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Good comedy was always uncomfortable. Saying something everyone was thinking but may be taboo. Comedy shines a light on a dark truth. Being uncomfortable isn't

by ipaddr 5y ago

Good comedy was always uncomfortable. Saying something everyone was thinking but may be taboo. Comedy shines a light on a dark truth. Being uncomfortable isn't acceptable in 2021.

SamoyedFurFluff 5y ago
Good comedy has to be funny— that’s all good comedy has to do. It’s not that deep. If it makes you uncomfortable that’s a side thing, but first and foremost good comedy is funny. I read the post as saying that the jokes weren’t funny anymore in the context of why in-jokes with my pals aren’t funny to a total stranger.
- moate 5y ago
  This is something I think a lot of people fail to understand about comedy: As long as it's funny, it's good. That's it. Doesn't matter how offensive, dirty, clean, esoteric, or even "obvious" the joke is. As long as it's funny, it's a good joke. I think a lot of big name comics think they're "owed" the laughs, and some people think that their personal taste is the only comedy. It's all subjective, but if you get the laugh, that's the only thing that matters in comedy.
  - owlninja 5y ago
    I enjoy watching Seinfeld's "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" to really understand what makes a comic, and you pretty much described what they all say. They just are trying to get a laugh 24x7. They all have different styles but the goal is the same. It really made me appreciate different types of comedians and that most of the successful ones really have a love for their craft.
    - gfdsagwgrg 5y ago
      > you pretty much described what they all say Not true. Ricky Gervais makes the case that making animal jokes (e.g. where you tell a funny story, but the characters are animals having people-like problems) is too easy and so doesn't count as much. (Actually, I'm not sure he said this on Comedians in Cars, or in a different show) Maybe comedians are people too and have varied points of view on comedy gasp
follower 5y ago
Speaking of comedy: the only people to whom being uncomfortable isn't acceptable in 2021 is...cis het white men. There's a difference between feeling uncomfortable because someone is being misogynistic & feeling uncomfortable because of the realisation that--regardless of specifics of personal situation--anyone in that demographic benefits from systems of oppression. You're reading this in part because not everyone in your life told you that you should seek an interest outside of technology & entrepreneurship to which you would be "better suited". Disclaimer: Have stood on a stage with a microphone and made a paying audience laugh.
- throwawaylinux 5y ago
  I'm trying to understand what all this means or what we can do with it. Are you saying that nobody who is not a straight, not trans, white, male considers being uncomfortable to be unacceptable? What data are you using to support this claim?
ketzo 5y ago
I'm sorry to sound antagonistic, but that is a deeply lazy take. It is so incredibly disrespectful of your fellow human to assume that "uncomfortable = illegitimate" by default, which is absolutely what your comment does. Seinfeld absolutely has a lot of pretty blatantly sexist humor that would, sure, not be acceptable on TV today, but was also shitty, then. We just didn't do a particularly job of caring about it. > Being uncomfortable isn't acceptable in 2021. Says who? Watch Squid Game. Watch Parasite. Watch... I dunno, Big Mouth. These are just random things that come to mind, but they're huge, mainstream pieces of media that are actively challenging to watch and use that uncomfortable feeling to an end, without punching down.
- ipaddr 5y ago
  At what point did you feel uncomfortable during squid game or parasite? His relative was selfish and some mild gore. Has a thriller / horror pace. But I never felt uncomfortable or questioned my humanity or my choices. If those are the examples you have to offer you make my point stronger. Where is the 2021 crying game? Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones made people uncomfortable in 2021. Have you seen it, most popular comedy standup special on netflix? Do you consider it as shitty of Seinfeld?

by ipaddr 5y ago

Good comedy was always uncomfortable. Saying something everyone was thinking but may be taboo. Comedy shines a light on a dark truth. Being uncomfortable isn't acceptable in 2021.

SamoyedFurFluff 5y ago

Good comedy has to be funny— that’s all good comedy has to do. It’s not that deep. If it makes you uncomfortable that’s a side thing, but first and foremost good comedy is funny. I read the post as saying that the jokes weren’t funny anymore in the context of why in-jokes with my pals aren’t funny to a total stranger.

moate 5y ago
This is something I think a lot of people fail to understand about comedy: As long as it's funny, it's good. That's it. Doesn't matter how offensive, dirty, clean, esoteric, or even "obvious" the joke is. As long as it's funny, it's a good joke. I think a lot of big name comics think they're "owed" the laughs, and some people think that their personal taste is the only comedy. It's all subjective, but if you get the laugh, that's the only thing that matters in comedy.
- owlninja 5y ago
  I enjoy watching Seinfeld's "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" to really understand what makes a comic, and you pretty much described what they all say. They just are trying to get a laugh 24x7. They all have different styles but the goal is the same. It really made me appreciate different types of comedians and that most of the successful ones really have a love for their craft.
  - gfdsagwgrg 5y ago
    > you pretty much described what they all say Not true. Ricky Gervais makes the case that making animal jokes (e.g. where you tell a funny story, but the characters are animals having people-like problems) is too easy and so doesn't count as much. (Actually, I'm not sure he said this on Comedians in Cars, or in a different show) Maybe comedians are people too and have varied points of view on comedy gasp

follower 5y ago

Speaking of comedy: the only people to whom being uncomfortable isn't acceptable in 2021 is...cis het white men. There's a difference between feeling uncomfortable because someone is being misogynistic & feeling uncomfortable because of the realisation that--regardless of specifics of personal situation--anyone in that demographic benefits from systems of oppression. You're reading this in part because not everyone in your life told you that you should seek an interest outside of technology & entrepreneurship to which you would be "better suited". Disclaimer: Have stood on a stage with a microphone and made a paying audience laugh.

throwawaylinux 5y ago
I'm trying to understand what all this means or what we can do with it. Are you saying that nobody who is not a straight, not trans, white, male considers being uncomfortable to be unacceptable? What data are you using to support this claim?

ketzo 5y ago

I'm sorry to sound antagonistic, but that is a deeply lazy take. It is so incredibly disrespectful of your fellow human to assume that "uncomfortable = illegitimate" by default, which is absolutely what your comment does. Seinfeld absolutely has a lot of pretty blatantly sexist humor that would, sure, not be acceptable on TV today, but was also shitty, then. We just didn't do a particularly job of caring about it. > Being uncomfortable isn't acceptable in 2021. Says who? Watch Squid Game. Watch Parasite. Watch... I dunno, Big Mouth. These are just random things that come to mind, but they're huge, mainstream pieces of media that are actively challenging to watch and use that uncomfortable feeling to an end, without punching down.

ipaddr 5y ago
At what point did you feel uncomfortable during squid game or parasite? His relative was selfish and some mild gore. Has a thriller / horror pace. But I never felt uncomfortable or questioned my humanity or my choices. If those are the examples you have to offer you make my point stronger. Where is the 2021 crying game? Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones made people uncomfortable in 2021. Have you seen it, most popular comedy standup special on netflix? Do you consider it as shitty of Seinfeld?