In the general sense, I agree: no topic should be off limits to comedy. You should be able to tell jokes about whatever floats your comedic boat. The best comedy enlightens us and help us understand things at a deeper level than we might be able on our own. I don’t think anyone really wants to place limits on what comedy means to our culture.
The problem is most of the people proudly declaring their belief in comedy without limits are just being assholes about it. They don’t have anything to say about race or LGBT or sexual assault. They’re just sick of hearing the SJW’s talk about those issues. A well-timed bit of shocking or offensive comedy can be a good time, but most of them just like getting a rise out of somebody by way of saying the n-word.
Which is bad enough on its own. It’s boring, and more than a little childish. Even if you’re super charitable and assume there’s no actual hate/it’s all about the jokes, the result is making life a little worse for people who are already struggling. Like the social justice warriors say, comedy should always punch up. These shock comedians who love punching down always end up looking like hateful little babies.
Take this ridiculous poster for Nick DiPaolo’s new comedy show…
It’s hard to believe that poster is for a 57 year-old man’s special and not some edgelord bullshit from a 14 year-old’s Youtube channel. Too dangerous! Too honest! Everybody knows the best way to tell how hardcore someone is by freely they flip the bird. He doesn’t see any of the people he appropriated for his poster as victims. They’re just snowflakes making it difficult for him to live a life with zero reflection about his behavior.
On his Facebook page, DiPaolo is trying to paint himself as a free speech warrior. Because Netflix and Comedy Central told him there’s no money in this right wing pity party he’s throwing himself, it must be because he’s being censored. Never mind the very fact he’s able to self-publish his special to the internet means his speech is just as free as everybody else. He’s just mad his low-rent Archie Bunker routine isn’t earning the big bucks. It’s censorship because he wants a Netflix special, too.
What’s worse about these dipshits is they think their free speech means the rest of us have to shut up and take whatever they say. They think their right to tell a joke precludes the rest of the world’s right to have an opinion. They try to make careers out of telling shocking or offensive jokes, but are shocked when they actually offend someone. They want to be able to offend without consequence. They want free speech for themselves, and no one else.
So, you can joke about whatever you want. Nothing is sacred, but nothing is easy either. Some topics just carry a greater risk than others. If you’ve want to tell jokes about something the rest of the world has labeled “hot button,” don’t be shocked when the rest of the world gets mad about you pushing it.
A HORSE WITH A PENIS METAPHOR ON ITS HEAD 