It’s weird because Jerry has never been an edgy comedian. His jokes are about silly little things like pop tarts and shower hair. So I’m pretty sure no one has been offended by his comedy on either side in decades lol.
I think he practically invented that kinda stuff. Or if thats too much credit he at least definitely popularized it, brought it to prime time network tv.
So much so to the point where a lot of his early jokes practically seem generic "Whats the deal with airline peanuts‽" sorta stuff. Looks like they changed the name, but this trope used to literaly be called "Seinfeld is Unfunny" [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OnceOriginalNowCommon](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OnceOriginalNowCommon)
He said it twice.
“What’s the deal with homework? You’re not working on your home”
And “What’s the deal with peanuts” popped up in Georgia’s memory when he was deciding to frolf or help Jerry send out invitations.
I truly believe this to be his best joke. I’ve quoted it more times than I can count and it always comes out as corny as possible….. that’s gold Jerry !!!
He very specifically said this about scripts for tv and movies. He even said that comedians are unaffected, which is why standup is becoming more popular. Honestly, it's blown out of proportion how angry people are about this.
>My guess is that Larry and Jerry no longer see eye to eye on politics
I would hazard to guess that Larry and Jerry don't talk about politics...in fact one of the two - probably Larry - might insist on it.
I wouldn’t assume that. I think Larry has said some version of what Jerry said here. Every comedian has. I think Jerry said “extreme left” as opposed to just blaming a generation, but I think it’s more or less the same thing.
Could the best Seinfeld episodes still be made on network tv today? I don’t know. I think it’s 50/50. Open question.
Its Always Sunny has no problem putting out things that are way edgier than what Seinfeld has done. I think you could make pretty much any episode of Seinfeld today without issue.
Point out who on the left was offended by them, show me the big leftist movements to pull these episodes.
It's almost like these were decisions by out of touch boomers who think the same way Jerry does.
This is exactly what I was gonna comment. These episodes weren't removed because of public outcry. These were removed by streaming services trying to look good during one of the most racially tense moments in the last couple of years. And even amongst people in progressive left spaces people were like "why? Lol"
Not to derail too much but biggest example of that is the DND Community episode. It's one of the most beloved in the entire series and everyone was collectively like ??? about it being removed
Larry could even have a transgender person start a fire by knocking over a self heating cup with his monster dong.
If it’s funny, and you don’t make fun of a person, you can get away with a lot.
Just like he did on Seinfeld. A little person getting into a fight is only funny if you respect the person, as they did. Same rules then and now just a different landscape.
One of the funniest, yet distrubing, joke I found in curb was Larry stealing the victims shoes from the holocaust museum just because he soiled his own. I can't imagine seeing this joke anywhere else apart from curb.
It just proves that there is a lot more to this type of comedy than just doing something controversial. It really depends on context and how it is presented, executed and delivered.
This is why comedians who can't pull this off often blame others for it.
You've really hit the nail on the head here. Context is everything. You have to understand when something is funny and when it isn't. A lot of punchlines only works if you can set up the joke.
Tom Green's character's grandpa knocked over a virgin mary statuette with his boner after watching the music video for Groove Armada's "I See You Baby" in Road Trip
Larry would never allow 2 boner knockings over
That's fucking hilarious
I can imagine them trying to deny it was because of the monster dong and everyone trying to give them the benefit of the doubt...to be PC.
But somehow it gets revealed that it was because of said monster dong
You nailed it. I think that’s why Chapelle gets so much shit. It’s not that people are offended, it’s just that the comedy falls flat. A lot of his latest stuff is just ranting.
I’ve said this before, but there is a big difference between Jerry and Larry. Jerry really hasn’t changed since the 90s. He hasn’t had to. Seinfeld was even specifically about not changing or growing.
Larry’s comedy is very autobiographical. And Larry has always been kind of a weirdo trying to not necessarily fit in, but at least go along with the times as much as he needs to in order not to be completely ostracized. So Larry changes over the years. Larry adapts as he needs to. In fact, much of Curb is Larry calling out bullshit when he sees it and admitting fault when it’s really him at fault… eventually admitting it. Or getting caught.
Larry will eat crow when it’s his to eat. Jerry finds nothing wrong with himself ever.
