As a connoisseur of comedy and a student of history, I find myself in awe of the brave souls who dared to challenge societal norms through their humor. These comedians, armed with little more than a microphone and their wit, have pushed the boundaries of what is considered acceptable to joke about, often facing legal consequences for their audacity.
In October 2023, comedian Anthony Jeselnik featured on the podcast “This Past Weekend,” hosted by fellow comedian Theo Von. During their chat, Jeselnik critiqued comedians who prioritize offending people over being genuinely funny. He referenced a quote often attributed to Andy Warhol that he admired: “Art is getting away with it.” In simpler terms, if you release a special and everyone’s angry instead of laughing, then you didn’t succeed in your act. The goal should be to make everyone chuckle.
Of course, there are plenty of instances where comedians failed to make everyone laugh. They may see themselves as speaking truth to power when in actuality their statements were incredibly bigoted. In other instances, comedians realized some past jokes weren’t as insightful as they may have believed they were years ago, or perhaps a comedian simply existed during an era that wasn’t ready to hear what they had to say. As much as they may want to claim they’re simply jokes that people shouldn’t take seriously, words have immense power, especially when they’re coming from celebrities with huge platforms.
Since humor emerged, there have always been jokes that crossed the line. Here’s a look at some comedians throughout history who found themselves in troubled waters due to their provocative routines.
Tony Hinchcliffe – A garbage joke
On October 27, about a week before the 2024 election, Donald Trump conducted a rally at Madison Square Garden where several speakers delivered provocative comments. However, it was comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s remark that garnered the most attention. He made several racist jokes, angered Taylor Swift’s fans by suggesting her boyfriend Travis Kelce could be the next O.J. Simpson, and drew further controversy with his comment about Puerto Rico as a “floating dump of trash.
The comment sent waves throughout Hispanic communities throughout the United States. The joke seemed particularly ill-suited, considering how many Puerto Ricans live in swing states like Pennsylvania. Latin celebrities like Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez even came out in support of Kamala Harris after Hinchcliffe’s comments went viral. And it wasn’t just Democrats who had issues with the set. Rick Scott, a Republican senator from Florida, posted on X (formerly Twitter) after the event, “This joke bombed for a reason. It’s not funny and it’s not true. Puerto Ricans are amazing people and amazing Americans!”
Instead of expressing remorse or showing any signs of introspection, Hinchcliffe defiantly stood by his “joke” in response to the criticism, remarking on X: “These people lack a sense of humor… I made fun of everyone.” However, delivering such contentious material at a political rally only fuels the fire of division and hatred within our nation.
Matt Rife – Burning his TikTok bridges
The following slide contains references to domestic violence.
Matt Rife might not be familiar to those outside of TikTok. He initially gained popularity on that platform by sharing material from his comedy gigs, predominantly involving crowd work. His fanbase grew significantly, and before long, Netflix offered him his own comedy special in 2023, called “Natural Selection.” However, there was one issue with this special: it started with a joke about a server with a black eye who served his table.
The special also contained homophobic jokes and seemingly plagiarized bits from the late Ralphie May. But it was Rife’s domestic violence joke that earned the most ire. “Natural Selection” has an abysmal 19% audience score (with over 500 reviews counted) on Rotten Tomatoes, and the offensiveness didn’t end there. Rife posted a response to his Instagram Stories, asking people to click a link if they were offended by his material. The link directed users to a website offering a protective helmet for special needs children.
It seems the domestic violence joke drew attention due to Rife’s early online fanbase predominantly being female. By making a joke about a female victim of domestic violence, it appeared that he was abandoning those who initially propelled him to fame for a more male-oriented audience appeal. Despite the controversy, Netflix still collaborated with Rife on another comedy event titled “Lucid — A Crowd Work Special.
If you’re experiencing domestic abuse or know someone who is, reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by dialing 1-800-799-7233. Additionally, their website offers further information, resources, and assistance.
Michael Richards – Should’ve stuck to the script
On the set of Seinfeld, Michael Richards often improvised what became known as Kramer moments. However, during a performance at The Laugh Factory in 2006, a video of which is now notorious, Richards regrets he didn’t stick to his scripted material. In this incident, he hurled racial slurs at some hecklers using the N-word. The response was immediate, and soon after, Richards apologized for the outburst on “Late Show with David Letterman.” Unfortunately, the harm had already been inflicted.
