? C’mon, you may have “gotten yours,” but at what cost?
Comedy is dead and comedians killed it.
100% to everything you wrote. If you can get someone to laugh at the misfortune of others you are dehumanizing that person in their eyes. and at it’s core liberalism and fascism are all about dehumanization.
I agree. I haven’t found any stand-up comedians who are explicitly Marxist (if you know of any good niche ones, please share); at best, they’re only very vaguely anti-capitalist, like George Carlin. Of course, the bourgeoisie doesn’t want to platform strong anti-capitalist sentiment in any form, so those comedians would have to publish their content independently
Alexei Sayle is a communist and was a pretty big comedian in the 80s and 90s in the UK. It totally went over my head when I was a kid but be interesting to watch it now.
Thanks, I’ll have a look
The problem with the anti-capitalist comedians I really only know Carlin and Trevor moore is that they are only allowed to be court jesters in the vein of Noam Chomsky. They can criticize the system in a broad way all they want but the moment they begin talking about alternatives they are killed (career or physically).
I think Whitest Kids U know and Monty python are the best vehicles for comedy that come close to being good critiques of capitalism.
lee camp could also be called a comedian in some sense, although that’s obviously not all it, it’s still sort of vaguely anti-capitalist, and the comedy part is usually pretty cringe imo
Yeah I’m not too familiar. Is his show any good?
it’s more palatable journalism for less educated people than either great journalism or great comedy. if you watch just about anything of his you’ll get the idea within 5-10 minutes probably
Lol gotcha. I probably won’t be checking it out but I won’t shit on it because that’s good for bringing more people to the left.
yeah i basically feel the same way, it is what it is and people don’t radicalize overnight usually
Interesting – I don’t remember any particular anti-capitalist sentiment in Monty Python’s stuff, but I haven’t watched it for quite a few years
They’re more “anti-ruling class” than anti-capitalist but their biting wit tends to cut through the lies of marketing with ease. The architect sketch is the best example. It was also Trevor Moore’s favorite sketch.
Nice, I’ll have to rewatch some episodes
My “favorite” aspect of Carlin’s legacy is how modern comedians use him to justify their own nonsense, grossly decontextualizing the quote about crossing the line and especially his later commentary on said chuds. Carlin himself wasn’t perfect on the subject, suggesting these folks had a right to be shitty but shouldn’t be, all the while still suggesting they’re not funny. But him saying that alone about them would be wonderful fodder to the contrary of those taking his name in vain and possibly devastating.
Carlin’s greatest opinion imo : comedy should pick on the powerful not the underdogs. It seems like literally all modern comedy is kick-down comedy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8yV8xUorQ8
Good vid. Carlin is def on that short list of comedians who used his platform to satirize capitalism and reactionary US culture.
Agree, there’s even a tendency for the US to popularize minorities who are willing to demonize their own group, because it gives license for white ppl to do the same. IE that chappelle story where the guy kept screaming the n-word at him as he was walking down the street. Or that one chinese american comedian a few years ago who pushed all the sinophobic tropes.
Its kinda sad that most comedians are so reactionary, because there’s so much worthwhile to satirize in late stage capitalism. Good comedy is apparently difficult to do, since they all figured out they can just yell slurs at their audience.
I have not watched comedy in years and I just went on youtube and there was that chinese american guy who said his mom married his dad to escape communist china… like wtf I don’t even know where to begin with that one.
Also I think that people who satirize capitalism just don’t get a platform. I think Trevor Moore is a good example of this. A great modern comedian and he dies from a “fal from his balcony”. I am very willing to believe conspiracy theories about that. Generally speaking Hollywood is a very violent place (sexually, emotionally, etc)
Trevor Moore rules, was really sad about his death.
“speaking comedy is an insanely weaponized form of entertainment”
Maybe I’m wrong but I think it’s a kind of halo effect. They tell some jokes, you find the person funny and likeable then you agree with the next thing they say. It’s especially problematic as a lot of comedians become more and more reactionary so they may have gained an audience before their bigotry started then ramp it up as they go.
The fans of these comedians will defend saying, “it’s just a joke”. I’m not sure exactly what this defense means. It seems they are suggesting you are not accountable for anything you say as long as you say it’s a joke.
I am starting to find comedy more and more sinister. It seems to be a way of spreading hate to a wide audience with impunity.
Exactly where I am as well. And I agree with everything you wrote.
Yes I agree ,also reactionarcy jokes arent even funny like race jokes which are all the same punchline.
I’m just waiting for the Joe Rogan podcast where he tries to socialize monarchism.
Well i heard people call mongol empire socalist
There is absolutely an angle that is played which portrays monarchs and feudalism as a benevolent system which results in the best results for the people. “a shepherd taking care of his flock” vibe