And How to Fix It
Considering how much Ive defended the old school of comedy in this article, you could be forgiven for expecting my solution to be a regression back to the good old days when we knew where we stood on certain matters a time before political correctness, CRB checks and equal opportunities. Suffice to say, this is not an option not just because of how reactionary it is, but also because it ignores all the positive developments that have happened in comedy in recent times. Women are now more able than ever before to craft successful comedy careers of their own, where before you only stood a chance if you had big tits and didnt mind being the butt of Ronnie Barkers gags. The same goes for comedians from non-white backgrounds, and for LGBT comedians groups that were once marginalised and stereotyped out of polite society. And then theres the internet, which has not only made comedy more instantaneous, but more democratic; there is no longer a monopoly on public or political satire, allowing anyone to have a go without having to either work the pub circuit or climb the greasy pole of television. There is no easy solution to the problem of mean-spiritedness in comedy. Im a believer in freedom of speech, and so do not subscribe to there being any kind of checklist of what can and cant be joked about such a list would be unenforceable and would be quickly rebelled against in such a way that comedy could become even worse off. The only guide I can offer is to ensure that people have a varied and rounded idea of how comedy works. Modern comedians are fine but they are not the be-all and end-all it is important to understand the comedies that inspired and influenced them, so that we become more aware of how and where comedy is best directed, and thereby a greater appreciation for our own culture. Just as you should supplement your weekly dose of blockbusters with the odd black-and-white film, so I would invite you to watch the comedians you love and then get into the people that they loved. You might not like them all, but at least youll understand who they were laughing at, and the reasons why they did so.