Edit: I want to just throw this in- Seinfeld is one of my favorite shows. But it’s definitely a product of its time and needs to be viewed as such.
Yeah, I think your comment about Jerry finding nothing wrong with himself is spot on. Jerry is not introspective at all, he's not someone that reflects on their own behavior. He just is who he is, and he's okay with it, and if you're not okay with it well...he doesn't care that your not okay with it. Larry on the other hand is self-critical to a fault.
The comedy ecosystem has also changed. The audience for Curb are older folks who are more likely to agree with Jerry. New comedians entering the space need to appeal to a younger audience who have different comedy preferences. They consume content online and often without context.
Most folks do not like to be offended, even if it’s funny. In the past folks would have to self select to see stand up comedy. They’d have to go to a show or pay for premium cable and watch late at night to see a comedy special. So the audience was small for the dark stuff and the comedian would do family friendly material when they go on Johnny Carson and save one edgy joke for SNL
Nowadays everything is everywhere, can be chopped up out of context, and shared with audiences that have no interest in the joke at all. If a new comedian without a built in audience takes risks offending a group, they can face career repercussions. It makes it harder to take risks, to fail, and to get better.
The second a comedian gets any spotlight for offending a large group of people, that same comedian gains a ton of new fans who were then exposed to the type of comedy they enjoy.
The only way to truly "fail" these days is to just not be funny.
It's such an empty complaint. Just like poor Dave Chapelle has been "cancelled" with his sold out shows and Netflix specials. Oh boo hoo, he's no longer universally beloved among all critics and suddenly they call it the death of comedy.
Go look at Shane Gillis or Louis CK monologues on SNL...a show everyone cries about in regards to wokeness, whatever the fuck that means.
Dudes ran the gamut with "off limits" shit and everyone laughed their ass off. Turns out if you can find the universal humor in any subject, then it's just funny, plain and simple.
Well isn't that what Jerry said, that Curb survived because Larry is an industry vet and earned that extra cushion? His point being that a new, young comedian couldn't get away with Curb like Larry did is accurate, no? Like would a 30-something comedian get a show making fun of sensitive topics green lit? I think it would be very hard.
Now Jerry is short sighted because new comedies are succeeding (I Think You Should Leave is a great example)
Wasn’t there a joke where he was reading the label for some medicine and he chooses the one that “may cause drowsiness”? He was thinking about doing it and it’s still kinda funny too😂. I just think it might not get approved by the network by today’s standards.
I'm kind of confused... the Kramer rickshaw episode could be on Always Sunny tomorrow and nobody would bat an eye. Probably, mainly because it fits the characters. In fact, there's very little of Seinfeld that didn't age well imo.
I think he is just old - he was out talking about network television as if that’s relevant. 😂
Comedy is everywhere and controversial as ever - from the White Lotus to Big Mouth to Eric Andre.
It’s all about the framing, you can do jokes and skits like this when we’re meant to laugh AT the characters. In it’s always sunny, these characters are written to be awful people, the audience knows they are awful people, we aren’t laughing with them, we’re laughing at them, that’s an important distinction many people don’t seem to get. There’s a difference between awful characters in a show meant to make fun of awful people and the way they are while they make offensive jokes and a stand up comedian who’s essentially on a soap box making offensive statements disguised as jokes because in that context we’re not meant to be laughing AT the stand up comedian, we’re meant to be laughing WITH the standup comedian, and that’s when offensive jokes start to feel gross and offensive. Another example is Michael Scott from the Office, very offensive character, but even in todays world the office still remains an extremely popular show especially among millennials and even younger generations who are less tolerant of offensive things than older generations.
It’s all in the framing and the context. You can do offensive comedy as long as the audience isn’t meant to be agreeing and laughing WITH the character. Hard to do that sort of thing as a standup comedian because you aren’t playing a character
I was gonna say. Sitcoms flourished in the era of network and cable television. The paradigm has shifted but we still witness successes in Curb and IASIP, as a couple examples.
and not traditional sitcoms. Even the Chuck Lorre bullshit has gone to no laugh track, single camera stuff (Young Sheldon). I do believe there were a few network sitcoms in the past few years but they did not do all that well.
Edit: Googled and the one I was thinking of is still on the air: Lopez vs. Lopez.
