That is the most asinine thing I've heard in a while and that is saying a lot after some of your posts that I have read. We arent saying that we want to say these things or that we should do this or that. We are only saying there is a double standard that exists and that it is stupid. One race can say any and everything they want and its funny but another cant because its racists. Jesus, settle down.
Yes you do because everyone else here has been speaking in generalities where you blatantly call someone out but that has been pretty typical of you lately. Idiots like you are what will get this thread locked.
Let's just take the sample that started this drawn out argument. Do you think a black man can get away with making fun of the holocaust like this person made fun of slavery. Do you really think a black comic can get away with making fun of the genocide of Native Americans. That's stupid. Settle down.
OK... The thing about white people is, they call white guys with gloves in a ring 'boxers', whereas black people call them when they need to loosen up.
IMHO Jokes that are funny only to a specific group of people is risky, that's why I TRY TO write jokes that are funny to everyone, sometimes I am wrong but I make the correction and move on. I will not let a white guy tell me that something that I do about asians is offensive and vice-versa. If an mexican guy says a joke about his race is offensive I'll apologize and re-evaluate, if too many mexicans say it's offensive I'll remove it. I've found that white audience members try to police material, when rarely is there a complaint about content within a set, 99% of the time I'm defending my position to a white person, and most of the time it is because of these two jokes... The Chinese driving school, in which I take on the character of an Asian instructor teaching a driving class and the true story of when I was a kid and how I thought if a black man married a white woman their kids would be a mexican. I have NEVER had chinese or mexican people complain about these jokes but have had white people to tell me that they were offended by these bits. As a performer I am very conscious about what I say and when, but I must also exercise the autonomy that I earned in these 10 plus years of comedy. Comedy is theater, it is an act, something that is made up to entertain people, if you don't like a performance contribute it to the performance not the performer. When you reference Chris Rock, reference his material not HIM. Chris has writers and collaborators, his opinions may or may not be his but if it fits within the act he uses it in his theater he will use it. Finally, stand-up is big business, I will be paid 7500. for a gig later on this year and believe me I will do whatever they want to hear within my 30 minute performance, Chris Rock is paid over a million dollars for his specials, Tracy Morgan made 12,500 a week in his first season of SNL after being on welfare just a few years earlier. Def Jam paid 3500. a show and you HAD to be a certain way to get booked. As a comic there is a delicate balance between content of material and what you are paid for, at some point you have to decide on whether you are going to make everyone happy or feed your family, sucessful comics find that balance.
I failed to mention that shows like Def Jam and Comicview earn performers thousands of dollars in road work from those respective audiences. Worth the risk? I think so.
AB, have you ever thought about doing a gig in the UK or do you think they might have problems understanding some of the jokes (because they are US-specific)?
Dude I am a writer, remember the Seinfeld commercial when he went on stage there and bombed then toured the city for material? That's how most guys are. I will do the same set in Dallas most of time I'm there because I know what works, I could do the homework and build a set anywhere.
AB. I am not sure I understand your answer. The question is : Is there a double standard among comedians? Can African Americans poke more fun of whites, than vice versa? Can white people tell the same raunchy jokes without being labeled racist? You are much more of an expert than I, so what is the truth, oh comic one? DD
Exactly. Robin Williams makes jokes about blacks, or I should say, does an imitation of black voices, specifically black women. I've heard other white comedians do the same. Its the content of the joke. If you get on stage and say, man those black people sure are lazy, well that's offensive. But I've seen white comedians mock blacks.
Fine, Is there a double standard for racial humor? Is it easy for men of color to poke fun at race than a white man? You are more slippery than a politician AB. DD
