Should Comedians Have Free Rein?

[MadVillainy]

Recently every time a comedian says something and people get offended the common defense I hear is "Theyre a comedian. They always offend" or "They were being funny" or something along those lines.

So Im wondering should comedians just be able to say whatever they want and have people be "the weird ones" by being offended?

Should Louis CK be able to drop the n word multiple times in a set? Should Hannibal Burress be able to say the f word (the derogatory one toward homosexuals) and get a pass? Obviously people are going to get offended as long as people still exist, still...

I just wanna hear opinions on this.


I havent really ever gotten offended by a comedians bit. So I personally think theyre fine. However I would feel some type of way if a comedian, in this day, just started throwing out derogatory slurs toward any group of people.
Also I feel that sometimes certain jokes about death are just really weird.
Like, I remember Amy Schummer made a joke about Ryan Dunn's (from Jackass) death in front of one of his friends. For no real reason. It was random as hell and just came off as mean spirited to me. I mean I get that we really shouldnt be sympathetic toward Dunn because he was driving drunk and killed another person as well. But that's still stupid to me to make a joke about it right to his best friend's face.
And I read that at the Justin Bieber roast they were making jokes about Paul Walker. I mean Im not going to pretend that Walker was this great actor (like I saw some do after his death) but still why make a jokes about him. Were him and Bieber friends (which wouldve made it worse imo) or was it just because Ludacris was there.

 

[Greens]

Yes, definitely.

 

[Moridin]

Yes. Either everything is on the table to be made fun of or nothing is.

 

[MadVillainy]

Yes. Either everything is on the table to be made fun of or nothing is.

So someones mom dies of cancer. The next day the comedian has the right to go up to the person and make fun of his/her mother's death?

A person get's crippled by a drunk driver. The next day a comedian is allowed to go make a joke about it to the person?

I really dont think this is one of those all or nothing scenarios

 

[Schlosser85]

I think there's a difference between being an "edgy" comedian and just being a *****. Like when Joan Rivers gloat ed about deaths of Palestinian civilians and made fun of Chris Hemsworth's "fat" wife on the red carpet when she was heavily pregnant with twins. She wasn't being funny, she was being a mean-spirited *****.

I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe that just because you have the legal right to say something doesn't mean you should.

 

[MadVillainy]

I think there's a difference between being an "edgy" comedian and just being a *****. Like when Joan Rivers gloat ed about deaths of Palestinian civilians and made fun of Chris Hemsworth's "fat" wife on the red carpet when she was heavily pregnant with twins. She wasn't being funny, she was being a mean-spirited *****.

I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe that just because you have the legal right to say something doesn't mean you should.

That's a good way to put it

 

[Greens]

The thing is, if you're being an over-the-top actual *****ebag, people will call you out on it. It's the free market, so to speak.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The question itself is questionable. Everyone has free rein, and everyone has the right to be offended.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Yes.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

End thread.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Nope there are something's you shouldn't just pass off as joking about it.

 

[Kar]

Comedians are already able to say whatever they want. They've always had free reign if you ask me. I'm not calling people who get offended by the jokes "sensitive" but its really as simple as this: you don't have to listen to the jokes.

 

[Evelisse]

Yes.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

End thread.

this

 

[DeadPresident]

The funny part is all the people saying everything should be fair game will be the first ones to start bleating about what isn't on when it personally affects them. There is a line, and there will always be a line. Fact of the matter is there are a small number of things that don't have comedic value and might be a bit more important than a few laughs. 'Nothing is sacred'? Cool, I'll remember that next time a family member of yours dies or something causes you emotional distress

 

[Greens]

Cool, I'll remember that next time a family member of yours dies or something causes you emotional distress

I'll think "Geez, what a dick" and move on with my life.

 

[Victarion]

Yes.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

End thread.

I couldn't say it any better. Goes hand in hand with this, but they should also have a personal filter.

 

[DeadPresident]

I'll think "Geez, what a dick" and move on with my life.

Perhaps you will. I don't put much faith in people predicting their responses to any and all incidents that could occur,, but maybe you're right..

The other thing I find interesting is how people try and prescribe to others what they should be 'allowed' to feel offended by.

IMO it's common courtesy to avoid things that might cause people offense or hurt their feelings. But then again who cares about people's feelings, everyone should just buck up and be alright.

 

[Kar]

I'll think "Geez, what a dick" and move on with my life.

Exactly, not everyone is built the same. If it bothers us, it bothers us. If it doesn't, it doesn't. I hear what he's saying but that all ties to the whole "if you don't like it don't listen". Like the censored out Paul Walker jokes from the Comedy Central Roast. His death wasn't funny at all and as a huge fan of him I was pretty blown about his death, but I'm not gonna sit here and say I didn't chuckle at what Jeff Ross said.

Not everything is for everyone. Its like going to see a movie you know may offend you and then complaining about it.

 

[HaplessHenchman]

Yes. Censorship is bad so they should have free reign.

However, if a lot of people get offended by their jokes, it is their right to stop gong to his/her shows and make them pay a financial price for the offending jokes. Free market at work.

 

[Kar]

IMO it's common courtesy to avoid things that might cause people offense or hurt their feelings.

I can agree here.

 

[Flint Marko]

Being offended has become the new national pastime.

 

[Duke]

Yes.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

End thread.

^^ Absolutely This. However, people need to keep in mind that if "you're going to dish it out, be prepared to take it too".

 

[MadVillainy]

So I have a couple of things.
1. Why do comedians get a pass and others don't
2. What constitutes a comedian? Anyone can say that theyre a comedian


Idk I still don't buy the people in the thread saying that comedians should have complete free rein and people shouldn't be offended.

I mean would you go to the families of the people in the German Wings crash and make jokes?

I'll think "Geez, what a dick" and move on with my life.

But that still kinda counts as getting offended doesn't it? I mean it's not the same as ranting about it on TWitter. But idk to me that's still getting at least a little bit offended.

The thing is, if you're being an over-the-top actual *****ebag, people will call you out on it. It's the free market, so to speak.

But, honestly being an over the top actual *****ebag can be subjective.

I have friends where I/others can and have made the deepest soul crushing *****ey things to them and they can just laugh. ANd then I have others that I cant say the same type of stuff about. One could think it's just funny the other could think it's *****ey

 

[zeroapoc]

I said no.

To clarify I feel a comedian is of course free to say what they want and I would never try to limit that. But it's nonsensical to say that a person somehow doesn't have a right to be offended.

 

[zeroapoc]

Yes. Censorship is bad so they should have free reign.

But that's not the question as it was presented here. It's not about censorship, it's asking if people are allowed to be offended. And of course they are.

 

[zeroapoc]

Being offended has become the new national pastime.

I guarantee you that you've been offended at some point in your life.