WATCH: Louis C.K.'s SNL monologue on racism, child molesters, Israel vs. Palestine

boing
21

I heard that as well. I hope it was an isolated incident. Cause that is as far from okay or funny.

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I have made that same exact joke (Israel & Palestine) about my own two kids. It’s not too far. It’s the truth.

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23

I thought the racism stuff was OK, but then I’m white, so maybe I’m way off (thank you sax player in the background for laughing to show me it was OK.)

The molestation stuff definitely came close to going over the line, at the very least. You can’t really expect to get away with saying “child molestation must be really really good [to them] if they keep doing it.” It’s weird because we could probably make this same joke about serial killers and people would be less offended.

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I think that was the joke. Supposedly he’s being edgy by admitting he has racist feelings, the punchline is that it’s so dangerous for a comedian to get labelled racist that he’s being edgy just by admitting incredibly mild racist thoughts that he then tries to suppress.

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That this is even a question strikes me as odd.

But I’m from the UK and we don’t have racism or argumentative children or child molesters.

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26

So they’re just born this way?

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I think the point is that mild or not, these are actually racist thoughts to have, and not something you easily unlearn.

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Are you an expert in the field, and know any different?

And were you “born that way”, whatever “that way” is?

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Oh, I’m certainly not an expert. I’m just interested in your argument. A lot of people would shy away from saying what you said because they assume “natural” desires must be good and should not be repressed. Hence “born this way” has been the standard defence of same-sex attraction: if I was “born this way” I should express who I am.

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32

The actual joke itself was at the expense of the molesters, so it’s good. (That is, in fact, his standard policy with such topics - making fun of the victim is never cool, but the perps are fair game)

That said, his delivery in this particular case to this particular audience felt a bit off. I’d be interested in seeing him deliver the same routine to a different crowd later on, and see how he tweaks it.

(I see a /lot/ of live performances as an event photographer, and in many cases will see the same act five or ten times in different contexts, seeing how performers adjust things is fascinating.)

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That’s a good point, to refine my original comment the joke isn’t so much that the thoughts are “mild”, but that these really edgy terrible racist thoughts he’s confessing to having are the thoughts that virtually everyone has.

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34

There is a big difference. True, one perhaps can’t help who they are attracted to. But the big difference between being gay and being a pedophile (or one of the subsets of minor-aged sexual attraction types) is that no one is a victim in an adult gay relationship (or even an adolescent on adolescent one).

Pedophiles would by definition require abuse, coercion, manipulation, etc to make their lusts a reality. Even if they are just looking at pictures, someone was horribly abused for them to get their rocks off.

Sociopaths and psychopaths are also probably born that way - but that doesn’t excuse when they do something wrong.

So no, being “born that way” doesn’t give you a free pass to do what you want, you still need to live within society’s norms.

As for the stand up bit - I thought it was freaking hilarious. I haven’t seen a lot of his stand up, but he has a dark streak that appeals to me.

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'mostly agree with you, Mister44.
The main thing I’m thinking about is the worthlessness of the “born this way” theory as a moral argument. People are born with all kinds of predilections which have to be assessed on other grounds.

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Jerry Seinfeld described Louie C.K.'s comedy as “tiptoeing through a minefield.” He is able to pick his way along a perfect, funny path, constantly coming dangerously close to disaster, but always coming out safely on the other side.

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37

I dig when comedians have a bit of a chip on their shoulder; something to prove…

Louis seems to love illustrating that no subject is off-limits to humour, repeatedly. It’s enough to win me over : )

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38

I think his previous material touched on raping dead babies. Better or worse? Clearly, the Outraged aren’t familiar with his entire catalog.

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I think “born this way” is a counter to some people who think being gay is a choice and they need to just “stop it”.

Also there are other personality traits that people get shit or shamed for, when they shouldn’t. There is nothing wrong with being who you are with no apologies - unless doing so is hurting someone else.

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40

I could be wrong, but I don’t think he ever made a joke about raping dead babies.

He made a joke that if you raped a kid you may as well kill it, because child murders aren’t as despised as child rapist.

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The band is laughing. Always a bad sign.

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42

I’ve never heard it advanced as a moral argument, I’ve only heard it advanced as a counter to the idea that homosexuality is a disease that can be cured. I think you are conflating the two.

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