So, what happened to -Stand up comedy?-

[WiffingWaffles]

Maybe im out of the loop, but where did they all go?


i don't really see them, do the legends still do it?

Anyone got some links?

 

[Slightly]

They all do netflix speciaks now.

 

[Raggamuffin]

I'm glad Louis CK didn't get cancelled. If you navigate to his website there's 3 new specials that aren't available on Netflix.

Jim Jefferies and Bill Burr are other favourites of mine too.

Ed

 

[kenaij]

Woke people happened.
But seriously. There is so much backlash on so many jokes right now that most comedians either choose to go completely against it and go overboard. Or simply decide to quit.
I miss a lot of harsh jokes in general.

 

[Princess Viola]

People complain about how 'comedians are getting cancelled for telling jokes' and yet I've literally not once seen anyone give an actual concrete example of a comedian getting 'cancelled' and losing job opportunities over their jokes (or even their personal views in many cases).

Like Dave Chappelle has faced criticism for his anti-transgender views (including his 'I'm the victim here!' nonsense where he acts like calling him out for his transphobia is the same as calling him the n-word) and 'jokes' over the past few years and yet...he's still performing. He's still doing standup, still recording standup specials for Netflix, I mean the dude literally won a Grammy this year for the album version of the standup special that pretty much started this whole controversy.

Is that the cancel culture people complain about so much?

But really at the end of the day, while there is still plenty of good stand-up comedy around, I feel there's a lot of 'comedians' nowadays who basically just say stuff that they know is going to get backlash and then complain about people trying to cancel them when they get backlash over what they say during their routines. And of course, as it common with everyone who supposedly is 'cancelled', their complaints about being cancelled are reported on multiple news outlets and they actually face no consequences at all and continue to perform stand-up, get Netflix specials, etc.

 

[Misery]

We can laugh at ourselves and have fun, or get miffed and upset and complain about it.

Yeah, I'd agree with this.

Honestly I've seen plenty of trans jokes that were, frankly, hilarious (to me anyway). Same with autism jokes (and holy heck have I seen so many of those... if you like jokes about autism, the internet has you covered). Sometimes a joke is just a joke. And sometimes jokes are just darned funny. Or I'm just easily entertained, there's that possibility. Granted sometimes there are jokes that are not truly jokes and are malicious, but I feel like that happens less often than some people want everyone to think. Not EVERYONE is a bully, after all. (that being said, always be careful of your audience. Someone currently struggling badly with such a subject really aint the right audience for it...)

Most of the overblown "uproar" of the sort you may be thinking of is just... well, the source is often Twitter (and the rest of social media). And of course, Twitter (or whatever) users just blindly following their favorite irritation- er, I mean, influencer.

Frankly I tend to think that some of the ones (not all) who act oh-so-outraged on there dont ACTUALLY care, they merely pretend to. Gotta get them likes (particularly if likes lead to things like video views and thus ad revenue). And lets be real: Take away one source of "outrage" and Twitter/Facebook/social media overall would just point at something else and start screaming at that. That soapbox aint gonna stand on itself (and that ad revenue aint gonna flow).

Quite frankly, I cant stand them. All the more reason to avoid social media. So much quieter that way, and hey, everything smells better when you're not near it too.

And when straight up comedy is what you want, well: Youtube. Yes, I know, that's my answer and/or suggestion for everything, but still. Doesnt matter what it is, you'll find it on Youtube. Even if it gets some people up in arms, it'll still be there (as long as it doesnt break ToS or agitate the deranged god that is the Algorithm, of course). I actually tend to think that Youtube is, possibly, one of the reasons why stand-up comedy aint around so much anymore. It's just too easy to go get some quick laughs on there within seconds, regardless of your own personal sense of humor (that's my personal theory, anyway). If there's a thing you think is hilarious, you CAN find it on there. Just remember to use adblock. Nobody likes mid-joke ads.

As for myself though, personally was never a fan of stand-up (though I REALLY respect the skill and bravery of anyone willing to get on a stage! You'd never get me to do that, I'd just pass out or something).

I'd rather just go watch The Three Stooges or something. Physical comedy is more my thing (so long as nobody is ACTUALLY getting hurt). No, I dont know why.

