[sktrdie]

He constantly makes comparisons about his comedy and how much more of an experiment it was to showcase the "hidden prejudice" of people. The content of his speech are totally valid and agreeable and don't see why he cannot have an influence for discussing social problems. Actually comedians are of great help for ethical social concerns; for instance take a look at George Carlin.

[creaghpatr]

You're right and I loved Sasha's Made in America show, however George Carlin would be absolutely fucked in today's day and age. His political/cultural angles are not nearly as "safe" as Sasha's.

[mistermann]

I suspect Carlin would have adapted, as Dave Chappelle has.

[creaghpatr]

Chappelle was grandfathered in, imo.

[mistermann]

His recent comedy takes aim directly at the cancel culture that most other comedians don't dare offend. It seems to me that he doesn't need the acceptance of the system because he largely lives outside it, producing new specials when it suits his fancy.

[ceejayoz]

Carlin would've been fine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8yV8xUorQ8

[defen]

> He constantly makes comparisons about his comedy and how much more of an experiment it was to showcase the "hidden prejudice" of people

Was that his original intent or is that a retcon? Maybe I was too young to "get it" at the time, but I watched the original Da Ali G Show when it came out and don't really remember that being the point. Maybe if Ali G asked legitimate questions despite his low-status dress/speech mannerisms you'd have a point, but the character was actually incredibly stupid.

[mcguire]

He makes his living by mocking people. Any claims of experiments or hidden prejudice are hypocrisy.

[toomuchtodo]

People mock themselves. He's just giving them the door to walk through. It's entirely within your own power to not show the world you're a fool.

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." -- Mark Twain

[mcguire]

I double-dog dare you to go to a Jewish wedding and ask about circumcision. (Or to a tech conference and ask where the women are and why everyone is single.) With good editing, it will be exactly as funny as Cohen's best.

Everyone has a door and can be convinced to go through it. And at any given time, some people are safe targets.

[danans]

> I double-dog dare you to go to a Jewish wedding and ask about circumcision.

I've been to Jewish weddings and the community themselves make jokes about circumcision. It's not like it's a subject for which they have to be tricked into showing their true colors on like the latent racism and sexism that Cohen exposes in his comedy. In fact, circumcision is the subject of a lot of of traditional Jewish humor.

> Or to a tech conference and ask where the women are and why everyone is single.

I suspect you'd get a lot of laughs from the attendees, because after all, most normal people can laugh at themselves, and even at caricatures of themselves. If some of them end up shouting mysoginistic stuff in response, that's on them.

[majos]

> Actually comedians are of great help for ethical social concerns; for instance take a look at George Carlin.

George Carlin is a pretty impressive example of a comedian affecting meaningful change, or at least forcing a legal confrontation, though probably not in the way he wanted [1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCC_v._Pacifica_Foundation