Sunday’s incident at the Oscars has led to another round of mopey think pieces about how “comedy is now dead”. Will Smith’s supposedly unscripted slap to the face of Chris Rock is being cited as a “death knell” for the art form–as comedians will now cower in fear of retribution for any slights perceived by members of their audiences.
But anyone who thinks that obviously doesn’t know the first thing about comedy. Behind storytelling, comedy is the second oldest form of human entertainment. You think our early ancestors didn’t get a laugh out of one of the pack falling out of a tree or smashing their thumb with a rock instead of cracking a nutshell open or at imitations of the goofy way some of the others ran? Heck, there is even some comic relief in Beowulf.
Throughout our history there are myriad examples of comedians facing harsh consequences for their art. Pharaohs, emperors, kings, popes, dictators, and even presidents have had those that have mocked them imprisoned or killed. Anything perceived as insulting toward a certain religious prophet will still bring murderous wrath against you today. Getting slapped in the face or having people with blue checkmarks next to their names on social media calling you names is nothing to worry about compared to those punishments.
Besides, the best comedy has always been the material that has been at or even slightly over “the line”. Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Richard Prior, Eddie Murphy and Dave Chappelle all could have had very successful careers doing safe jokes about lines at airports, restaurant buffets, and getting the plastic wrap off of CD jewel cases. But they chose to go places that made a lot of people uncomfortable. They chose to be “offensive”–and to take on those that they had been told were “off limits” for jokes. And not surprisingly, they are hailed as the ones that pushed the art form beyond what people thought it could be.
You know why freedom of speech is the very first individual right amended to the US Constitution? It’s because Ben Franklin used his pamphlets and newsletters as avenues to mock and pillory his political and social foes–including the King of England and colonial governors. Ol’ Ben knew the risk in allowing someone else to decide what would be “permitted” as comedy or satire.
Sure, some comedians are going to sulk and claim they are the victims of “cancel culture” and that they can’t book gigs anymore because “everyone is offended now”. But there will always be the Dave Chappelle, the Ricky Gervais, the Seth McFarlane, the Trey Stone and Matt Parker that will not be silenced–that will not be told what can and cannot be used for material. And they will still have an audience–because we are not all robots programmed to think one thing and one thing only. And they will inspire more comedians in the future who will not accept the idea that “some things are just off limits”. And comedy will survive.
Oh by the way, Chris Rock has a national tour coming up this summer-and I’m sure Will Smith has some blockbuster action film about to be released too. Suddenly, those are going to garner a lot more attention. What’s the key to great comedy? Timing.
