Good piece. I think about the differences between Minaj and Russell Peters, who has a very different delivery but tells jokes that are mostly targeted to other immigrants/children of immigrants. “It’s true! We are like that! Haha “
as opposed to Minaj who tells “jokes” for white liberals so they can stroke their chin and in a somber, reflective way “it’s true. We are like that”
Great post. Harping on identity reminds me of the immortal words of producer Jack Lipnick:
“The important thing is we all want [your screenplay] to have that Barton Fink feeling. We all have that feeling but since you're Barton Fink, I'm assuming you have it in spades.”
When will people learn. Supply and demand does not only apply to monetary economics and trade. It applies to everything.
The demand for racism drastically outstrips its supply.
So what do people do? They ‘print’ racism like Minaj (which. Just like monetary inflation makes all other, more real racism, worth less) or they just open up the definition to include more things. “Did you know musical theory is racist?”
Thank you, Jeff, most liberals are afraid to point out their own team's faults for fear of giving fodder to the 'other side'. It is natural to feel that way, but refreshing to see someone who calls it like they see it, regardless of how it is received by their own group.
I am glad that I am not the only one who would roll my eyes about 'emotional experience' being as real as real experience. Sadly, it is true that lots of people think real world experience doesn't matter.
Re: The Jeffersons and that era of opening up the sitcom writers rooms, check out Ron Brownstein's ROCK ME ON THE WATER, about the entertainment biz in LA in 1974.
I share your concerns about reifying race. My intuition is that as long as we keep acting like race is real, racism will quickly follow.
What’s sad to me about this story is that the demand for identity-centric comedy is so high that Minaj had to lie to meet the demand, instead of doing something novel and interesting that has nothing to do with race. We limit our imaginations by fixating on identity.
Smart piece, esp the angle on how audiences/industry can "dehumanize non-white writers and performers and push them to become faceless avatars for their race."
My .02: It’s fine when Hedberg, Dangerfield, or Jeselnik lie in bits because we know that’s what they’re doing. But it’s weird when comics invent stuff while assuming the role of pseudo-journalist or reality-based storyteller, especially if they’re trying to portray themselves as a victim and/or sway an audience to take their side. If you want the power you get from that flavor of storytelling, you should also accept the responsibility that goes along with it (i.e. to tell the truth).
He did more than just make up stories. He used a photo of a real woman in his story about getting dumped because of the girl's racist family, and she received harassment and threats for years.
This post/column reminds me of reading the book "The Daily Show (The Book): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests" by Chris Smith and thinking that the book was basically Jon Stewart trying to explain page after page that he wasn't racist(There was also an incident with Wyatt Cenac, not only that Jezebel article complaining about lack of women writers).
Having said that, I always thought that their best jokes using race from their very diverse cast were jokes that their very white audience didn't get.
Richard Pryor wasn’t great b/c he was black, he was great b/c he was black and a coke addict with a never ending train wreck of a personal life. He lived everything he said-Minaj did not. I’ll stick to Nikki in that category.
Good piece. I think about the differences between Minaj and Russell Peters, who has a very different delivery but tells jokes that are mostly targeted to other immigrants/children of immigrants. “It’s true! We are like that! Haha “
as opposed to Minaj who tells “jokes” for white liberals so they can stroke their chin and in a somber, reflective way “it’s true. We are like that”
Great post. Harping on identity reminds me of the immortal words of producer Jack Lipnick:
“The important thing is we all want [your screenplay] to have that Barton Fink feeling. We all have that feeling but since you're Barton Fink, I'm assuming you have it in spades.”
When will people learn. Supply and demand does not only apply to monetary economics and trade. It applies to everything.
The demand for racism drastically outstrips its supply.
So what do people do? They ‘print’ racism like Minaj (which. Just like monetary inflation makes all other, more real racism, worth less) or they just open up the definition to include more things. “Did you know musical theory is racist?”
Of course the greatest entry in the Celebrity Euphemism Hall of Fame is "Hiking the Appalachians".
Thank you, Jeff, most liberals are afraid to point out their own team's faults for fear of giving fodder to the 'other side'. It is natural to feel that way, but refreshing to see someone who calls it like they see it, regardless of how it is received by their own group.
I am glad that I am not the only one who would roll my eyes about 'emotional experience' being as real as real experience. Sadly, it is true that lots of people think real world experience doesn't matter.
Jeff Mauer for President!
Entertainment has been conscripted in the war to advance The Narrative. This is just a battlefield sacrifice.
Re: The Jeffersons and that era of opening up the sitcom writers rooms, check out Ron Brownstein's ROCK ME ON THE WATER, about the entertainment biz in LA in 1974.
I share your concerns about reifying race. My intuition is that as long as we keep acting like race is real, racism will quickly follow.
What’s sad to me about this story is that the demand for identity-centric comedy is so high that Minaj had to lie to meet the demand, instead of doing something novel and interesting that has nothing to do with race. We limit our imaginations by fixating on identity.
Show Wayne Brady some respect!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s8FCZQPshY
(Found this on my deep dive into Rafal Casal discography, made me move Brady up 5 ranks)
Smart piece, esp the angle on how audiences/industry can "dehumanize non-white writers and performers and push them to become faceless avatars for their race."
I wrote about the Hasan thing here fyi: https://funnyhow.substack.com/p/how-much-can-comedians-lie
My .02: It’s fine when Hedberg, Dangerfield, or Jeselnik lie in bits because we know that’s what they’re doing. But it’s weird when comics invent stuff while assuming the role of pseudo-journalist or reality-based storyteller, especially if they’re trying to portray themselves as a victim and/or sway an audience to take their side. If you want the power you get from that flavor of storytelling, you should also accept the responsibility that goes along with it (i.e. to tell the truth).
Spot on! BTW, how did you make the McCartney image? Thru Substack or elsewhere?
He did more than just make up stories. He used a photo of a real woman in his story about getting dumped because of the girl's racist family, and she received harassment and threats for years.
This post/column reminds me of reading the book "The Daily Show (The Book): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests" by Chris Smith and thinking that the book was basically Jon Stewart trying to explain page after page that he wasn't racist(There was also an incident with Wyatt Cenac, not only that Jezebel article complaining about lack of women writers).
Having said that, I always thought that their best jokes using race from their very diverse cast were jokes that their very white audience didn't get.
Is Sammy David Jr. a joke that I don’t get?
Good stuff
Richard Pryor wasn’t great b/c he was black, he was great b/c he was black and a coke addict with a never ending train wreck of a personal life. He lived everything he said-Minaj did not. I’ll stick to Nikki in that category.