Approximately two decades have passed since the event, and it seems Richards’ career hasn’t returned to its former peak in the realm of “Seinfeld”. Despite this, he doesn’t appear keen on revisiting those days. His acting roles have been sparse, mainly collaborating with his old “Seinfeld” colleagues in projects like “Bee Movie” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm”. In 2024, he discussed his upcoming memoir, “Entrances and Exits”, with People, and he made it clear that he’s not pursuing a comeback.
Apart from sharing his achievements in the entertainment world, Richards also spoke about spending long periods of self-reflection over the years to address internal issues that made him question his worth, despite his success. He explained further, “I don’t harbor any ill feelings towards Black people. The individual who criticized my humor simply echoed what I had been thinking about myself for some time. I felt belittled. I wanted to retaliate.
Dane Cook – A dark night for comedy
At The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, there have been numerous contentious stand-up instances throughout its history. In the year 2012, mere days following the devastating Aurora, Colorado shooting at a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises,” comedian Dane Cook made a controversial remark. He ended his act by jesting, “I’m certain that if none of that had transpired, someone in that theater, around the 25-minute mark, realizing it was a dud, would have likely exclaimed, ‘Oh dear, I wish someone would just shoot me.'”
12 people lost their lives and numerous others were injured, leading many to feel that joking about the incident was inappropriate, given its recent occurrence. Later, Cook issued an apology on Twitter: “I am deeply saddened by the Colorado tragedy and did not intend to trivialize it with my humor. My choice of material last night was ill-timed and I regret making a joke at such a sensitive time.
As a devoted fan, I must admit that the news about Hollywood no longer casting Dane Cook doesn’t surprise me much. While his infamous “Dark Knight Rises” joke might have been a contributing factor, it seems like there’s more at play here.
Louis C.K. – Almost getting canceled before the other thing
The following slide contains references to sexual assault.
In 2017, during the #MeToo movement, Louis C.K. was accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct. The consequences were immediate, with Netflix cancelling a scheduled stand-up special and his movie, “I Love You, Daddy,” which he wrote, directed, and starred in, remaining unpublished. Notably, prior to these incidents, C.K.’s humor often walked the line of good taste, as evidenced by a 2015 “Saturday Night Live” monologue where the comedian joked about pedophilia.
On that particular night, the audience’s reaction hinted that the joke might not be a hit. Despite some hesitant chuckles, C.K. jokingly commented, “What do you think I’m feeling? This is my final show, after all.” Surprisingly, this wasn’t his final show, as he went on to host “SNL” once more in April 2017 – just before the sexual misconduct accusations against him surfaced publicly.
As a gamer, I’ve seen a lot of opinions fly around on social media about comedians like Louis C.K., who often push boundaries with their jokes that some find offensive. Despite the backlash and even his formal cancelation following the #MeToo movement in 2017, he kept releasing stand-up specials and managed to sell out Madison Square Garden during a performance in 2023. Remarkably, he still has a strong fanbase that supports him, despite all the baggage he carries.
Nikki Glaser – Don’t mess with Swifties
There are certain subjects comedians should probably avoid if they want to avoid controversy — politics, religion, and Taylor Swift. Nikki Glaser learned that the hard way when a stand-up clip of her was featured in Swift’s documentary, “Miss Americana.” Prior to “The Eras Tour” movie blowing away the box office, Swift unveiled this intimate portrait of dealing with fame and all the insecurities that come with it. At one point, Glaser says the following during one of her acts: “She’s too skinny. It bothers me. All of her model friends — and it’s just like, c’mon.”
The statement faced additional negative comments from media figures, which made Taylor Swift feel uneasy and desire less attention. Later, Glaser issued a long apology on Instagram for his remarks: “I don’t have any reason to post this except to apologize to someone who holds such significance in my life. I received just a few threats of violence from devoted Swift fans, which I understand as a fellow fan.” Remarkably, Taylor Swift saw the message and graciously accepted it during a conversation about personal growth.
It seems that the event didn’t dampen Glaser’s fervor for being a Swift fan. In fact, in September 2024, she proudly declared she had witnessed Swift perform 18 times throughout a period of 15 months – quite a devoted following!
Jeff Ross – Too soon for Paul Walker jokes
Comedy Central Roasts are infamous for their blunt and offensive humor. They’re unrestrained joke sessions where presenters don’t shy away from testing the limits of decency. Usually, everyone handles the jokes with a laugh, but Jeff Ross went a bit too far at the 2015 Roast of Justin Bieber by making a joke about the passing of Fast & Furious actor Paul Walker.