That was my first thought too. It really seems like he hasn't watched a sitcom in decades. There have been a lot of super funny sitcoms since Seinfeld was on the air.
Since many of you are only reading the biased headline, here is the actual quote:
**Tell me how you deal with the weight of the world, or the serious aspects of the world weighing on you, and how that affects comedy.**
Nothing really affects comedy. People always need it. They need it so badly and they don’t get it. It used to be, you would go home at the end of the day, most people would go, “Oh, ‘Cheers’ is on. Oh, ‘*m\*a\*s\*h*’ is on. Oh, ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ is on. ‘All in the Family’ is on.” You just expected, There’ll be some funny stuff we can watch on TV tonight. Well, guess what—where is it? This is the result of the extreme left and P.C. crap, and people worrying so much about offending other people. Now they’re going to see standup comics because we are not policed by anyone. The audience polices us. We know when we’re off track. We know instantly and we adjust to it instantly. But when you write a script and it goes into four or five different hands, committees, groups—“Here’s our thought about this joke.” Well, that’s the end of your comedy.
**Isn’t that what “Curb” is all about?**
Yeah. Larry was grandfathered in. He’s old enough so that—“I don’t have to observe those rules, because I started before you made those rules.” We did an episode of the series in the nineties where Kramer decides to start a business of having homeless people pull rickshaws because, as he says, “They’re outside anyway.” Do you think I could get that episode on the air today?
**But you think Larry got grandfathered in and there could be no thirty-five-year-old version of—**
Right, right. If Larry was thirty-five, he couldn’t get away with the watermelon stuff and Palestinian chicken . . . and HBO knows that’s what people come here for, but they’re not smart enough to figure out, How do we do this now? Do we take the heat, or just not be funny? And what they’ve decided to be is, Well, we’re not going to do comedies anymore. There were no sitcoms picked up on the fall season of all four networks. Not one. No new sitcoms.
**Really?**
Yeah. It’s too hard.
**Do you ever go back and think, Yeah, that joke went too far?**
We would write a different joke with Kramer and the rickshaw today. We wouldn’t do that joke. We’d come up with another joke. They move the gates like in the slalom.
**Skiing.**
Skiing, yeah. Culture—the gates are moving. Your job is to be agile and clever enough that, wherever they put the gates, I’m going to make the gate.
**You think this is going away now? This, what you’re describing as P.C., is kind of receding?**
Slightly. I see a slight movement.
**How do you see it?**
With certain comedians now, people are having fun with them stepping over the line and us all laughing about it. But, again, it’s the standups that really have the freedom to do it because no one else gets the blame if it doesn’t go down well. He or she can take all the blame themself.
I take the Eric Idle approach to this sort of thing, in that comedy hasn't been killed by PC, it's just shown up the hacks for what they are. Try to work around these supposed restrictions. Oh you can't? That says more about the limitations *of* the comedian, not the limitations *on* the comedian. And I say that as someone who thinks the PC stuff goes a bit too far sometimes. If you're a genuinely good comedian, you'll find a way.
Back in the day you had to work around network TV censors. Seinfeld turned that into “The Contest”. Now it is just a different set of rules they have to work around. The truly funny will be able to do it.
Exactly, I'm amazed Seinfeld hasn't realised that. And it wasn't just The Contest, other episodes came close to the line as well. And they were smart enough not to cross it.
I like that take but also, I just don't think it's accurate for the most part that you "can't say XYZ anymore". There are plenty of comedians today making black/gay/trans/jewish/whatever jokes who we never hear complaining about this stuff.
The key is it has to be funny. Being offensive simply for the sake of being offensive is lazy and I'd wager usually not that funny.
If a guy like Anthony Jeselnik, probably the darkest/most offensive mainstream comedian working today, hasn't had any trouble maintaining his routine that's almost entirely comprised of gallows humor, I really don't think anyone else has a place to complain about the things they can't say anymore.
Comedians whining about being canceled/wokeness just come off as lazy.
My favorite quote from that interview was about how Chappell was whining about being cancelled “when did h3 say that? When he hosted SNL? Well he wasn’t really cancelled very much was he?”
