To Laugh or Not To Laugh?

To Laugh or Not To Laugh? (NOTE: My formatting is completely wonky due to Blogger acting weird on my computer, so if you notice any issues - especially with block quotes -, I am aware and sincerely apologize!)



Pinterest. https://pin.it/2auDX6Wfz. Accessed 24 September 2024.

    Deciding whether there should be limits to comedy is no laughing matter. Personally, I believe comedy should remain uncensored to preserve its diversity and creativity, especially since jokes about sensitive topics are not always offensive. Before I proceed, I would like to state a trigger warning for sexual assault and rape. I will refer to these topics multiple times in my blog post. Feel free to move to another student’s post in Language and Literature 2 if necessary. Thank you.

    According to the U.S. Department of Justice, an updated definition of rape made in 2012 is “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim” (“An Updated”). Unfortunately, every 68 seconds, another American experiences sexual assault, and about 3% of American men (1 in 33) have faced attempted or completed rape (“Scope of the Problem”). From 2009 to 2013, Child Protective Services reported sexual abuse involving an estimated 63,000 children annually, with 34% of victims under 12 and 66% aged 12-17 (“Scope of the Problem”).

    As demonstrated by the statistics above, rape and sexual assault represent strong emotional wounds, marked by trauma that have affected a multitude of people. Jokes about this suffering may offend survivors and their families because they risk trivializing the pain endured by them. However, jokes about these topics do not always intend to insult others. For example, U.S. comedian Sarah Silverman has made jokes insinuating rape regarding a specific experience her sister, Jodyne, shared with her. She states:

Jodyne went to Boston University. And if you’re familiar with BU, they have coed dorms. Which most universities have now. Um, but they have coed bathrooms in the coed dorms. And Jodyne, uh, got the drunkest she had ever been her freshman year like so many freshmen do. And she stumbled back to her room, and she managed to get her, uh, jeans off, you know, and just passed out in a T- shirt and underwear. And a few minutes later, the room started spinning. And she ran to the bathroom, and she started throwing up. And she’s vomiting. And while she’s vomiting, she can feel that somebody is tugging her underwear down…And she’s vomiting and vomiting, and they’re tugging her underwear down. It’s going down, all the way down to the ground. And she finally finishes throwing up, and she whips her head around to see who’s there. But she didn’t see anybody. Because she had been shitting herself.

(“A Speck” 00:21 - 01:31)

Here, Silverman’s joke clearly captures her sister’s genuine fear of being assaulted in a coed bathroom after drinking on a college campus and being absolutely wasted. Jodyne quite literally “whips her head around to see who’s there” (“A Speck” 01:27). Primarily, Silverman uses purposeful word choice, such as the words “so many freshmen do,” when discussing drinking habits to make the audience think about other individuals who could have been in the same boat as Jodyne (“A Speck” 00:32). According to RAINN, 26.4% of female undergraduate students experience rape through physical force, violence, and incapacitation (“Campus Sexual Violence”). This statistic shows that while Jodyne’s experience had a humorous twist, many college students still face the serious side of things. Essentially, Silverman uses this joke to remind the audience that sexual violence is a real concern in universities across America through the words she uses and by getting the audience to think about something.

    In a later video on I Love You, America, Sarah Silverman makes her position clear on sexual assault:

You’ve probably heard what’s happening in the news recently regarding sexual assault, especially in the entertainment industry. And to be clear, it’s not just Hollywood. It’s everywhere…It’s just not getting written up in the New York Times. This recent calling out of sexual assault has been a long time coming. It’s good. It’s like cutting out tumors. It’s messy, it’s complicated, and it is gonna hurt. But it’s necessary and we’ll all be healthier for it.

(“Sarah Silverman” 00:00 - 00:28)

Well, couldn’t Silverman just be making a joke about Jodyne with no deeper meaning on rape? Considering her stance on calling out sexual assault seen in her I Love You, America segment, it’s clear that her intent goes beyond humor. Therefore, comedians who address rape aren’t always offending or trivializing a situation. Instead, figures like Silverman emphasize the seriousness of these issues while using their creativity to craft jokes that entertain and provoke thought.

    Additionally, comedy covers a broad spectrum of topics besides just sensitive subjects. From silly puns to cat memes, this variety allows everyone to engage in a way that feels comfortable, creating an inclusive environment where different styles can thrive. For those who appreciate comedians like Sarah Silverman and their discussions of tough topics, let them enjoy the humor and messages that resonate with them. Likewise, for those who generally dislike jokes with these references, seeking out other comedians that suit their tastes is perfectly acceptable.

    Finally, if comedy were restricted, it would have less diversity and creativity by placing certain things as off-limits for humor. This reduces the amount of options audiences can choose from when engaging with comedy and restricts the range of jokes comedians can share during their performances. While some may find jokes about sensitive subjects upsetting, we cannot impose restrictions on entire topics since doing so also stifles some comedians' ability to deliver important messages. For example, if someone restricted mentioning rape in comedy, Silverman would lose the chance to use her platform to address the issue of sexual violence in America while entertaining her audience. So, if you come across an insulting joke, move on. The creativity, diversity, and efforts of some comedians in the industry are at stake.

Works Cited

“Campus Sexual Violence: Statistics.” RAINN, rainn.org/statistics/campus-sexual-violence. Accessed 22 September 2024.

Pinterest. https://pin.it/2auDX6Wfz. Accessed 24 September 2024.

“Sarah Silverman Comments on Sexual Harassment | I Love You, America.” YouTube, uploaded by I Love You, America, 16 November 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=_WKFDqxiL80. Accessed 22 September 2024.

“Scope of the Problem: Statistics.” RAINN, rainn.org/statistics/scope-problem#:~:text=Everyone%20Is%20Affected%20by%20Sexual%20Violence&text=1%20out%20of%20every%206,completed%2C%202.8%25%20attempted. Accessed 22 September 2024.

“A Speck of Dust: Shit My Own Pants || Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust (2017).” YouTube, uploaded by KHB Channel, 8 March 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=un1tEqwv6_I. Accessed 22 September 2024.

“An Updated Definition of Rape.” U.S. Department of Justice, www.justice.gov/archives/ovw/blog/updated-definition-rape. Accessed 22 September 2024.