tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312509576069599926.post4109335272479327015..comments2023-03-24T21:37:19.845-07:00Comments on Latin@ Pop: Katt Williams' Comedy Act on LatinosLa Profehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00693660739933750002noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312509576069599926.post-61170271081325458782010-11-23T02:43:39.512-08:002010-11-23T02:43:39.512-08:00I too am a big fan of stand-up comedy and in parti...I too am a big fan of stand-up comedy and in particular Kat Williams. Along with several others such as George Lopez, Lisa Lampaneli, and Russell Peters. What makes a good comedian is someone who uses carefully crafted language to make the audience see the image that the comedian is picturing. All of my favorite comedians do this through discussing exaggerated racial stereotypes. But the question remains Is it bad to laugh at what can be read as a racist joke? Is it less offensive when these jokes are made by comedians who belong to the ethnic backgrounds that have been history marginalized? <br /> While we did discuss this topic in class, I believe that one explanation was not explored. Part of what makes racist jokes funny is that we are taught that these things are not to be said and are wrong. When someone has the confidence to say what we have been taught to not talk about, especially in such a confident way in that it sounds like truth, is it so wrong to laugh at something that was said to entertain and shock us? While racial jokes are anything short of being PC they seem less severe when told by a comedian of color. However, when the comedian is making fun of a community of people that he does not belong to he is still “wrong” for doing it. Just because they talk about every group equally doesn’t make it right it only creates a further distinction among groups.melissaherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10251205449409490557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312509576069599926.post-83799554801822431202010-11-22T18:37:21.126-08:002010-11-22T18:37:21.126-08:00I love stand-up comedy, and Katt Williams is one o...I love stand-up comedy, and Katt Williams is one of my favorites. Like YOU mention, things are in fact very much exaggerated to the point where they are a caricature of society's ridiculous assumptions. <br /><br />Being friends with comedians I've noticed that the material they come up with is rooted on their experiences, for example, in this special Katt Williams mentions a grown kid in a stroller with a sidekick and a cigarette saying 'push it faster ese' (if I remember correctly). The point is not go deep into what they are saying but to picture what they are saying - they try to depict something for you with the purpose of making you laugh. The more laughs the comedian gets, the more chances that they will get booked for other gigs and they'll be on their way to furthering their career. <br /><br />Jokes can become problematic though, like you say- if they are targeted to a single group (ethnic/gender/etc). If this happens, it may be that the comedian is just not a very good one (if he is making seriously inappropriate comments, most people will pick it) or the audience (person listening) has taken it too seriously causing it to be problematic. <br /><br />Comedians exaggerate. A lot. We know that. But do their exaggerations make us laugh? Don't think so much about it, just picture it. If you do laugh, they've done their job, and that's it. Don't take things seriously, they're comedians. That's the way I see it.Suzehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05296171255272981127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312509576069599926.post-40134956656182606162010-11-22T14:31:54.171-08:002010-11-22T14:31:54.171-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Suzehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05296171255272981127noreply@blogger.com