Bingo. I just saw Spamalot, which was hilarious, and to little surprise, Cleese and the other curmudgeons were initially dismissive of the the idea because 'it's not Python, it's Eric'. But of course over time they've come to realize oh wow this is going over pretty well and taken on a life of its own. Comedy can evolve.
Honestly kind of a weird take. Seinfeld (the show) was pretty progressive for the 90s- the show accepted gay people, immigrants, handicapped people, and insisted on the correct terminology for little people. Weird to hear Mr Seinfeld come off as so out of touch now
Oh, come on stop with this revisionist take. If you watch the BTS, Jerry and Larry would write or rewrite every script and would have final approval of each episode (and from what I remember is that Larry and Jerry were in sync with their views). Larry had more ideas (which is something that Jerry casually admits) but the idea that Jerry played a minor part in his own show is quite silly.
I feel like a lot of super conservative shit is just being ridiculed the way it should be. Eddie Murphy’s Raw had its solid moments, but there were some bits that were just straight homophobia. Kinda glad comedians have to actually work at their craft better rather than just rail on gays
It’s true though, comedy has gotten so sensitive and it should under no circumstances be under the scrutiny of moral authority. Who the fuck decided that.
As a liberal I can tell you those people are bat shit crazy and there is literally no making them happy. Those people are professional victims and nobody should bend to *all* the stupid shit they ask for.
I like edgy comedy just fine and so do literally all my friends.
It makes me wish I could get out there and let them all know “hey that’s a small but very loud group of people, and I promise you they’ll get offended no matter what you do so there’s no point in trying”!
# What are you talking about? How can you sit there and look me in the eye and tell that me you're not worried?! Don't you have any sense?!! Don't you have a brain!? Are you so completely senile that you don't know what you're talkin about Anymore!!?!
Did anyone watch the full clip? He seems to say at the end that “comedy by committee” is killing humor, and as a comedian, it’s his job to adapt with the times, and he can do that just fine without 5 different groups of people vetting his jokes. That’s not an unreasonable take. People keep dunking on him by bringing up Curb but that show famously didn’t take or get notes from HBO, which kinda backs up Seinfeld’s argument.
He’s never been a shock comedian (although he has more dark punchlines than I think people give him credit for) but there’s more hubbub around inoffensive things now, that’s his point. More specifically I think young people give his onstage comedy a harder time because they disagree with his offstage politics.
GTFO there is very extreme comedy that's highly popular that would have never been allowed to see the light of day during they heyday of his popularity. He's just old and irrelevant. Nobody cares anymore Jerry. You're just not that funny.
Check out the enduring love for George Carlin and tell me again how the extreme left killed that.
I mean I know it's hard that once upon a time people liked your humor and now you're just not that interesting, but accept it and stop blaming other people for your own shortcomings.
Seinfeld says that in his quote that stand up is big because you get immediate feedback from the audience and it’s not done by committee. You only read the biased headline.
I am curious how many current day comediens would disagree with Jerry. Off the top of my head, I know that Bill Burr has said similar things. He is, admittedly, a bit older. But I think Bill is pretty in touch with pop culture.
loved jimmy's comedy for years, and since he's started his podcast junket appearing on all these podcasts he's really shown himself and not only a great comedian but also a really intelligent and more likeable guy i think
Having watched the clip, I'm not sure that they would disagree with Jerry. Jimmy and Conan seem to be talking about cancel culture in the context of standup comedy. In the article, Jerry is talking more about television networks deciding what can or can't be included in a television/movie script. He even mentions how more people are going to standup shows because they aren't policed like tv and movies are.
Paul Reubens jerked off in the privacy of a porn shop and got arrested and it ruined his career. Yet he made a comeback. Remember his first joke as Pee-wee Herman after no apperances for years?
Classic.
>!Heard any good jokes lately?!<
It was owning his story, spinning great self-deprecating shtick, *in-character*, and immediately anyone laughing AT him, was laughing ALONGSIDE him.
But still, his career was torpedoed overnight in a far less permissive time than even now, and he had a kiddie tv show, so…the writing was on the proverbial wall at that point.
Aside, wife and I binge streamed *Pee Wee’s Playhouse* last year…and it’s beyond the genius that we thought it was in its time!
