Comedy & Politics

[Secret Chief]

Is it true that few comics are rightwing? If so, why?

This is my take : comedy requires targets. So this can be either punching up, punching down or punching horizontal (self-deprecation). Prior to the emergence of "Alternative" comedy in the UK - 1980s - much comedy (stand up and sitcom) was rightwing. Historically, rightwing comedy is about punching down, since the right traditionally supported our "betters" the "up" - authority, government, monarchy. Such mainstream comedy manifested against oppressed groups in society: the comedy commonly punched down on women (eg mother-in-law jokes) and minorities (a Paki, a Jew and an Irishman walk into a bar...). Most people would now (publicly at least) find such sexism and racism offensive, rather than funny. Hence the demise of rightwing comedy. The only successful rightwing comic I can think of currently is Simon Evans (seen him twice, very funny imo).
Contrary to times gone by many on the right are now antagonistic to our "betters", they are still monarchists, but are opposed to all those things known as elites. So why is there no rightwing emergent comedy punching up on those elites? Or is it simply that rightwingers have little sense of humour?


(this topic doesn't necessarily sit in just one subforum, this was my best bet but feel free to move it)

 

[exchemist]

Is it true that few comics are rightwing? If so, why?

This is my take : comedy requires targets. So this can be either punching up, punching down or punching horizontal (self-deprecation). Prior to the emergence of "Alternative" comedy in the UK - 1980s - much comedy (stand up and sitcom) was rightwing. Historically, rightwing comedy is about punching down, since the right traditionally supported our "betters" the "up" - authority, government, monarchy. Such mainstream comedy manifested against oppressed groups in society: the comedy commonly punched down on women (eg mother-in-law jokes) and minorities (a Paki, a Jew and an Irishman walk into a bar...). Most people would now (publicly at least) find such sexism and racism offensive, rather than funny. Hence the demise of rightwing comedy. The only successful rightwing comic I can think of currently is Simon Evans (seen him twice, very funny imo).
Contrary to times gone by many on the right are now antagonistic to our "betters", they are still monarchists, but are opposed to all those things known as elites. So why is there no rightwing emergent comedy punching up on those elites? Or is it simply that rightwingers have little sense of humour?


(this topic doesn't necessarily sit in just one subforum, this was my best bet but feel free to move it)

I think it is the lack of left wing governments, mainly.

I recall someone making the quip on a radio show that in the interests of balance the BBC was pairing a Far Left comedian with...... a Centre Left comedian.

And actually, some of the left comedians seem lazily unfunny. It's always irritating when you can hear the axe being ground in the background, e.g. Mark Steel.

 

[Secret Chief]

I think it is the lack of left wing governments, mainly.

Do you mean left wing governments would provide more source material for right-leaning comics?

 

[exchemist]

Do you mean left wing governments would provide more source material for right-leaning comics?

Yes. I think so. We got a bit of it under Gordon Broone, but apart from that there haven't been very many opportunities for people wanting to take the Mickey out of a leftwing government.

But honestly, political comedy is generally not my favourite: it too easily descends into the cheap laughs of tribalism, which are a bore for someone not prepared to join the tribe. The best satirical comedy pokes fun by providing insights into other absurdities of society.

 

[Secret Chief]

Yes. I think so. We got a bit of it under Gordon Broone, but apart from that there haven't been very many opportunities for people wanting to take the Mickey out of a leftwing government.

But honestly, political comedy is generally not my favourite: it too easily descends into the cheap laughs of tribalism, which are a bore for someone not prepared to join the tribe. The best satirical comedy pokes fun by providing insights into other absurdities of society.

I take your point about "political comedy." I would say, however the politics isn't necessarily overt. I don't just mean the likes of Jeremy Hardy; I mean also the politics of Love Thy Neighbour for instance - racist clearly (and not ironic, such as the case with Till Death).

 

[exchemist]

I take your point about "political comedy." I would say, however the politics isn't necessarily overt. I don't just mean the likes of Jeremy Hardy; I mean also the politics of Love Thy Neighbour for instance - racist clearly (and not ironic, such as the case with Till Death).

OK I don't know Love Thy Neigbour. I do remember Till Death Us Do Part, though.

But I was thinking more about iconoclastic series such as Monty Python, which helped break down the stuffiness of the class system by making fun of colonels, upper class twits, chartered accountants and so forth, and had a go at various taboos by poking fun at religion etc.

 

[Secret Chief]

Love Thy Neighbour....
A white couple living next door to a black couple. Hilarity ensues.
(In the days before Political Correctness made such wholesome traditional humour illegal).

 

[Cooky]

I once rode to the liquor store riding my unicycle to buy a bottle of whisky.

On my way back home I felt like I could fall off my cycle and end up breaking the bottle of whisky.

So I decided to drink it all at once right there.

It was the best decision of my life because on my way back home I fell off like 8 times.