{"id":300,"date":"2023-03-15T17:20:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T00:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/making-sense-of-censorship-freedom-of-speech-and-cancel-culture-in-stand-up-comedy\/"},"modified":"2023-10-06T16:51:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T23:51:38","slug":"stand-up-comedys-societal-influence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/stand-up-comedys-societal-influence\/","title":{"rendered":"Making sense of censorship, freedom of speech and \u2018cancel culture\u2019 in stand-up comedy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                          \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3826-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/04\/story-3826-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Making sense of censorship, freedom of speech and \u2018cancel culture\u2019 in stand-up comedy\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Comedian Damon Wayans entertains at the Houston Improv comedy club. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons\/Ed Schipul.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=social-impact\">Social Impact<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>Making sense of censorship, freedom of speech and \u2018cancel culture\u2019 in stand-up comedy<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Offensive routines, outraged audiences and changing social norms have long been a part of stand-up comedy in America, say USC scholars, who also suggest up-and-coming comedians to watch.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Margaret Crable<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">March 15, 2023<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 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xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m8.14285714 9.42857143c-.17142857 0-.34285714 0-.51428571.08571428l7.28571427 6.34285719c.3428572.2571428.6857143.2571428.9428572 0l7.2857142-6.34285719c-.0857142-.08571428-.2571428-.08571428-.4285714-.08571428zm-1.28571428 1.11428567v.1714286 8.5714286c0 .6857143.6 1.2857143 1.28571428 1.2857143h14.57142856c.6857143 0 1.2857143-.6 1.2857143-1.2857143v-8.5714286c0-.0857143 0-.0857143 0-.1714286l-7.2 6.3428572c-.7714286.6857143-1.8857143.6857143-2.6571429 0z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -9)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Email<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                  <\/span>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>Stand-up comedy might be small in scope \u2014 a cast of one plus a microphone \u2014 but it\u2019s wielded formidable influence over the years.<\/p>\n<p>From Bert Williams, who paved the way for Black comedians, to George Carlin\u2019s countercultural commentary to pioneering women like Joan Rivers\u2019, stand-up comedians have often served as bellwethers for societal change.<\/p>\n<p>Nowadays, stand-up frequently makes the news as a central discussion point in concerns over tolerating offensive opinions, \u201ccancel culture\u201d and freedom of speech. A recent Dornsife Dialogues event featuring USC scholars and hosted by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dramaticarts.usc.edu\/kirstin-eggers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kristin Eggers<\/a>, assistant professor of theatre practice in comedy performance at the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dramaticarts.usc.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USC School of Dramatic Arts<\/a>, dove into the heart of the matter.<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UcP35uZnz8o\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><strong>Controversial comedy:<\/strong>\u00a0Many stand-up comedians are now experiencing fall-out after they preform controversial routines. This isn\u2019t a new phenomenon. Comedians actually used to get arrested over their content.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In the 1960s, Jewish comedian Lenny Bruce was arrested numerous times after his nightclub acts violated local speech laws in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Determining what can and can\u2019t be poked fun of on stage is a source of rigorous debate in the comedy world.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What they\u2019re saying:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cPunching down\u201d (directing jokes at those with less power) is often cited as the rule of thumb, but many comedians don\u2019t agree.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201c[Comedian] Dick Gregory had said that part of your material is limited by your identity. If you\u2019re a rich person, it doesn\u2019t make any sense for you to make jokes about being poor,\u201d says Cruz Arroyo, a\u00a0PhD candidate in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/engl\">English<\/a>\u00a0at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, who is studying the fictionality of stand-up comedy.\u00a0\u201cNowadays, I think people get in trouble because they are joking about things that don\u2019t even relate to them.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cWe want to hear what [a comedian] has to say. It might offend us. We may disagree.\u00a0But, we want comedians to have the latitude to say what\u2019s on their mind,\u201d says\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dramaticarts.usc.edu\/wayne-federman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wayne Federman<\/a>, adjunct lecturer at the USC School of Dramatic Arts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"buzzsprout-small-player-artist-usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-tags-comedy\"><\/div>\n<p><script charset=\"utf-8\" type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2126441.js?artist=USC+Dornsife+College+of+Letters%2C+Arts+and+Sciences&amp;container_id=buzzsprout-small-player-artist-usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-tags-comedy&amp;player=small&amp;tags=comedy\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Find a transcript of this audio <a title=\"https:\/\/uscdornsifedialogues.buzzsprout.com\/2126441\/13587525-automation-ai-and-our-human-future\" href=\"https:\/\/uscdornsifedialogues.buzzsprout.com\/2126441\/12362948-stand-up-comedy-its-historic-influence-on-society\">here<\/a> under the transcript tab.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Audience participation:<\/strong>\u00a0Comedy may have challenged social norms, but it has always adjusted as people\u2019s sensibilities change.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cFor those of us who are in the audience of comedy clubs, some of the jokes that we may have laughed at 10 years ago, we\u2019re not laughing at the same now,\u201d says USC Dornsife\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/cf\/faculty-and-staff\/faculty.cfm?pid=1003379\">Lanita Jacobs<\/a>,\u00a0associate professor of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/ase\/\">American studies and ethnicity<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/anth\/\">anthropology<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Jacobs\u2019 latest book,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/book\/44445\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>To Be Real: Truth and Racial Authenticity in African American Standup Comedy<\/i><\/a><i> <\/i>(Oxford University Press, 2022), explores notions of racial authenticity among African Americans through the lens of Black standup comedy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The comedic art form continually evolves. Comedians either adapt to shifting tastes or fade away, to be replaced by someone who can make the audience laugh.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Going viral:<\/strong> The rise of social media has fueled stand-up comedy\u2019s reach, as well as its potential to offend.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stand-up used to be limited to an in-person audience. Now, a cell phone can distribute a controversial act instantaneously, potentially generating a huge mob of outrage.<\/li>\n<li>But social media clips lose important context.<\/li>\n<li>\u201c[People online] heard the punchline, but didn\u2019t hear the setup. And since they don\u2019t know anything surrounding this [joke], they\u2019re not sure what to make of the comedian\u2019s intentions,\u201d says Arroyo.<\/li>\n<li>Arroyo says not all online outrage is genuine:\u00a0<strong>\u201c<\/strong>Outrage is very lucrative on the internet. You can get engagement, and engagement is money.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Whom to watch:<\/strong>\u00a0Our speakers shared the new comedians they are most excited about.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cI\u2019ll say the gentleman who availed himself for no less than two years to meet with me weekly to talk about stand-up comedy,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC-ZmiSoPy3u4DwsuDC6rNAw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Maronzio Vance<\/a>,\u201d says Jacobs.<\/li>\n<li>\u201cThere\u2019s a comedian named\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCTrOYaMDI7QiPnRzwWdYK6Q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sam Morril<\/a>\u00a0who is starting to pick up a little bit. I think he\u2019s a wonderful old school joke writer, very thrilling to watch,\u201d says Federman.<\/li>\n<li>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@boburnham\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bo Burnham<\/a>,\u201d says Arroyo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Offensive routines, outraged audiences and changing social norms have long been a part of stand-up comedy in America, say USC scholars, who also suggest up-and-coming comedians to watch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":303,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,24],"tags":[70,57,71],"class_list":["post-300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-and-culture","category-social-impact","tag-academy-in-the-public-square","tag-entertainment","tag-history"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Making sense of censorship, freedom of speech and \u2018cancel culture\u2019 in stand-up comedy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/stand-up-comedys-societal-influence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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