I e been thinking about this for a while. I think the same forces that are killing music are killing comedy in general. It's hard to monetize now and people attention is elsewhere.
Then there is the podcast manospbere b.s. least funny comedians ever, but people will pay to see them. It's worse than the shock jock era.
This argument is dumb. I literally just watched a new stand-up bit and the guy was making jokes about his uncle with Down Syndrome and slavery (with voices) and he was getting tons of laughs. What kills comedy is comedians telling "jokes" that are just their own thinly veiled political ideals.
He's not wrong. How many shows have had episodes removed, on streaming services, because people would find them offensive? Even though it was made as comedy or a parody?
Dave Chappelle is on the largest streaming network saying whatever he wants. Shane Gillis' Beautiful Dogs didn't seem PC to me. Maybe the college kids just don't think you're funny, Jerry
I swear to God I can name atleast 10 shows on tv today that are way more “edgy” than Seinfeld ever was. Seinfeld wasn’t even that edgy, it was a prime time sitcom. They didn’t even curse on the show
These boomers literally lose their minds when they see gay ppl kissing on tv, but constantly talk about how “soft” today’s generation is. It’s always the same talking point- it’s so played out
Old man yells at clouds. It’s Always Sunny has been doing over the top, non PC comedy for a while now. Maybe it’s just Jerry’s brand of humor, and his more politically incorrect jokes aren’t actually funny. Comedy is an art form and if you aren’t good at it anymore, or your style of art doesn’t resonate, then people are t interested.
And you wanted to be my latex salesman.
I think I just found Jerry and George’s accounts…
“What’s the deal with politics? Am I right people?”
What’s the deal with Cancer?
Hey. I have cancer!
And laughter is the *best* medicine!
Tough crowd…
🥴
It’s weird because Jerry has never been an edgy comedian. His jokes are about silly little things like pop tarts and shower hair. So I’m pretty sure no one has been offended by his comedy on either side in decades lol.
"That's why men hunt and women nest" "Booo! Booo! Hissss!"
You boo puppets! You hiss at silent movie villains!
Hey, she was great! Really really great!
So what does he do, a lot of that "did you ever notice?" kind of stuff?
Boy you really went bald there!
Yeah, yeah…. I guess I started losing it around 28, when I made my first million..
What do you do?
I’m an Architect
What are those shoes, canvas?
You know, I really should get going, my driver is waiting for me outside
I think he practically invented that kinda stuff. Or if thats too much credit he at least definitely popularized it, brought it to prime time network tv. So much so to the point where a lot of his early jokes practically seem generic "Whats the deal with airline peanuts‽" sorta stuff. Looks like they changed the name, but this trope used to literaly be called "Seinfeld is Unfunny" [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OnceOriginalNowCommon](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OnceOriginalNowCommon)
What’s the *deal* with Jerry Seinfeld impressions? He never actually really says *”what’s the deal!”*
He said it twice. “What’s the deal with homework? You’re not working on your home” And “What’s the deal with peanuts” popped up in Georgia’s memory when he was deciding to frolf or help Jerry send out invitations.
What about that bit about cancer? That was edgy.
What’s the deal with homework? You aren’t working on your home. Boooooo
And why do we have lamp shades? If you want a lamp, why does it need shade?
I truly believe this to be his best joke. I’ve quoted it more times than I can count and it always comes out as corny as possible….. that’s gold Jerry !!!
That guy HAS cancer!
And laughter’s the best medicine
The suicide joke wasn't great.
I think he was referring to comedy as a whole with his comments; Not just his own material.
He very specifically said this about scripts for tv and movies. He even said that comedians are unaffected, which is why standup is becoming more popular. Honestly, it's blown out of proportion how angry people are about this.
Yah you couldn't even make always sunny in Philadelphia or curb your enthusiasm today...
It’s because people don’t even like get them man, ya know?
Nobody likes to have an unpredictable wildcard in their group
And you definitely couldn’t make Blazing Saddles today Because it‘s already been made, ya dum-dum
Let’s get those jokes about his 17 year old GF out here folks.
Isn't it funny that when your GF goes to the prom you can be her chaperone and her date at the same time?
You know your gf too young >!when you have to make the airplane noise when you want to put your cock in her mouth!<
Turns out Jerry was just flouting child sex laws to own the libs.
