Jennifer Hansler of CNN compiled a list of some of the legal (and illegal) action taken against comics around the world (8/10/2017)
. While some would have us believe that comedy exists in a protected space that allows the comic to speak truth to power, that it has always been thus, and in every society (see for instance Mulkay), others, like Anton Zjiderveld have pointed out that this is not true, has never been true.
It’s in this spirit that Hansler talks about Egypt, Turkey, Thailand, Myanmar, Venezuela, Kuwait and Algeria. Though the people were fired, sued by their governments and political figures, arrested, jailed and sometimes beaten, these incidents merely display the more extreme examples. Comedians here in the U.S. of A. face problems as well, if not so extreme.
What’s her point?
Hansler’s point is a bit obscure. She says,
In the United States, the parodying of the nation’s most powerful is generally considered protected speech under the First Amendment. However, in some countries, such insults — even in jest — are no joke. Under certain regimes, political comedy is an act of dissidence.
Is she implying that political comedy is also an act of dissidence here, or that it isn’t/can’t be? Is it only dissident in proportion to the expected backlash (and does our First Amendment adequately protect against backlash)?
There’s no summary to the article; we’re left hanging. One could walk away saying, “Those people have real problems, Kathy Griffin needs to suck it up!” – the appearance of hyper-masculinity, telling us to “take it.” I think that would be the wrong way to go – how long before a more severe backlash happens here?
Comedy is an important space, but it needs constant vigilance to remain protected. We need to see what happens elsewhere, and ensure that it doesn’t happen here.
Questions? Comments? Thoughts? Additions?
