Stand-up comedy has been a part of American culture since as early as the 19th and 20th centuries. It has encouraged us to cackle at topics that go against the discourse community, while leaving room for us to be aware of our vulnerability.
Having said that, there is more to stand-up comedy than meets the eye. It is easy to overlook the art because many people (myself included) have, for a long time, viewed comedy as nothing more than satirical pieces. In these pieces, a comedian will usually entertain the crowd by poking fun at their personal lives, stereotypes and any recent event that holds still as a sensitive topic.
We see this transformation occurring through some of the comedians we love to watch on Netflix today — Chelsea Handler, Aziz Ansari and my personal favorite, Louis CK. Last week, I spent my entire Friday night in my humble abode watching a stand-up comedy piece by Louis CK on Netflix. I would be lying if I said that this was the first time doing this.
In the midst of religiously re-watching his hour and 23 minute performance, I was able to pick up a few patterns within his jokes that followed a strict guideline. While telling his joke, Louis CK makes sure to pause and allow his audience to take in the extremity of his joke. This can be as simple as him repeating a few keywords, giving off the impression that his jokes are impromptu, even though they actually take a lot of thought processing. He uses words like “faggot” and “retard” in all of its forms, and doing so brings attention to the terms in our society that have become so normalized, people react to them when Louis CK cleverly emphasizes them. He then compares his topic with another subject matter, applying an antithesis for the purpose of building anticipation when he talks about his own divorce, and how that might have been “the best thing that has ever happened to [him].” This will usually allow the audience to draw a dramatic comparison between the two matters that he is emphasizing.
Finally, he follows the flow of the audience by setting aside time for the audience to laugh and enjoy his joke before jumping into his next piece. By getting permission from the audience to talk about terms and issues that are considered derogatory and negative, he points the finger back at us to stress that his jokes may make some people uncomfortable because they are so prevalent in our society. This form of art is often underappreciated because the work and cleverness that is put into making satirical jokes is often hidden by the comedic skit itself.
However, underneath the hilarity exists a thick blanket of general criticism in correlation to the truth behind universal stereotypes. While the responsibility of a comedian comes with making the audience feel ill-at-ease during his or her segment, a comedian’s number one priority is to talk and engage the audience about the realities of our society, which we find is easier to ignore. The comedic method gives recognition to oppressed groups by taking advantage of satire and using it toward poking fun at ridiculous stereotypes, carving an opportunity for every voice to be heard in our communities. While stand-up comedy can initially be seen as pure entertainment, it can also have the potential to influence an audience by breaking down walls of social normality.
In my experience, this is the beauty of comedy and the reason why the world is sorely in need of satirical jokes. In the comedic world, being insulting and bringing to light absurd stereotypes is highly expected. Although this seems to encourage negativity surrounding the comedic culture, this moves stand-up comedy forward as comedians promote and challenge social boundaries. Personal narratives and jokes that are obviously inappropriate are told by comedians and welcomed by people who twack out with laughter. The once harsh subject matter is embedded in humor, naturally taking the discomfort away from the audience.
To us, comedians are amusing because they are often viewed as foolish figures, making it easier for them to get away with talking about harshly received ideas about racial stereotypes and certain placed values. The work of a comedian highlights the essentiality of jokes and why blatant hypocrisy and the bullying of oppressed groups needs to be brought to light. The level of difficulty that it takes for any single person to take on the social responsibility of normalizing taboo with a one-liner proves that breaking hegemonic behaviors does not come as easy as placing a mirror in front of an audience and pointing out the hypocrisy of society.
It is important to recognize stand-up comedy as a way of talking about issues that make us feel vulnerable by saying what needs to be said. Louis CK has legendarily crafted his skill in a seemingly effortless fashion, leaving the rest of us twacking out in our seats, laughing at his satirical jokes on his physicality, divorce, the LGBTQ community and self-pleasure.
Follow Esther on Twitter @estheryang18