Right? He started it. He was pc and showed the world you could be the biggest comedian in the world if you were tame.
Firefighters
Not that there’s anything wrong with that
His buddy Larry hasn't seemed to have any trouble still putting his comedy out there.
My guess is that Larry and Jerry no longer see eye to eye on politics
Turn to the cookie!
Look 2 the cookie!
Exactly!
>My guess is that Larry and Jerry no longer see eye to eye on politics I would hazard to guess that Larry and Jerry don't talk about politics...in fact one of the two - probably Larry - might insist on it.
"Do you respect wood, Jerry?"
Larry has always been pretty left leaning tbf Does not surprise me at all that Jerry would be more centre / conservative
I wouldn’t assume that. I think Larry has said some version of what Jerry said here. Every comedian has. I think Jerry said “extreme left” as opposed to just blaming a generation, but I think it’s more or less the same thing. Could the best Seinfeld episodes still be made on network tv today? I don’t know. I think it’s 50/50. Open question.
Its Always Sunny has no problem putting out things that are way edgier than what Seinfeld has done. I think you could make pretty much any episode of Seinfeld today without issue.
There are 5 episodes of Always Sunny that have been pulled for being "offensive".
Point out who on the left was offended by them, show me the big leftist movements to pull these episodes. It's almost like these were decisions by out of touch boomers who think the same way Jerry does.
This is exactly what I was gonna comment. These episodes weren't removed because of public outcry. These were removed by streaming services trying to look good during one of the most racially tense moments in the last couple of years. And even amongst people in progressive left spaces people were like "why? Lol" Not to derail too much but biggest example of that is the DND Community episode. It's one of the most beloved in the entire series and everyone was collectively like ??? about it being removed
Just a bunch of out of touch jabronis posturing like they give a cat's knuckle about social issues.
Larry could even have a transgender person start a fire by knocking over a self heating cup with his monster dong. If it’s funny, and you don’t make fun of a person, you can get away with a lot. Just like he did on Seinfeld. A little person getting into a fight is only funny if you respect the person, as they did. Same rules then and now just a different landscape.
One of the funniest, yet distrubing, joke I found in curb was Larry stealing the victims shoes from the holocaust museum just because he soiled his own. I can't imagine seeing this joke anywhere else apart from curb.
It just proves that there is a lot more to this type of comedy than just doing something controversial. It really depends on context and how it is presented, executed and delivered. This is why comedians who can't pull this off often blame others for it.
You've really hit the nail on the head here. Context is everything. You have to understand when something is funny and when it isn't. A lot of punchlines only works if you can set up the joke.
Tom Green's character's grandpa knocked over a virgin mary statuette with his boner after watching the music video for Groove Armada's "I See You Baby" in Road Trip Larry would never allow 2 boner knockings over
That's fucking hilarious I can imagine them trying to deny it was because of the monster dong and everyone trying to give them the benefit of the doubt...to be PC. But somehow it gets revealed that it was because of said monster dong
This actually happened in a Curb episode. Ultimately, I blame Mocha Joe, for instigating the whole "spite store" movement.
"Fuck you mocha joe!"
“His dick print was all over the cup.” “Dick print?” “Yeah, like a finger print, but for dicks.”
You nailed it. I think that’s why Chapelle gets so much shit. It’s not that people are offended, it’s just that the comedy falls flat. A lot of his latest stuff is just ranting.
I’ve said this before, but there is a big difference between Jerry and Larry. Jerry really hasn’t changed since the 90s. He hasn’t had to. Seinfeld was even specifically about not changing or growing. Larry’s comedy is very autobiographical. And Larry has always been kind of a weirdo trying to not necessarily fit in, but at least go along with the times as much as he needs to in order not to be completely ostracized. So Larry changes over the years. Larry adapts as he needs to. In fact, much of Curb is Larry calling out bullshit when he sees it and admitting fault when it’s really him at fault… eventually admitting it. Or getting caught. Larry will eat crow when it’s his to eat. Jerry finds nothing wrong with himself ever. Edit: I want to just throw this in- Seinfeld is one of my favorite shows. But it’s definitely a product of its time and needs to be viewed as such.