I feel there's a lot of 'comedians' nowadays who basically just say stuff that they know is going to get backlash and then complain about people trying to cancel them when they get backlash over what they say during their routines. And of course, as it common with everyone who supposedly is 'cancelled', their complaints about being cancelled are reported on multiple news outlets and they actually face no consequences at all and continue to perform stand-up, get Netflix specials, etc.

Ya know, that makes me think of this:

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Looking back at our societies, from my perspective, the US, over the past 40-50 years, we've become a society of "butt-hurt", marginalized, victims that have allowed our feelings dictate our actions. We have never had so much identity politics, people "identifying" as this and that, overly sensitive, emotional reactions to bullies, people loosing their minds over what someone says, treating words as "violence", "cancel culture", boycotting, "trigger warnings", "safe spaces", etc. The irony of all of it is that we want to be "fair and inclusive", but the response to that is we've become hyper-sensitive to anything that is not, and so many love to wallow in their victimhood, then get pissed off when they don't get the attention they want. The "noisy minority" pushes the political agenda, the newsfeeds, the social media discussions, bullies their concerns over that of the majority, even to the point of wanting to control free speech, which then undermines Democracy and pushes us towards Authoritarianism. Make no mistake, the far Left and the far Right want to "control", even if it means authoritarianism to control the other side, ignoring the fact that same control will also control them. The amount of fear and anxiety in this world is quite disturbing to me, because even during the height of the Cold War, we were never as afraid as we are now. Frankly, looking back at where we were in terms of tolerance and where we are now, seriously, we've totally lost our minds, and our backbones. Back then, we at least had a foreign enemy to be concerned about, but now-a-days, it's coming from within our own society. A country divided will fall from within, and just before it actually falls, "a savior" will step up, "a patriot" that everyone will embrace, an authoritarian. Time and time again we've seen it happen. The younger generations that are pushing this really need to study world history. Regime changes can happen much quicker now due to social media platforms.

Having said that, stand-up comedians do have to "walk on eggshells". However, I do see some comedians being very aware of the importance for tolerance, to have a sense of humor about oneself, to allow free speech. If we loose comedy, we loose our society. I never would have thought that in the past, but comedy is sort of that "canary in the coal mine". Once comedy dies, it is pretty much eminent that it will be the end of us all. Comedians are, in a way, the unsung heroes.

 

[Forest Cat]

As for myself though, personally was never a fan of stand-up (though I REALLY respect the skill and bravery of anyone willing to get on a stage! You'd never get me to do that, I'd just pass out or something).

I have watched something on tv lately called "Live at the Apollo". British stand-up comedy. I laughed so hard my face hurt, nothing seems to be off-limits there, they make fun of everything.

 

[Forest Cat]

Looking back at our societies, from my perspective, the US, over the past 40-50 years, we've become a society of "butt-hurt", marginalized, victims that have allowed our feelings dictate our actions.

I'm deeply offended by that statement and I demand an apology.

 

[MNAus]

I have watched something on tv lately called "Live at the London Palladium". British stand-up comedy. I laughed so hard my face hurt, nothing seems to be off-limits there, they make fun of everything.

You might like Mock the Week (since finished). It's topical and about the news, but they have a wicked sense of humour.

EDIT: Also Would I Lie to You (UK version). razor sharp, leftfield and ridiculous

 

[Forest Cat]

You might like Mock the Week (since finished). It's topical and about the news, but they have a wicked sense of humour.

EDIT: Also Would I Lie to You (UK version). razor sharp, leftfield and ridiculous

Yeah I have watched "Would I Lie to You", it's hilarious. I got a new tv channel here recently called BBC Nordic, some good comedy on it.

 

[AdamG]

I'm deeply offended by that statement and I demand an apology.

Uh-oh, is @Neonatal RRT about to get cancelled?!?

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Uh-oh, is @Neonatal RRT about to get cancelled?!?

Some days, I'm just one little button push away from it,...

 

[WildCat]

What happened to sit down comedy?

 

[AdamG]

What happened to sit down comedy?

too many canned laugh tracks.

 

[Bolletje]

Afaik standup is still alive and well.

 

[eg3210]

Stand up is still great. And the idea of cancel culture is pretty silly if someone actually spends more then a few seconds thinking about it.
The idea that someone getting paid record setting amounts of money to have a special being boosted to larger audiences then anyone has ever had the opportunity to have before can say they are being cancelled is pretty stupid.

 

[Nervous Rex]

What happened to sit down comedy?

People couldn't stand it.