Is Comedy Less Funny Lately?

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I'm glad there's a thread touching on this.

In Canada we have a series of TV programs and comedy events called Just For Laughs. They used to televise acts from their annual comedy festival in Quebec. It always had a number of really good acts, even guys like Ron White, Patrice O'Neal and Dave Chappelle. They even got John Cleese to host one night. I'd say about 90% of the acts were at least mildly funny.

Now they're trying to push this thing called Just For Laughs All Access. Lame comedy club shows featuring fat soyboys, bonerkilling "am I right ladies?" comediennes, and just about every hack with an instrument as a crutch that you can name. The jokes they do tell are weak and uninspired, and then the rest of their acts are their political screeds or female/LGBT empowerment agenda. When the camera pans into the audience periodically, you can see all the womyn having a great time, while all the dudes look bored and/or uncomfortable, but they're grinning to seem polite.

The only funny stand-up comedians are the ones that were already big before this paradigm shift. I don't know if comedy is dead necessarily, but it's definitely been chased into the shadows.
 
As others stated the real problem with comedy nowadays is it plays it too safe. Yeah Trump-bashing is annoying, but literally the only reason that's so common is network overlords know idiots will respond to it.
 
It may sound weird, but it seems as if one of the few places left in which you can find genuine comedians are cruise ships. I've been on quite a few in recent years, and all of the comedians were able to perform their routine without derailing into "Fuck Drumpf!" rants like most of hacks that get the spotlight nowadays.
 
Monsieur Guillotine said:
I'm glad there's a thread touching on this.

In Canada we have a series of TV programs and comedy events called Just For Laughs. They used to televise acts from their annual comedy festival in Quebec. It always had a number of really good acts, even guys like Ron White, Patrice O'Neal and Dave Chappelle. They even got John Cleese to host one night. I'd say about 90% of the acts were at least mildly funny.

Now they're trying to push this thing called Just For Laughs All Access. Lame comedy club shows featuring fat soyboys, bonerkilling "am I right ladies?" comediennes, and just about every hack with an instrument as a crutch that you can name. The jokes they do tell are weak and uninspired, and then the rest of their acts are their political screeds or female/LGBT empowerment agenda. When the camera pans into the audience periodically, you can see all the womyn having a great time, while all the dudes look bored and/or uncomfortable, but they're grinning to seem polite.

The only funny stand-up comedians are the ones that were already big before this paradigm shift. I don't know if comedy is dead necessarily, but it's definitely been chased into the shadows.
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I agree, I watched a little bit of it and it's ridiculous. The only good stand-up comedy currently on TV is re-runs of Comedy Now from the '90s and 2000s.
 
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Maxliam said:
I'm not saying he wasn't successful but he would have gotten way more exposure if he was a big sellout shill like the current crop of "comics" you're seeing lately. I enjoy the fact that no matter how much he rubbed the same committee thinktank the wrong way, they had to begrudgingly give him gigs because of demand.

I have a copy of his book "When will Jesus Bring the Porkchops" and it's funny as hell. The guy was always an outside compared to some comics who were given shitty sitcoms that lasted way too long.
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I think we're agreeing? My only real answer to that is it seems pretty much accepted that the reason Carlin didn't "sell out" more is because he didn't want to. I guess it would be better if he did, maybe then all of the comedians who cite him as an influence today would have taken more from him.
 
UnKillFill said:
I think we're agreeing? My only real answer to that is it seems pretty much accepted that the reason Carlin didn't "sell out" more is because he didn't want to. I guess it would be better if he did, maybe then all of the comedians who cite him as an influence today would have taken more from him.
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That or it could have ended horribly. Look at Bob Saget going from being a raunchy comic to Full House and America's Funniest Videos. How the hell do you see his standup and think "Gee that's a guy I want for some pussified family friendly shows!"?
 
I wouldn't say that comedy is dead, but it has become harder and harder to actually be funny without "offending" someone. It's why most people these days just cater to the lowest common denominator, like "FUCK TRUMP!" "NERD CULTURE SO FUNNEH!" and "Look at us, we're being meta and not following cliches!" And they don't really do much of anything to either mix it up, or pull them off effectively.
 
Maxliam said:
That or it could have ended horribly. Look at Bob Saget going from being a raunchy comic to Full House and America's Funniest Videos. How the hell do you see his standup and think "Gee that's a guy I want for some pussified family friendly shows!"?
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I was under the impression that they casted him doing G rated shows so he had to censor himself. Donno why he didn't go on a tour doing actual (adult) comedy. He might have been under contract not to do outside gigs while that show was on the air, but what was his reason after?
 
If you know that Blazing Saddles wouldn't be able to be released in this day in age, you know the reason way.
 
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