Adam Conover’s latest podcast episode is all about that:
He and his guest make a lot of good points:
- Comedians have been spouting the “you can’t say that anymore” complaint forever, and it’s tiresome and boring. Especially when it’s being spouted by comedians who are being paid millions of dollars to make comedy specials for the world’s largest distribution platforms.
- Until very recently American comedians faced fines, arrest and prosecution for things they said onstage. For all the folks who like to complain “you couldn’t make Blazing Saddles today due to wokeness”: Richard Pryor Cleavon Little may have been able to say a lot of offensive words in that 1974 movie that was co-written by Richard Pryor but later that same year Pryor was arrested for obscenity for using those same words on stage.
- Comedians today can say whatever the hell they want with little to worry about other than not being invited back to a particular show or platform. You can’t really get totally blacklisted these days because if you have a loyal audience there are always some platforms available. We’re way beyond the days where if you couldn’t get on the big 3 tv networks you were toast.
- Society has always had taboos. At least the taboos of today are mostly about not using hurtful language against minorities and disadvantaged groups, rather than criticizing government, organized religion, or other powerful entities.
[Edited to make corrections]
