We can't, and shouldn't hold people, particularly comedians, to a standard of equally lampooning people and ideas.

in comedy •  2 years ago 

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When people attack comedians and comedy shows for being particularly mean, or even hateful or bigoted, between certain groups, you get a lot of good people, who are well intentioned, saying things like, "They offend everybody." or worse, "They offend everybody equally."

These statements clearly aren't factually true. Nobody makes fun of everybody, especially equally, nor should they. People joke about things that are culturally important and shocking. Of course you're gonna see more "Catholic priest and a young boy" or "Muslims blow shit up" jokes than jokes about Jains.

I think that "Equal opportunity offender." is the only solid version of this. "We won't make fun of you until you give us a reason; but, we're open to seeing a reason and pouncing on it."

The thing that not too many people seem to be addressing is that what the other side is asking for is some kind of comedic equity. After Charlie Hebdo, a lot of people were arguing that the paper was anti-Muslim due to how much more often they made fun of Muslims rather than, say, Jews.

Well, can't we just tell these people that they're stupid? Everybody has bias.

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