Thank You for Offending Us: In Praise of Satirists
Yes, I am proud; I must be proud to see Men not afraid of God, afraid of me.—Alexander Pope, 1738 To function in society, we rely on our ability to…
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Comedy
11 posts
Ricky Gervais and the Manuel Problem
The only thing more predictable than the transphobic jokes in Ricky Gervais’ new Netflix special, SuperNature, was the criticism they elicited.
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Offending Laughter
Have you ever been to a funeral, or a hospital, and laughed? Ever notice how often people do? Widows will lift their mourning veils to drop a one-liner; patients will…
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Blowjobs and Makeovers: Hitchens’ Comic Writing
On this, the tenth anniversary of Christopher Hitchens’ death, there will no doubt be a barrage of articles lamenting the loss of his singular and eloquent voice, and an equal…
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South Park’s Comic View of Human Nature
When South Park aired on Comedy Central in 1997, its crudeness and profanity earned it TV’s adults only MA rating. Twenty-three years and more than 300 episodes later, it continues…
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The Microkindnesses of Larry David
Is Larry David a member of the British royal family? When Harry and Meghan sat down for their now fabled chat with the individual who expressed such interest in their…
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The Death of Comedy
Sanitation departments aren’t usually controversial. New York City’s sanitation department’s Twitter account is full of zero-waste tips, charity work, and employees rescuing kittens. What does it take to make a…
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Dave Chappelle and Comedy
While accepting the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the legendary Dave Chappelle recently made a firm defence of freedom of speech and the right to offend against what…
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From Satire to Reality: Monty Python Predicts Woke Culture
Forty years ago, the iconic British comedy group Monty Python released their third feature film, Monty Python’s Life of Brian. The movie follows a young Jewish man who happens to…
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Shocking, Hilarious, Poignant: Ricky Gervais’ After Life
“Any plans for the weekend?” asks a sweet elderly receptionist in the fourth episode of Ricky Gervais’ new Netflix show, After Life. Gervais’ character, Tony, a writer struggling to cope…
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Double-Edged Jewish Humor: The Jimmy Kimmel Show’s Chanukorn
Jewish humor is a deeply ambiguous phenomenon. Yes, it can be very funny. But the thing that makes it Jewish is the somber undertones that permeate it. Jews are trained…
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