Used to be that comedy was an equalizer.
Comedy didn’t care if you were black, white, male, female, young or old.
You just needed to be funny.
But it ain’t like that no more.
Recently, I was denied a spot in a comedy show because the producer wanted “more women and ethnic diversity” in the lineup.
They already had a couple of white guys in the show.
And if you’ve seen one white, male comic, you’ve seen them all.
Right?
I feel a little bit sorry for people who think like this.
And I feel a whole lot of contempt for people who think like this.
I know how difficult it is to make an audience laugh.
I know the hours of work it requires to create just 5 minutes of quality comedy material.
I have respect for everyone who has conquered their fears, crafted their material, and brought a bit of joy to their fellow humans.
Comedy is SUPPOSED to be about laughter.
I am annoyed to learn I can’t have a turn at the microphone because I’m not a woman.
I would be annoyed to learn I was given a turn at the microphone just because I’m white (or male).
What matters is that I’m funny.
I’ve been asked, “Do you think female comedians are funny?”
I always respond, “Who do you mean?”
Comedians are individual people.
If you’re needing to hear comedy from a woman…you’re a bigot.
If you’re needing to hear comedy from a liberal millennial cross-dresser…you’re a bigot.
Whenever you pick comedians by stereotype…you’re a bigot.
And bigotry isn’t funny.
3 Responses
Bigots calling other people bigots: now THAT’S comedy!
But essentially, I agree. You can hardly call it progress when mediocre white male comedians are being replaced by mediocre black/brown/green-haired women comics, or trans comedians. Seinfeld might back you up on this one, too (though as a white, “privileged”comedian, some quarters of the industry would probably like to see him relegated to the scrapheap, as well.
So much for white male privilege. I too feel sorry for a comedy show that has to have quotas rather than good comedians. A show that doesn’t want you I don’t want to be at. I like funny comedians not the color of the comedian or the gender of the comedian.
I agree with you, Jeff. John is among my favorite comedians. To have him discriminated against, because he isn’t a woman/ transvestite / color other than white… is upsetting. I know what it’s like to be discriminated against because of sex. I wouldn’t wish the same experience upon anyone, particularly John.
I wonder whom they picked, because frankly I can’t think of a woman comedian I like as much, or more than, my favorite comedians who happen to be male.
So many of the female comedians I’ve seen don’t work clean. It’s very painful for me to see and hear a woman using swear words to get cheap laughs, just as I dislike and turn off programs with males who do the same.
I’m so sorry, John, that you’ve wrongfully been on the receiving end of a bigot’s wrong-headed thinking.
It’s all so petty and stupid.