Who Gets The Last Laugh

[Roobaba]

Maureen Lipman: Cancel culture could wipe out comedy
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-59703257

So who gets the last laugh?

[dave50]

The woke brigade have no sense of humour that doesn't involve left wing political comment. I bet they are a right boring miserable bunch down the pub.

[sp1814]

The idea that cancel culture could impact comedy is (ironically) laughable.

If you think about some of the biggest comedies over the past few years - they succeed because they they're flipping hilarious (IMO) despite being fundamentally shocking. Furthermore they could NEVER have been shown in the past due to the cancel cultural that existed then (Mary Whitehouse - the Queen of Cancel Culture who operated in the 60s and 70s).

For instance:

Veep
The Thick of It
Hunderby
Nighty Night
American Dad
Dear Joan & Jericha
Family Guy
Fleabag
Camping
Chewing Gum

[sp1814]

And the stand-up circuit seems to be doing very well with act like Jose Widdecombe, Dara O'Briain, Kevin Bridges, Wanda Sykes, Deon Cole, Adam Hills and Sarah Millican filling out theatres and arenas.

If you believe in cancel culture then rather than killing comedy, it's created an environment where comedy is actually thriving. I was at the Edinburgh Festival in 2019 and didn't notice any of the acts I saw constrained in any way.

Also - with comedy cancel culture doesn't really work. Comedy is based on ticket sales. You cannot cancel someone who holds divisive views if they're popular cf: Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Miriam Margolyes and Ricky Gervais.

[Spicerack]

//You cannot cancel someone who holds divisive views if they're popular//
Wanna bet.

[sp1814]

Spicerack

'Cancel culture' absolutely is not going to wipe out comedy.

I disagree with what Ms Lipman has said - I'm a massive consumer of comedy and I think we're living in a golden age,

[Maydup]

I must be a bit Woke. There I've said it! Only I'm pleased to see the back of the dated comedy that was offensive then and still is now.
The comedy circuit today seems to be alive and thriving so anything that's died out or cancelled is best forgotten.

[naomi24]

Ahh, there’s the offending word. ‘Offensive’ - the word that heralded cancel culture. Well, offended or not I’m with Stephen Fry who said ‘You’re offended? So *** what’ …. or words to that effect.

Someone should tell Maureen Lipman SP says she’s wrong. She’s only been in the business about 50 years so what would she know?

[sp1814]

naomi24

I disagree with Ms Lipman's opinion as a consumer of alot of comedy. Out of the programmes and stand-ups I've listed wouldn't you say that comedy is in fine health?

The shows I've listed absolutely could not have been shown in the 70s, 80s or even 90s. They would've been deemed 'offensive' then.

I think comedy still has the power to shock and appall.

Especially anything created by Julia Davis (comedy genius).

[sp1814]

I think we've seen this before...in the late 80s when there was a seismic shift in attitudes when alternative comedy grew popular with the young.

I remember at the time almost overnight comics that I grew up were suddenly nowhere to be seen an d attention moved to Rik Mayall, French & Saunders, Alexei Sayle, the Comic Relief, Comedy Store etc etc etc...

And I remember at the time people claiming that "this isn't comedy - it's just left wing shouting....it's going to kill comedy".

Perhaps we're going through another shift?

[Mozz71]

Comedy thrives on being offensive, whether it's classic routines of folk like Bill Hicks or George Carlin, or modern comedians like Frankie Boyle, Jimmy Carr or Dave Chappelle. If you go to a comedy club and get offended, they're doing their jobs right.

People need to remember that 9 times out of 10, a stand up's persona is an act, and doesn't represent their true personality. Look at someone like Al Murray: in real life, he's as far away from The Pub Landlord as you can imagine. Wokism will not "kill" comedy, but it's a good thing to try anf blame on it.

[sp1814]

I forgot one...

Curb Your Enthusiasm.

This programme is the world's best retort that cancel culture and 'woke' are killing comedy.

Watch the episode with the 'beloved aunt' or the fake Jewish lawyer for proof.

Or the paedophopile jokes in Family Guy for that matter.

Mozz71 is correct.

I read once that comedy doesn't work unless you're offending someone...I agreed with that until I saw Jim Gaffigan who is hilarious even though he's famous for not swearing and staying away from controversial subjects.

He's like Michael McIntyre, but funny.

[Spicerack]

Same old, same old.
The faux left wing love things like Cancel Culture where they decide what we can/can't watch.
Normal people know that choice/freedom is better.

[sp1814]

Two thirds of Britons don’t know what “cancel culture” is, including one in three who have literally never heard of it

Heard of it, know what it means – 35%
Heard of it, not completely sure – 18%
Heard of it, no idea – 9%
Never heard of it – 38%

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/12/22/cancel-culture-what-views-are-britons-afraid-expre?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=website_article&utm_campaign=cancel_culture

[sp1814]

Spicerack

But of those programmes I’ve listed - all of which are EXTREMELY ‘offensive’ - which don’t you watch, and why?

[Spicerack]

Sarah Silverman is the latest one 'in the sights'. Who'd have thought.

[sp1814]

Spicerack

And are you old enough to remember the alternative comedy movement?

Do you think that this might simply be a repeat of what happened then?

Comedy moving towards the tastes of those who go out and support it?

Divisive comedians can and do work but the bulk of comedy audiences are 18 - 40. If they don’t like a comedian, they’re simply not going to shell out for them.

If they don’t see them live, you won’t see them on telly.

[naomi24]

I remember a family member, a French lady, being so incensed by ‘Allo ‘Allo and its portrayal of the French, she failed entirely to notice that every other nationality involved was being sent up too and in equal measure. That’s what happens when people look for offence.

[Spicerack]

You can be offensive alright.
As long as you're punching down at the approved victims.
Dare to step out of line and all but the very biggest will disappear in a heartbeat.

[naomi24]

Exactly so, spice.

[sp1814]

Ahhh...I think I see what you mean now.

The problem is the lack of jokes about thick Irishmen, tight Scots, lazy blacks, dodgy Jews, horrible mother-in-laws etc.

Those days are very much gone now. In fact, I think that comedy may have been killed off in the late 80s by the aforementioned alternative comedy movement.

But remember - there was cancel culture back in the 70s (Viewers and Listeners Association) - comedy thrived then and I think it will thrive now.