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Stand-up comics have always had a special freedom. They tend to be the last people on earth who can say what they want about touchy subject. All the while, comics generate laughter at issues that most times are not thought to be funny.
Take "Achmed the Dead Terrorist" for example. Jeff Dunham, known for his ventriloquist routines, created this puppet terrorist at a time in our lives when terrorism as an issue isn't very funny. Although, Dunham made terrorism funny and made us laugh at an issue that we normally would cry when we discussed it.
Here is his routine:
Unfortunately, some feel his routine is offensive so much so that they have banned a ringtone commercial with the routine. FoxNews reports, the government of South Africa doesn't think it's funny. According to iafrica.com, South Africa's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that a GloMobile ringtone commercial featuring Dunham and his puppet was offensive to Muslims.
ASA officials said a South African man, Moegamat Khan, had filed a complaint that the commercial was offensive to the Islamic religion and created an impression that all Muslims were terrorists.
And the ASA agreed. "To associate this divine inspiration to a terrorist is offensive to the people who believe in [Muhammad]," the authority ruled. Muslims make up 2 percent of South Africa's population.
Dunham is quick to point out that Achmed isn't even muslim. He states that he wished the individual making the complaint would have watched the entire routine to realize the puppet is not muslim.
Do comedians have a right to poke fun at groups? Black comedians have often times made jokes about their own group as well as others. We have all heard the "You might be a redneck" jokes. Saturday Night Live is continually making fun of politics, entertainers, etc. It is part of the culture. In America, it would be protected under free speech.
Dunham believes it is the last form of public expression still protected. He admits calling all kinds of people to the table citing that laughter can heal many wounds. After all, laughter is said to be the best medicine.
So what are your thoughts? Should stand-up comics be censored? Should Achmed be banned? Leave your opinions in the comments.
Censorship is a very dangerous line. Start censoring comics & you can kiss many freedoms goodbye. Bottom line is this: if people find it offensive, they don't have to watch. Period. Makes me nuts when people start wanting to censor. It's called "freedom of speech" and we have every right to poke fun at whomever we want. Part of being a "free American".
What is sad is that had Dunham (dot com) come up with a Christian character that attacked Christian beliefs, nobody would have complained except for possibly the Focus on the Family people--and the news story would have been selectively deleted from the broadcast schedule. I have to agree with Whoopi Goldberg when she said on "The View" that when comics deal with touchy subjects like politics they should never be taken seriously. Not that I would take Goldberg seriously anyway. Dunham is entertaining, which is his job.
I agree with Camille. Once you start down that slippery slope of censorship, there's no telling where it might lead. Censorship should only be used when not censoring would be put someone's life, health, or property in danger. I can't think of another valid reason for it in a free society. BTW, one of the rights we DON'T have as Americans is the right to not be offended. We should always keep that in mind. This is a subject that I'm very passionate about and it sets me apart from many other conservatives.
Thanks for that. We wouldn't have seen it otherwise (I called my husband into the room to watch it).
As for whether or not to censor comedians...NO...NEVER!
They help us to see things in other perspectives even when they don't necessarily makes us laugh. And we need them to tell us the "awful" truth when no one else has the courage to utter it. Comedians, just like court jesters, have a place in our society and we should not stifle them.
People who can not laugh at themselves from time to time when someone makes fun of them must be very serious and sad people. When I finally learned not to take myself so seriously and laugh with other people at myself, I felt free. Societies that can not laugh at themselves are just as sad and I feel sorry for them.
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