Whats So Funny

Humor is be one of most influential and effective tools in the media for our society today. That is why the tv comedians are very popular and it's a multi million business for the network industry.  Comedy and entertainment from newspapers and comic books are  fading away.  Although there are still few people who reads "intelligent" books and articles, not because of lack of interest but mostly lack of time.  It is easier sometimes to watch tv for information and entertainment, say an hour, rather than to finish a book.  In all honesty satirical writing is something we only read in our English class. On the other hand, comedians on late night television, catering to a more mature audience, are the mainstream humorists. That's why they all have million dollar contracts. In almost every late night show,  these comedians find it almost impossible to stay away from politics. They use their show as an effective way to say things that a candidates are thinking but would not say themselves. Comedy must be used in a wholesome manner, in order to keep our daily lives balanced, light and funny, as we live in the boundaries of social and moral ethics.


At around 11:00 pm, almost every major channel has a comedic host such as Jimmy Kimmel, Steven Colbert, John Oliver, Trevor Noah etc. They all however, have one thing in common discussing politics from a biased standpoint. Literally all of them have the same views as their employers like CBS, NBC, ABC. They all do say the things people feel but dare never say, like what de Botton has stated, however the use of humor is weaponized to further one particular party's goals. President Reagan was one of the few politicians to use humor as a tool, often turning a contentious debate into a stand-up comedy. Many comedians saw this as an opportunity to politicize humor. In the past, comedians would often interview celebrities or introduce new bands, such shows have been long gone like Johnny Carson and Ed Sullivan. They used to have more wholesome entertainment and made people laugh without offending others. The shift in comedic trends correlates with the events happening around the world. Take President Trump as an example. Ever since Trump ran for President these late night tv hosts often used him as a base for their comedy, often making fun of him or his ideas in a derogatory and highly offensive manner. If the Democrats attacked Trump with the same tone as these comedians, they would lose voters.

Why do comedians do that? Well, people are changing and tired of hearing the same cliche jokes over and over. Let's admit it, comedy is a dying industry due to the finite number of jokes. People can just go to Twitter or other social media for laughs, and thats competition for these late night hosts.  That's why they are looking for ways to hold their ratings.  These late night tv hosts are trying so hard that they have to use radical and offensive measures that gears towards a larger audience. 

Modern comedy is changing and it's not getting better.   The fact that so many of these comedians are biased on their show and their offensive political commentary for the "sake of humor" not only discourages people from watching their show, it also shows how they are pawns in a political machine. With what these so called comedians are doing, they are damaging our fabric of what unites us, by saying what divides us by deriding someone who they or their boss disagrees with; as they are afraid of the possibility of getting fired.

If these hosts are genuine comedians, they should avoid politics and focus on more light-hearted subjects that please a larger audience, promote unity, peace and love, then they can be better contributor to our society. Some hosts have actually refused to discuss politics on their show like David Spade. True comedy does not need to be derogatory and insulting, especially to someone holding a public office and representing our great nation. One can exercise their right of free speech and criticize leaders on policies in a more civil style.  However, these tv hosts take a radical step in wrong direction, their comments if said elsewhere could land someone in a serious conflict. If used properly humorists can benefit us all, especially the younger generation, but if used for selfish political or personal agenda, it could be misleading and detrimental.