The Joker Explanation NO ONE Is Talking About

See, Todd Philips' comments on "woke culture", though clumsy and inarticulate, directly address the problem at the heart of comedy right now:

In the current age of inclusivity, where so many voices are finally being heard and validated, is it "okay" to joke about so many "off-limits" subject matters?

Philips embodies - through Joker - an unyielding persona that won't stop laughing or mocking; won't ever not poke fun at something and say it's "Just for laughs", because it is freeing to laugh.

Todd Philips very much wants to turn any mainstream cinema audience - itself a wider swathe of people than a small club - into the sorts of people who might go see a comedy show. He wants to poke, prod and play with humour; with satire, to see where the boundaries lie.

The reactions to Joker that spell out the dwarf scene, Robert De Niro's "headshot scene" or Bruce Wayne losing his parents are a joke, all confirm the message at the heart of the film:

We've lost the ability to laugh at things, regardless of intent and those who could get hurt, and that's what angers Todd Philips and Scott Silver the most.

Even Arthur's search for meaning; delving into his own past or a potential relationship with the Waynes, ends with him realising it's all for nought, as his life isn't a tragedy, but a comedy. He DOES learn to "put on a happy face", but in the most sardonic and macabre way. A viewpoint you could argue, is one of the only ways to deal with such a turbulent time in our world right now.

Look at the comments made about Joker's conception from Philips himself, and you can see why he framed the movie this way.

Cont.