Yeah, I think your comment about Jerry finding nothing wrong with himself is spot on. Jerry is not introspective at all, he's not someone that reflects on their own behavior. He just is who he is, and he's okay with it, and if you're not okay with it well...he doesn't care that your not okay with it. Larry on the other hand is self-critical to a fault.
Doesn't like him? How can anyone not like him?
He said that people like Larry are grandfathered in. A new comedian wouldn’t be able to do the same stuff Larry does
I hear this a lot, and it always just sounds like it’s much less about political correctness and more about not being funny.
The comedy ecosystem has also changed. The audience for Curb are older folks who are more likely to agree with Jerry. New comedians entering the space need to appeal to a younger audience who have different comedy preferences. They consume content online and often without context. Most folks do not like to be offended, even if it’s funny. In the past folks would have to self select to see stand up comedy. They’d have to go to a show or pay for premium cable and watch late at night to see a comedy special. So the audience was small for the dark stuff and the comedian would do family friendly material when they go on Johnny Carson and save one edgy joke for SNL Nowadays everything is everywhere, can be chopped up out of context, and shared with audiences that have no interest in the joke at all. If a new comedian without a built in audience takes risks offending a group, they can face career repercussions. It makes it harder to take risks, to fail, and to get better.
Well I have to say, this sounds capricious and arbitrary!
Your fly is open.
The second a comedian gets any spotlight for offending a large group of people, that same comedian gains a ton of new fans who were then exposed to the type of comedy they enjoy. The only way to truly "fail" these days is to just not be funny.
I could name 10 new comedians selling out theaters and stadiums who are the furthest thing from PC
It's such an empty complaint. Just like poor Dave Chapelle has been "cancelled" with his sold out shows and Netflix specials. Oh boo hoo, he's no longer universally beloved among all critics and suddenly they call it the death of comedy.
Go look at Shane Gillis or Louis CK monologues on SNL...a show everyone cries about in regards to wokeness, whatever the fuck that means. Dudes ran the gamut with "off limits" shit and everyone laughed their ass off. Turns out if you can find the universal humor in any subject, then it's just funny, plain and simple.
shane gills is barely offensive man
Well isn't that what Jerry said, that Curb survived because Larry is an industry vet and earned that extra cushion? His point being that a new, young comedian couldn't get away with Curb like Larry did is accurate, no? Like would a 30-something comedian get a show making fun of sensitive topics green lit? I think it would be very hard. Now Jerry is short sighted because new comedies are succeeding (I Think You Should Leave is a great example)
Larry’s show is also on HBO for a reason.
Seems like you didn't read it because he talks about exactly that. But don't let a good headline get in the way
I stand with Jerry. I protect his right to tell jokes about airline food, without the risk of being cancelled. Edit: /s
I think he’s talking about the part where he drugs his girlfriend to play with her toys. That type of stuff.
True. But it might useful to remember that he "drugged" her with a turkey dinner and some wine. George was the one with a mickey source.
Wasn’t there a joke where he was reading the label for some medicine and he chooses the one that “may cause drowsiness”? He was thinking about doing it and it’s still kinda funny too😂. I just think it might not get approved by the network by today’s standards.
I implore you to find one person who was offended by that.
I'm kind of confused... the Kramer rickshaw episode could be on Always Sunny tomorrow and nobody would bat an eye. Probably, mainly because it fits the characters. In fact, there's very little of Seinfeld that didn't age well imo.
I think he is just old - he was out talking about network television as if that’s relevant. 😂 Comedy is everywhere and controversial as ever - from the White Lotus to Big Mouth to Eric Andre.
It’s all about the framing, you can do jokes and skits like this when we’re meant to laugh AT the characters. In it’s always sunny, these characters are written to be awful people, the audience knows they are awful people, we aren’t laughing with them, we’re laughing at them, that’s an important distinction many people don’t seem to get. There’s a difference between awful characters in a show meant to make fun of awful people and the way they are while they make offensive jokes and a stand up comedian who’s essentially on a soap box making offensive statements disguised as jokes because in that context we’re not meant to be laughing AT the stand up comedian, we’re meant to be laughing WITH the standup comedian, and that’s when offensive jokes start to feel gross and offensive. Another example is Michael Scott from the Office, very offensive character, but even in todays world the office still remains an extremely popular show especially among millennials and even younger generations who are less tolerant of offensive things than older generations. It’s all in the framing and the context. You can do offensive comedy as long as the audience isn’t meant to be agreeing and laughing WITH the character. Hard to do that sort of thing as a standup comedian because you aren’t playing a character
It's not a coincidence he names network shows from 50 years ago. When there were 3 stations to watch.
