Do you believe there should be limits on comedy?

[Sibyl Vane]

If so, what topics should be off-limits? Who should be responsible for dictating what's offensive and what is not? What punishments, if any, the ones who cross the line should face? Are you a fan of dark humor?

 

[Fragile]

No, I really don't think that any form of comedy should have arbitrary restrictions.

The main reason is that I haven't seen the first convincing argument for the limits of comedy. And there are plenty for why it's extremely damaging to limit expression.

 

[ohhgeeitsme]

By principal, I will always stand up for artistic expression. If you find something offensive, don't watch/listen/read or give them your money.

 

[narval]

Absolutely not. Everyone has a own limit and you can't legislate about something so subjective.
As long as you literally don't harass or diffamate (REAL reportable things and not bruh i'm offended).

 

[waitingforrest]

If it's actually funny and you are laughing with the person. Otherwise it is just insulting and no longer is it a joke.

 

[Disappointered]

Also against censorship and for freedom of speech: just part of the reason I support Dieudonné as well as freedom on the internet. The world is headed to a very dark place and Dieudo was the canary in the coalmine.

 

[MindFrog]

No, suppressing free speech is an overreaction rather than a solution to what ill meaning jokes could do.

Even unrealistic, a well educated public is still way better. If people can separate just jokes from "dog whistles", they can call out the latter. Public backlash can do wonders if it's used for good.

Too bad cancel culture doesnt really work that way nowadays. But that's another can of worms.

 

[come to dust]

The problems is with no limits on comedy, is it's always the minority groups who get bullied, mocked and ridiculed again and again. Blacks, jews, gays, trans, etc. Nobody picks on the majority. It's never a level playing field.

That's why social justice based taboos exist.

 

[jamie_]

ye, james corden. no way should that man be allowed to be given a platform the insufferable cu-..

 

[Klophy]

No. Even though I may take offense to certain topics, humour was a part of what got me through my childhood.

A lot of dark humour, some were just insulting.

As long as you're not forcing it onto anybody, it's fine.

 

[picklemick]

I think maybe comics should give disclaimers as to what could be discussed content wise? But comedy off limits

 

[Nothingtoadd]

No

 

[nosurpries]

unless it is directly insighting violence, no.

however it is crucial to understand that there is a time and place for everything. fuck censorship but also, just don't be a dick, have common courtesy

 

[Disappointered]

Thank god for the all-powerful Cameroonian lobby. They know what's offensive - actionable even - and what's not. I'm so glad they run the entertainment industry.

 

[not-2-b-the-answer]

I think comedians have the right to make jokes about whatever they want. Some things I feel are too soon but it's not up to me to decide what they say. I can change the channel if I want. I don't go to comedy shows.
I love dark humor. I like clean and dirty humor, either can be funny to me. I love the suicide meme threads.
I don't like sitcoms when I know what the joke will be before they say it.

 

[Grav]

No there shouldn't be. If the jokes are bad enough people won't listen to them or see the comedian.

Rowan Atkinson says comics should make jokes about 'anything'

The Mr Bean star, 67, said the purpose of comedy was to 'have the potential to offend' and argued that humour is made to make someone look 'ridiculous'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Angi]

I think there should be a limit on the reach, more than on the content. If it follows the ridiculed person or group around it is not comedy, just throwing shit. (Think of bullying people on social media.) Anyone should be able to avoid the comedy they do not enjoy.

Also, ridiculing someone with less power than oneself is just pathetic, not comedy.

 

[nixdeath]

Usually the comedians who complain about limits of comedy are actually just unable to accept that they aren't very funny.

 

[JonL666]

The best comics are the ones who push boundaries, Bill hicks, Frankie Boyle, Tim minchin etc. The ones who use the platform they are given to challenge people's ideals

 

[Grav]

I understand there are jokes people don't like or are offended by but If we've learned anything from the past 3 years it's that having a "moderator" on life really isn't a good idea.

 

[TLEEA]

It only really matters to the extent of whether or not people accept the dark parts of dark humor. The point of humor is entertainment to relieve from stress. You can freely choose to ignore the stress that might come with it in some jokes.

 

[Lora_logphant]

The determination of what topics are off-limits and what content is considered offensive is a highly subjective matter, and it is not appropriate for any single entity to have the authority to dictate the boundaries of what is permissible... Also, the parameters of what is deemed offensive are constantly evolving and subject to change over time, so it is impossible to have a 'stable' law on this subject that can be applied without going crazy!

In my country there have been some cases of comedians condemned for their humor, and it seems dystopian to me...

 

[Viranamari]

Everyone has their own limits. Some can take more while some can take less. So if you want to make a dark joke, then you should know the limits. Maybe some topics are undesirable so they should be avoided at all costs. For instance, making fun of someone's death etc. I find dark humour good along as they have their limits. And I don't believe anyone should face any punishment for crossing the line. Sure they would be frowned upon but no punishment is needed. Maybe just tell the person that you didn't like the joke and are uncomfortable with it. But if they still don't listen then they should just be avoided. Some people are just unnegotiable and annoying and sadly there is nothing we can do about it. At least this is just my view.

 

[Touhou]

No, not at all. I'm a firm believer in the right to free speech.

 

[Disappointered]

There is an all-powerful lobby that has actually jailed people for making jokes about them that did not conform to the excepionalist double standard their mentally-ill belief system tells them they should impose mafia-style all over the world. Those who support that lobby are POS enemies of humanity.

 

[kushykush]

ehhh no. humor is subjective. what you may not find funny, someone else may.

 

[borderline-feline]

I don't think that any broad topic should be considered off-limits for comedy. That said, I do think that it's important that you construct the joke in a good way and tell it within a proper context so as to not ruffle any feathers.

Let's take rape jokes for example. I find them funny if they're well-written; I'm also a survivor of child sexual abuse. I make jokes about my own trauma when talking to people who I know are comfortable with that sort of humor. It's the general consensus of the psychiatric community that making jokes about your trauma can be a very powerful and healthy way of healing. Sometimes I've made some bad judgments in terms of who I tell jokes to though.

I once told a guy on a first date "I didn't really have sex ed when I was a kid, but a high school boy did give me some hands-on lessons". I find that joke hilarious, but it wasn't okay to be dumping something like that on someone I barely knew

 

[enough of this]

What kind of limits. You mean, you can laugh only so much in one time period?

 

[thesockshavebeenuse]

I firmly believe that physically harassing people/a person and disguising it as a joke should be tackled. I also firmly believe that we shouldn't strongly limit humorous expression just because certain of it's topics are deemed offensive.
Also, it baffles me how some people who consider themselves massive South Park fans will attempt to get the entire internet to slam you (aka "canceling" someone) if you were to joke about George Floyd's death. Not that it isn't a surprising reaction to such joke, but why is it only tolerate for Trey Parker to do it??!!