In the current socio-political landscape, is comedic expression being stifled? Comedians like Ricky Gervais and Dave Chapelle have been vocal critics of so-called ‘cancel culture’ and ‘wokeness’. Maureen Lipman told the BBC in 2021 that she feared comedy could be ‘wiped out’ by these cultural shifts.
Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.
The Khan Review in March 2024 found that 76% of UK citizens said they had restricted themselves at some point from “expressing their personal views in public, out of fear”. This raises the question of what impact self-censorship is having on comedy, if any at all?
Jonas Nicolaï, researcher of Communication Sciences at the University of Antwerp, acknowledges the complications comics face in a hyperpolitical world.
He told City News that politics is at the forefront of nearly every part of our lives: from our clothes to our comedy. In this digital age – where “everyone is entitled to an opinion” – the entwinement of politics and comedy inevitably encourages tension.
Nicolaï sees it as inevitable that comedians have become so actively engaged in political debates about ‘free speech’ and ‘cancel culture’. He says their profession has long been provided with the ‘license’ to engage in social critique.
What is different now, Nicolaï concludes, is the comedian’s struggle to identify whether they are “punching up or down” by ridiculing certain groups.
Despite concerns, many comedians are navigating this new environment with skill and wit. Nico Yearwood – a regular MC at a popular London comedy club – claims that “comedy doesn’t have to be controversial” to be successful.
On the other hand, comedians like Gervais and Jimmy Carr have built their lucrative careers off of their provocative styles.
The Top Secret Comedy Club in Convent Garden reflects the pervasive popularity of edgy comedy. The club – which operates on a ‘pay what you think it’s worth’ basis – frequently attracts large crowds. This Tuesday audience members were satisfied enough to cough up £10 or more on their way out.
We spoke to comedian Andrew Mensah following his set. He told City News that comedians who complained about being muffled by ‘cancel culture’ were often the problem themselves.
“Some comedians are just lazy. There are comedians who are telling bad jokes and blaming it on woke culture…you’re just telling bad jokes bro”.
Andrew Mensah
Mensah welcomed the challenge of a changing comedy culture.
“I like that its sensitive now because it’s more of a challenge to me. I look at it like I’m a race car-driver. Lewis Hamilton is the best driver in the world not because he drives a loud car on a long road with no one around him, it’s because he drives a fast car on a difficult track and not anyone can do that”.
Andrew Mensah
Mensah did not shy away from risky jokes during is set – poking fun at his ‘woke’ friend while he was dealing with the hardships of growing up around the gang violence of South London. Mensah said he felt comfortable to do so given that audience members in intimate live-comedy venues can ‘understand nuance and irony’ enough to be able to take his more ‘offensive’ lines with a pinch of salt.
For many London comics, the notion that comedy is under threat feels overstated. Mensah sums it up: “The beautiful thing about comedy, no matter where you come from, is that it rewards those who are funny.”
Rather than being fearful of ‘cancel culture’, these stand-up comedians see the changing environment as a welcome challenge to adapt and find new ways to connect with audiences. Sure, the comedic landscape has transformed over the last decade, but this evolution brings with it fresh possibilities and, crucially, plenty of new material.
Submitted Article
Headline
Short Headline
Standfirst
Published Article
Headline“There are comedians who are telling bad jokes and blaming it on woke culture”
Short HeadlineThe evolution of comedy amidst the ‘age of outrage’
StandfirstLondon comics challenge the notion that comedy is being destroyed by ‘cancel culture’
In the current socio-political landscape, is comedic expression being stifled? Comedians like Ricky Gervais and Dave Chapelle have been vocal critics of so-called ‘cancel culture’ and ‘wokeness’. Maureen Lipman told the BBC in 2021 that she feared comedy could be ‘wiped out’ by these cultural shifts.
Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.
The Khan Review in March 2024 found that 76% of UK citizens said they had restricted themselves at some point from “expressing their personal views in public, out of fear”. This raises the question of what impact self-censorship is having on comedy, if any at all?
Jonas Nicolaï, researcher of Communication Sciences at the University of Antwerp, acknowledges the complications comics face in a hyperpolitical world.
He told City News that politics is at the forefront of nearly every part of our lives: from our clothes to our comedy. In this digital age – where “everyone is entitled to an opinion” – the entwinement of politics and comedy inevitably encourages tension.
Nicolaï sees it as inevitable that comedians have become so actively engaged in political debates about ‘free speech’ and ‘cancel culture’. He says their profession has long been provided with the ‘license’ to engage in social critique.
What is different now, Nicolaï concludes, is the comedian’s struggle to identify whether they are “punching up or down” by ridiculing certain groups.
Despite concerns, many comedians are navigating this new environment with skill and wit. Nico Yearwood – a regular MC at a popular London comedy club – claims that “comedy doesn’t have to be controversial” to be successful.
On the other hand, comedians like Gervais and Jimmy Carr have built their lucrative careers off of their provocative styles.
The Top Secret Comedy Club in Convent Garden reflects the pervasive popularity of edgy comedy. The club – which operates on a ‘pay what you think it’s worth’ basis – frequently attracts large crowds. This Tuesday audience members were satisfied enough to cough up £10 or more on their way out.
We spoke to comedian Andrew Mensah following his set. He told City News that comedians who complained about being muffled by ‘cancel culture’ were often the problem themselves.
“Some comedians are just lazy. There are comedians who are telling bad jokes and blaming it on woke culture…you’re just telling bad jokes bro”.
Andrew Mensah
Mensah welcomed the challenge of a changing comedy culture.
“I like that its sensitive now because it’s more of a challenge to me. I look at it like I’m a race car-driver. Lewis Hamilton is the best driver in the world not because he drives a loud car on a long road with no one around him, it’s because he drives a fast car on a difficult track and not anyone can do that”.
Andrew Mensah
Mensah did not shy away from risky jokes during is set – poking fun at his ‘woke’ friend while he was dealing with the hardships of growing up around the gang violence of South London. Mensah said he felt comfortable to do so given that audience members in intimate live-comedy venues can ‘understand nuance and irony’ enough to be able to take his more ‘offensive’ lines with a pinch of salt.
For many London comics, the notion that comedy is under threat feels overstated. Mensah sums it up: “The beautiful thing about comedy, no matter where you come from, is that it rewards those who are funny.”
Rather than being fearful of ‘cancel culture’, these stand-up comedians see the changing environment as a welcome challenge to adapt and find new ways to connect with audiences. Sure, the comedic landscape has transformed over the last decade, but this evolution brings with it fresh possibilities and, crucially, plenty of new material.
The first direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian officials since the breakdown of talks in 2022 have begun in Istanbul, as both sides revisit unresolved demands amid continued fighting on the ground
A devastating fire at Bicester Motion, a historic motoring and aviation centre located on a former RAF base in Oxfordshire, has claimed the lives of two firefighters and a member of the public.
