The Type of Jokes You Don't Tell

I laugh the hardest at jokes that are intended to offend. A comedian doing a good accent is funny. Russell Peters has a great Chinese accent. But undoubtedly, his jokes are stereotypical.

Some people don't like stereotypical jokes that target certain cultural or demographics. Protestors expressed their condemnation of Dave Chappelle because his jokes about a protected minority offended them. The most common rationale for criticising a comedian's stereotypical joke is that the telling of the joke was a mere guise to mask the joke teller's ulterior motive to push a twisted or bigoted belief. (I hate the word "bigot" because I think it is too often weaponized unjustifiably and incorrectly in order to denigrate some person or group. But I think it's appropriate here.)

While I suppose jokes can be motivated by a desire to bring harm to those they surround, I feel that when told right, a joke is not intended to hurt but purely to make others laugh. Has there ever been a speaker that was motivated by hate who was capable of uniting an entire audience for his/her cause? Oh yeah, Hitler. Nevermind.

Norm Macdonald criticized Alec Baldwin's parody of Donald Trump because of Baldwin's resentment for Trump--how could Baldwin as a comedian to do justice to the character of Trump if he feels distaste toward the character he is supposed to parody? I feel Norm's point may be true. Perhaps parodies are funnier if those playing the actor can empathize with the individual they parody.

I have a feeling that it's tough for good comedians to fake their acts. If they told a joke they didn't think was funny or avoided one-liners true to their character out of fear of retaliation, an uneasiness would hamper their quick wit and joke delivery.  If they come on stage in a bad mood, feeling hurt or angry or alienated from the audience, people would be less likely to trust the comedian and thus laugh less. Aggression and malice have no place in jokes; these emotions displace lightheartedness, security, and comfort, detracting from what is the real purpose of comedy--to connect with an audience and make those in the audience laugh.

If somebody laughs at your jokes, it is an indication that the individual trusts you and feels a sense of warm admiration towards you. I don't find myself laughing at the jokes of a person I don't like. On an appearance on the TV Show Conan, Nikki Glaser described a good joke-teller as a individual who has earned the respect and trust of those around them. I think this is a great point.

I listened to one of Jimmy Yang's comedy videos. I didn't like it. I don't like Amy Schumer's jokes either--listening to one of her jokes comparing men and women, I found it hard to believe that she herself found her subject matter comedic. I felt distrustful of her, since I thought that she was venting a deep-seated anger or defensively compensating for a painful insecurity rather than confidently enjoying the inherent comedy in the situation she was describing. If she can't laugh at her own troubles, indignance, and insecurities, how can she relieve any individual in the audience of his or her own? Now, this is my opinion. Maybe people feel the same way towards Dave Chappelle.

On the other hand, I notice that I trust all the comedians I enjoy to be honest about their motives and what they find funny. I also trust comedians that I don't find funny, such as George Lopez. But if I don't trust a comedian, I don't think I can find him or her funny.

In both cases, though, the key realization I made regarding the relationship between comedians and people is the role of trust and a willingness from the comedian to remain lighthearted and expose themselves. Aside from good jokes, I think this factor endears a comedian to an audience and makes him or her a successful performer.