Is Comedy Less Funny Lately? -

[ChurchOfGodBear]

I really think the quality of humor in this culture is declining. More and more I find it difficult to find genuinely funny movies, TV shows, or even stand-up comedy routines. At first I thought it was just selective memory on my part, but I'm now thinking that comedy in general has moved in a direction where being funny is optional. The goal now seems to be to get the viewer to nod and say "I see what you did there" rather than to emit this sound we call "laughter".

I'm not saying good comedy doesn't exist today. It does. But it's way harder to find than it should be.


Agree? If so, why do you think this is happening?

 

[CatParty]

 

[Frank D'arbo]

Relevant clip from Duckman

 

[Block Me]

It's happening alright. The majority of current comedians are left-wing, and the culture of panic and outrage that's bringing the left to its knees is forcing comedians to become stand-up therapists to an audience of frustrated liberals. Hannah Gadsby was applauded by the press for doing a Netflix special where she eschewed jokes in favor of teary-eyed anecdotes about her youth.

Gadsby is just the latest progressive giving up jokes. Comedians’ most celebrated moments these days are laughter-free. Jimmy Kimmel was praised for weeping through a monologue about healthcare policy. Kathy Griffin fainted during her stand-up set about blowback from her faux Trump beheading. “Saturday Night Live” highlighted a somber musical elegy to Hillary Clinton.

In a 2017 wrap-up, the New York Times enthused that “the most memorable moments of the year in comedy were not funny.”

This age of political buffoonery, media panic, and perpetual outrage is a comedy goldmine — right when many comedians are losing their sense of humor. As the left grows ever more dour, their political prospects will continue to fade. As will the laughter from an audience who could use a break from the anger and despair.

https://ricochet.com/535983/the-left-gives-up-on-comedy/

Professional comedy is a dying art form, and until comedians ditch the dreary woe-is-us progressivism and get a new sense of humor, comedy is most likely going to go back underground.

 

[Arkangel]

It's happening alright. The majority of current comedians are left-wing, and the culture of panic and outrage that's bringing the left to its knees is forcing comedians to become stand-up therapists to an audience of frustrated liberals. Hannah Gadsby was applauded by the press for doing a Netflix special where she eschewed jokes in favor of teary-eyed anecdotes about her youth.

Gadsby's special was a really good TED Talk.

 

[chalkoutline]

Comedy is dead.

 

[liliput]

Let's hope a renaissance of offensive, ball-busting comedians come through the woodwork, and gain befuddling popularity despite the chagrin of sensitive individuals. Comedy isn't dead, it just smells funny.

 

[ShittyRecolor]

I do feel like that lots of comedy shows play it too safe, not just in the sense that they're horrified of doing non-PC stuff (unless it's at the expense of evil whitey), but because they rely on safe, fashionable clichés without giving any real thought to what has made that cliché funny in the past, like lolsorandomness, cheap, unsubtle meta-humor or the oh-so-hilarious and zany let's-repeat-the-same-thing-slightly-differently-over-and-over-again routine (which is like 80% of the "jokes" in 2016's Ghostbusters). They just play it safe and take the easy route, which doesn't necessarily yield the best results. I also feel like many comedians lack the life experiences that would give their stuff that air of authenticity. Not everyone can make something funny by just the way they say it.

 

[CWCchange]

Comedians are still funny, just not their jokes. It's because they're all libtards who have more salt over Trump than the ocean. We know that.

 

[Draza]

Yeah it's pretty dead, i rarely watch Comedy Central unless for past comedy skits like the Office, South Park, Futurama,Chapelle Show, and That 70's show. Besides that, everyhting else is pretty boring.

 

[Vorhtbame]

Being funny requires that you be able to connect with people and present them something about which they can laugh. Modern "comedians" aren't interested in connecting with their audience or making them laugh; they're only interested in being famous and approved, and laughter is not allowed in this super serious age when Nazis lurk in every space.

 

[eldri]

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

 

[OhGoy]

if we're talking mainstream stuff, then yes

most of it, especially stand-up, has become more about pushing a political narrative and less about being funny... which hurts comedy for obvious reasons

that being said, we've still got norm macdonald and a whole supply of youtube channels that haven't fallen into this trap, so it's not all bad

 

[Black Waltz]

comedy these days is just "FUK BLONAL BOOF" so yeah

 

[Cyber Bowling]

I do feel like that lots of comedy shows play it too safe, not just in the sense that they're horrified of doing non-PC stuff (unless it's at the expense of evil whitey), but because they rely on safe, fashionable clichés without giving any real thought to what has made that cliché funny in the past, like lolsorandomness, cheap, unsubtle meta-humor or the oh-so-hilarious and zany let's-repeat-the-same-thing-slightly-differently-over-and-over-again routine (which is like 80% of the "jokes" in 2016's Ghostbusters). They just play it safe and take the easy route, which doesn't necessarily yield the best results. I also feel like many comedians lack the life experiences that would give their stuff that air of authenticity. Not everyone can make something funny by just the way they say it.

I think this sums it up well. I'm not going to pretend there isn't an issue with comedians being too PC/left leaning/whatever you want to call it, because that is very much a thing. But, I'd also argue anyone with that mindset isn't particularly funny to begin with. I think lack of originality has a lot to do with it. Like OP said, there are still funny comedians/movies/whatever, they're just harder to find, and I think it is specifically because we're in the age of a lot of people trying to mimic what they see someone else who is successful has done, without understanding why it worked. With comedy especially, that's a big deal because delivery and presentation are pretty key.

 

[ES 148]

surreal memes exist, what are you talking about

 

[Overcast]

Most of my comedy now comes from memes, certain Youtubers and this site.

Professional comedy is kinda dead to me now.

 

[Safir]

^ This.

What's funny is always unexpected. Humor must break social norms; it has to be always looking for a platform because breaking social norms is by definition not welcome. Funny comedians have to either work in the medium and with the art form that can reach the largest potential audience in the cheapest way or die in obscurity.

The mainstream stuff is not supposed to be actually funny. TV content has to please corporate partners / advertizers, standup acts have to fill the limited seats with the most expensive asses out there, and they have to provide the comfort of the safe and familiar tired old shit. On some level, it's an insurmountable philosophical problem - paying customers have to know what they're getting before they swipe their cards. You're not supposed to be surprised, you're supposed to recognize the cue and laugh. Like church for liberals: everyone chuckles, has an uplifting communal experience, and goes home feeling "nice".

 

[BeanBidan]

When it comes to media, Hong Kong gas some of the funniest wtfs in movies, The Midnight After is the best example of that.

 

[The Shadow]

Part of it is, mainstream comedy in the west is either "clappy humor" where it's not supposed to be funny but you're supposed to applaud the comic for being woke, it's terrible unscripted ad-libbing with Melissa McCarthy beating a joke to death like Bruce Willis on a Yellow Bastard, or it's one of those Judd Apatow switcheroos where the last 45 minutes of a 2 hour movie turns from comedy to drama.

Or it's cringey normie laugh track comedy, BAZINGA.