When Comedy Goes Too Far.

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Abstract

ob to do.How does a comedian effectively gauge the limitations of an audience while everyone in the room is having a good time, laughing; especially those who are the subject of your joke?The boundaries may not always be clear, but comedians have to be willing to take responsibility when they miss the mark. Anyone who knows anything about comedy will tell you that timing is everything. You need to have the ability to read the room.This may differ from audience to audience, and even person to person but comedians have to be humble enough to understand when they, at the very least, have crossed the line.This is why I empathise with Will and Jada, more than I do with Chris Rock. Slapping someone on live television, in front of a professional audience and millions of people worldwide, may have been taking things a step too far, but Chris’ assault on Jada warranted this response. The time and place may have been inappropriate but when is it ever?The problem is we often don’t see words as violent but the reality is, words can be violent too. In fact, they may be the kind of violence we find hard to recover from, the type that causes deep insecurities and emotional scars.The real possibility of psychological trauma that st

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ems from being constantly made fun of for things that are beyond our control should not be taken lightly. As human beings, our physical integrity is very fragile.There are things about you, some which have happened to you in the ordinary course of life, in which you had no say. They just did, and these being flighted publicly can be truly damaging.It is easier to dismiss some people as being overly sensitive or even accuse them of not letting loose, but that would be dismissive of how some things make other people feel, particularly those who are directly involved. We need to listen more, we need to be more aware.In as much as the conversation has centred around Will and his actions, I hope enough attention is given to Chris and his actions too. I hope people are aware of the visible hurt, irritation and shame on Jada’s face caused by Chris’ humiliating joke. I hope her silent voice in all of this mess, as the real victim, is heard.Violence is not okay but self-defence is. In defence of an initial violent act surely violence, as a response, is acceptable. Taking the high road may be a much easier and more rational option based on an individual’s moral standing, but this should not be elevated to the level of being an obligation.</article></body>

Comedians often get away with a lot and much of it flies under the radar.

It is not an easy thing to sit and watch those you love being made fun of, nor is it easy for that person to sit through the shame and embarrassment that comes with it.

Love, in its highest form, can be expressed through the physical defence of your loved ones. Anyone, anywhere, who loves someone will possibly not think twice to stand up for their loved ones when they need them to.

Comedy relief is a beautiful thing, it affords us the ability to laugh at the things we wouldn’t ordinarily find funny — to see things on the brighter side and find positivity where none exists.

But this comes at a cost. More often than not, comedians almost never know where to draw the line on sensitive issues such as race, gender, and something as fragile as someone’s health. It is a tough job to do.

How does a comedian effectively gauge the limitations of an audience while everyone in the room is having a good time, laughing; especially those who are the subject of your joke?

The boundaries may not always be clear, but comedians have to be willing to take responsibility when they miss the mark. Anyone who knows anything about comedy will tell you that timing is everything. You need to have the ability to read the room.

This may differ from audience to audience, and even person to person but comedians have to be humble enough to understand when they, at the very least, have crossed the line.

This is why I empathise with Will and Jada, more than I do with Chris Rock. Slapping someone on live television, in front of a professional audience and millions of people worldwide, may have been taking things a step too far, but Chris’ assault on Jada warranted this response. The time and place may have been inappropriate but when is it ever?

The problem is we often don’t see words as violent but the reality is, words can be violent too. In fact, they may be the kind of violence we find hard to recover from, the type that causes deep insecurities and emotional scars.

The real possibility of psychological trauma that stems from being constantly made fun of for things that are beyond our control should not be taken lightly. As human beings, our physical integrity is very fragile.

There are things about you, some which have happened to you in the ordinary course of life, in which you had no say. They just did, and these being flighted publicly can be truly damaging.

It is easier to dismiss some people as being overly sensitive or even accuse them of not letting loose, but that would be dismissive of how some things make other people feel, particularly those who are directly involved. We need to listen more, we need to be more aware.

In as much as the conversation has centred around Will and his actions, I hope enough attention is given to Chris and his actions too. I hope people are aware of the visible hurt, irritation and shame on Jada’s face caused by Chris’ humiliating joke. I hope her silent voice in all of this mess, as the real victim, is heard.

Violence is not okay but self-defence is. In defence of an initial violent act surely violence, as a response, is acceptable. Taking the high road may be a much easier and more rational option based on an individual’s moral standing, but this should not be elevated to the level of being an obligation.