OPINION EDITOR – AARON COURTS; COPY EDITOR – ESTEBAN SERRANO
Chances are you have a favorite comedian, if not, maybe an actor who writes a lot of laughable material for the sole purpose of entertaining an audience. Oftentimes, people turn to comedic movies, TV shows, and certainly stand-up routines to escape a tough time in their life. There is little doubt that comedy has anchored its place in the entertainment industry, and for many, evolved into a culturally grounded experience and a way to oppose common stereotypes.
For example, comedians such as George Lopez or Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias point out some Hispanic stereotypes in their routine, filling rooms with laughter every time. George Lopez is famous for his Jack in the Box joke where he emphasizes that customers in the drive-through may have a hard time understanding the employee because of their strong Mexican accent her or she has. In some circles, however, this exact same joke is considered offensive. Many Hispanics attend his shows, but it’s possible that some people who fit within that stereotype might not find it funny at all. Jokes have always pushed the envelope and cracked jokes at others’ expense. However, there is an undeniable trend where comedians are being attacked, or canceled for the things they say.
A recent controversial event that took place on an international stage was at the Oscars. Comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith, which some say went too far. Although Rock has stated that the joke was more about a movie than Pinkett-Smith, the aftermath of the joke was a violent one. Footage shows Will Smith laughing at the joke until he looks at his wife, and realizes that she felt insulted., so proceeded to walk onto the stage and physically assault Rock with an open-handed slap across the face. Then he shouted at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f—— mouth,” shocking everyone in attendance.
The incident was shocking and confusing to many in the audience, and around the world. In a similar incident weeks later, comedian Dave Chappelle was performing in Los Angeles at a comedy festival when an audience member attacked him. Heckling isn’t new, or even that surprising. However, the level of intensity and immediate demand for cancellation seems to be the go-to criticism of late and leaves many fans of comedy bewildered. Do comedians have an obligation to change their actions because of a joke going too far? If comedy is helpful to some, then what makes a particular response to a joke more important than someone else’s response? More to the point, where is the line between censuring a comedian and censoring a comedian for their actions?
Professor George Kendall, St. Mary’s Drama Department Chair and English Literature and Language Instructor said, “Laughter is a great healing and coping mechanism. Multiple medical studies have shown that smiling and laughing have positive health benefits, both psychological and physically.” Collectively, he believes that the word ‘together’ plays a lot in that process. adding, “groups that laugh together and at themselves build tighter unity within their group.” He does believe, however, that there are topics that a comedian should avoid. When asked to elaborate, Kendall said, “Almost everything is a fair topic of humor and comedy. There are a few areas, such as the holocaust, that should never be addressed comically. One must know the audience, as certain content that is acceptable to some groups is offensive to others.”
However, Professor Kendall explains that comedians are not necessarily confined to hard lines. He references something that his favorite comedic writer once said in an interview, “according to Mel Brooks, comedy needs to shower people with grit which means sometimes stepping outside of the lines. The great comedy will approach the line, hover on the line, cross the line, then step back. Comedy needs to walk this thin line between civility and impropriety to be effective.” Students like senior electrical engineering major, Shea Spellman, couldn’t agree more in terms of where the line is drawn. “I believe that there is nothing off-limits to comedy. Comedy is a tool that shines a healthy light on many topics that are considered off-limits, from race to politics. Once you start censoring comedians on one topic, then nothing is okay for them to make jokes about. With that being said, there are ways comedians say things that are not okay, but that should be the issue, not the topic.” He believes in the cathartic nature of comedy and recognizes personal benefits. Spellman said, “It lightens the mood… [and] I find that if I’m not in a good mood, my whole body feels better and it’s scientifically proven that dopamine serves several purposes that help the body heal.”
The consensus on campus seems to suggest that when it comes to the use of comedy, pretty much anything goes. Like Professor Kendall explained, with few exceptions, a comedian may help identify the boundary of what is acceptable by finding the line, crossing over it and then quickly stepping back.