Does being a comic afford you the right to say or do anything in the name of “a joke?” Courts in Canada think not.
According to this Jezebel article, a comic was fined by a British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal for insulting a lesbian couple in a stand-up club.
This ruling is leaving comics and club owners (the club owner was fined for the work of the comic, as well) sweating bullets in fear that the ruling will mean less cash in the door and limit performer’s rights to… be a big jerk?
While I obviously wasn’t at the club on the night in question, and I don’t know anything about Canadian Human Rights Law, or what their First Amendment parallel might be, as someone who supports comedy of all sorts I know that humor as a mode of human communication can be used in many ways: to harm, to cover anger, to hide defensiveness, as well as to highlight how wonderfully ridiculous human beings are by heightening and focusing on things that can actually bring people together.
And I realize that it can be hard to tell with edgy humor. I like edgy humor. The question is: When is it provocative with a purpose, where offense is caused to challenge and press against a particular paradigm? And when is just plain old mean?
Bottom line and IMHO? I think if you have to resort to actual bullying and pointed insults in order to get laughs?
You aren’t all that funny.
This article appears in April 22 • 2011.