Bad Comedy

There are two types of comedy (aside from the obvious categories of "funny" and "not funny") - reactionary and subversive. Reactionary comedy essentially reinforces the status quo of social power relationships and hierarchies, using jokes regarding ethnicity, gender and sexuality with the insults having no hint of irony. Reactionary comedians include Bernard Manning (right) and Roy Chubby Brown (a review of whom can be found here: http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=792:roy-chubby-brown-fairfield-comedy-review&Itemid=26). Subversive comedy (article on 28 most subversive comedians: http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20232388,00.html) challenges mainstream assumptions and can take the form of satirising reactionary views in order to make fun of them.

I personally hate the kind of comedy (reactionary) where the goal seems to be to express very narrow-minded views and contribute to negative stereotypes under the guise of "it's only a joke", in cases where it clearly isn't. However, with regards to the issue of whether or not such comedy should be banned, I personally think that's one of the worst things that could happen. Driving things underground only makes people want to be a part of them even more because doing something "forbidden" can be a thrill. Also, if someone has those views anyway, I would prefer them to have the freedom to express these opinions so that I and everyone else will know what that person is really like.

I think subversive comedy can be good and that, whilst the observations on and challenge to mainstream assumptions may not necessarily bring about change on a large scale, I do think that it can make small groups and individuals feel better about situations if they are able to find humour they can identify with. The only problem with subversive comedy when it satirises reactionary views is that some people don't seem to realise the intentions behind it and therefore take it as reactionary comedy (e.g. people who laugh with Alf Garnett of Till Death do us Part, instead of at him). Comedy, it can be argued, is largely down to interpretation and so sometimes it is difficult to accurately work out the comedian's perspective and aims (an article discussing critics' differing viewpoints on the Team America film: http://www.villagevoice.com/2004-10-19/news/attack-of-the-puppet-people/1).

There are a number of reasons as to why people find things funny (even if, perhaps, they shouldn't). Comedy typically deals with a lot of taboo subjects, which maybe makes them easier for people to talk about if it makes them laugh. There is the argument that jokes are not proclaiming any opinion or truth, but surely there must be an element of opinion in them in order to find them funny (a discussion on why people find racist jokes funny: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1972565.stm).