Posts Tagged by Channel 4
Should comedians self-censor?
| May 18, 2012 | Posted by Ed Smith under entertainment |
Comedy has always been a catalyst for controversy, with political and social norms played out and often subverted through the power of laughter. From Bernard Manning’s casual racism to Bill Bailey’s gentle observations, comedians act as mirrors for the public’s varied tastes and boundaries in what actually makes “funny.” It seems that in recent years the increasing capital of “shock value” has been the quickest way for a comedian to sell tickets, and the more this abounds in the media, the more the debate rages on. So, how much is too much when it comes to comedy? The social debate around censorship can be illustrated by a case in point: that of the notoriously provocative Frankie Boyle. The acerbic Scot… more