After Paul Walker passed away in November 2013 due to a car accident, the cast of Fast & Furious never regained its original dynamic. During the roast, comedian Kevin Hart made some remarks about Walker, comparing him to Justin Bieber’s driving skills and referencing his fellow franchise actor Ludacris who was present. The audience immediately reacted negatively when Hart went too far with his comment, leading him to ask, “Is it too soon? Too fast? Too furious?” Following the taping of the roast, Justin Bieber himself stated that he wasn’t fond of the jokes related to Paul Walker.
Often, roasts contain humor that falls flat, but this particular instance was so unfunny, Comedy Central decided to scrap it from their broadcasts. Over time, there have been jokes about people’s demises in these events, such as joking about Ryan Dunn’s death in front of his “Jackass” companion, Steve-O. However, it’s evident that this roast went too far.
Daniel Tosh – Making light of sexual assault
The following slide contains references to sexual assault.
It’s understandable that rape is considered a topic that should never be made light of or joked about. However, some comedians might find it tempting to push boundaries and make jokes on this sensitive subject to test what they can get away with. Even well-known comedians like George Carlin have tackled the subject, but this doesn’t mean that comedians don’t often face criticism or controversy for making jokes about sexual violence.
In 2012 at The Laugh Factory, I found myself learning a tough lesson, much like Daniel Tosh did. He apparently made a string of jokes about sexual assault, which sparked a woman in the crowd to voice her discomfort, stating such humor is never appropriate. Tosh then insensitively suggested that same woman was being sexually assaulted at that very moment, igniting an online storm of essays discussing whether he had overstepped boundaries.
Many comedians came to Tosh’s defense, essentially asserting that while they may not agree with that specific joke, they believe comedians should be allowed to explore dark subjects in the name of humor. Still, many claimed this subject is just too painful to joke about. Roxane Gay wrote this for Salon: “Rape is many things — humiliating, degrading, physically and emotionally painful, exhausting, irritating. It is never funny for most women.” Tosh apologized for the set, and it serves as a reminder that if the job of a comedian is to make people laugh, certain subjects should probably remain out-of-limits.
George Carlin – Seven dirty words you can’t say in Milwaukee
Today, the realm of modern humor is abuzz with discussions on what jokes are still acceptable. Allegations of ‘cancel culture’ are frequent, often voiced by comedians during their Netflix comedy specials, expressing feelings of being suppressed. However, the concept of cancel culture remains ambiguous and unclear, making it difficult to define exactly what it means to be ‘cancelled.’ Nonetheless, some comedians have experienced real consequences due to their stand-up performances.
George Carlin, a renowned comedian known for his legendary status, is recognized for his famous routine called “The Seven Dirty Words You Can’t Say on TV.” In 1972, during a performance at Milwaukee’s Summerfest, he delivered this explicit comedy act. Following the show, he was taken into custody due to allegations of disorderly conduct. However, these charges were eventually dismissed because they conflicted with his freedom of speech rights.
In a conversation following the uproar, Carlin shared, “There are approximately 400,000 words in the English language, yet I’m unable to use seven of them at present… It strikes me as amusing that I should be criticized for their usage, given my aim is to liberate us from such criticism when others employ them.” Carlin may no longer be with us (having passed away in 2008), but his enduring influence as a renowned comedian continues undiminished.
Lenny Bruce – Ahead of his time
In the 1950s and ’60s, comedian Lenny Bruce, known for his groundbreaking, sometimes controversial performances, was active across the U.S. His acts often pushed boundaries, resulting in multiple arrests over time. An instance that stands out is when he was apprehended in San Francisco in 1961 for using a derogatory term related to homosexuality.
On different occasions, Bruce encountered arrests in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. While accusations in other places resulted in dismissals, Bruce found himself standing trial in New York due to alleged violations of obscenity laws. In 1964, he was found guilty and given a four-month sentence at a workhouse. He made attempts to appeal the verdict but unfortunately passed away before this could be accomplished. Thirty-seven years after his conviction, he was granted a posthumous pardon in 2003.
Today, Lenny Bruce is widely respected by comedians as a trailblazer who dared to cross boundaries and faced real-life penalties for the sake of his craft. It’s unfortunate that he didn’t live to witness this renewed appreciation of his work, as he laid the foundation for future comedians to experiment with edgy content in the ensuing years.
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2024-11-11 00:30