It seems comedy in the West is being controlled. From Kevin Hart being banned from hosting the Oscars to Dave Chappelle causing controversy with his Netflix specials, it seems comedians are being targeted and censored because of the topics they are allowed to discuss and mock. Even sitcoms are not immune from this with shows like Last Man Standing getting cancelled. Even the state is starting to get involved in this censorship, with the Scottish Government recently passing a law making offensive jokes illegal. However, there does appear to be pushback now, with more and more comedians in the comedy scene starting to make jokes about wokeness and progressivism in a way that wouldn’t have been possible only a couple of years ago.
This should be a warning: one of the first signs of tyranny and authoritarianism is a crack down on comedy which has a long history going back to the Greeks who used theatre as a form of political expression, particularly through political satire or ‘comic theatres’ as critiques of the state. In fact the word comedy comes from the Greek word komodia, a combination of the words revel and song, so literally a song that revels or brings great joy. The word is derived from the word komikos where we get the word comic from, which means laughter-provoking. This is due to the Greeks realizing that the best way for a message or point to get across was through laughter.
And they are not wrong, neuroscientific studies have consistently shown that laughter produces endorphins in our brain, improving our moods and relieving tensions. A good example of this was the Greek comedy Lysistrata, which satirised the conventional stereotype of women as sex-crazed people by turning it on its head. Comedy is even expressed in the Bible, with Psalms mocking the idolatry and worship of gods of wood and stone. The prophet Elijah famously mocked the priests of Baal during his wager with them about who was the true God. Jesus himself made a joke about the High Priest Caiaphas in his parable about Lazarus and his five brothers.
Comedy is an essential part of society. It allows people to speak truth to power in a way nobody else can. It is able to expose the absurdity and ridiculousness of the elites. That is why the jester was often one of the key members of the king’s court. They were often the bearers of bad news and were the only ones that were allowed to openly criticise the king whenever they strayed from their royal duties and obligations. Tradition holds they were protected under jester’s privilege from repercussions as they were considered the voice of reason to prevent the king from becoming a tyrant.
Comedy continues to perform this role now in many different forms. But it plays a more important role in society: the ability to bring people together. Nothing brings people together like laughter. It is the perfect way to ease tensions as it humanises people. It prevents the othering, still evident on both sides of the aisle, by exposing the flaws of each side and reveals that they are similar in their imperfections and ridiculousness.
This is why a crackdown on comedy should be concerning for us all. We are beginning to see the effects of this already, with the crackdown on free speech such as in the UK where even complaining about teachers or silently praying outside abortion clinics remains a criminal offence.
However, comedy always finds a way. With the help of new technologies and livestreaming, comedians have the opportunity to ensure their words are available and recorded – for now and forever.