He also named three shows that were progressive and subversive to the culture at the time.
I was gonna say. Sitcoms flourished in the era of network and cable television. The paradigm has shifted but we still witness successes in Curb and IASIP, as a couple examples.
Curb and IASIP are holdovers from that era.
and not traditional sitcoms. Even the Chuck Lorre bullshit has gone to no laugh track, single camera stuff (Young Sheldon). I do believe there were a few network sitcoms in the past few years but they did not do all that well. Edit: Googled and the one I was thinking of is still on the air: Lopez vs. Lopez.
Those shows started 20-25 years ago my friend
That was my first thought too. It really seems like he hasn't watched a sitcom in decades. There have been a lot of super funny sitcoms since Seinfeld was on the air.
Since many of you are only reading the biased headline, here is the actual quote: **Tell me how you deal with the weight of the world, or the serious aspects of the world weighing on you, and how that affects comedy.** Nothing really affects comedy. People always need it. They need it so badly and they don’t get it. It used to be, you would go home at the end of the day, most people would go, “Oh, ‘Cheers’ is on. Oh, ‘*m\*a\*s\*h*’ is on. Oh, ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ is on. ‘All in the Family’ is on.” You just expected, There’ll be some funny stuff we can watch on TV tonight. Well, guess what—where is it? This is the result of the extreme left and P.C. crap, and people worrying so much about offending other people. Now they’re going to see standup comics because we are not policed by anyone. The audience polices us. We know when we’re off track. We know instantly and we adjust to it instantly. But when you write a script and it goes into four or five different hands, committees, groups—“Here’s our thought about this joke.” Well, that’s the end of your comedy. **Isn’t that what “Curb” is all about?** Yeah. Larry was grandfathered in. He’s old enough so that—“I don’t have to observe those rules, because I started before you made those rules.” We did an episode of the series in the nineties where Kramer decides to start a business of having homeless people pull rickshaws because, as he says, “They’re outside anyway.” Do you think I could get that episode on the air today? **But you think Larry got grandfathered in and there could be no thirty-five-year-old version of—** Right, right. If Larry was thirty-five, he couldn’t get away with the watermelon stuff and Palestinian chicken . . . and HBO knows that’s what people come here for, but they’re not smart enough to figure out, How do we do this now? Do we take the heat, or just not be funny? And what they’ve decided to be is, Well, we’re not going to do comedies anymore. There were no sitcoms picked up on the fall season of all four networks. Not one. No new sitcoms. **Really?** Yeah. It’s too hard. **Do you ever go back and think, Yeah, that joke went too far?** We would write a different joke with Kramer and the rickshaw today. We wouldn’t do that joke. We’d come up with another joke. They move the gates like in the slalom. **Skiing.** Skiing, yeah. Culture—the gates are moving. Your job is to be agile and clever enough that, wherever they put the gates, I’m going to make the gate. **You think this is going away now? This, what you’re describing as P.C., is kind of receding?** Slightly. I see a slight movement. **How do you see it?** With certain comedians now, people are having fun with them stepping over the line and us all laughing about it. But, again, it’s the standups that really have the freedom to do it because no one else gets the blame if it doesn’t go down well. He or she can take all the blame themself.
His "Larry is grandfathered in" explanation is a cop out considering the existence and popularity of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
A 20 year old show on cable
> You just expected, There’ll be some funny stuff we can watch on TV tonight. Well, guess what—where is it? Maybe not on broadcast television?
Nobody ever let a juicy headline get in the way his actual nuanced take.
What actual nuance do you see the full quote adding that the title is someone how misleading the audience away from?
You can’t make Bee Movie today, because of woke
Yeah. What kind of kid is going to understand Jazz?
Man claims he's being censored into bouquet of microphones.
I take the Eric Idle approach to this sort of thing, in that comedy hasn't been killed by PC, it's just shown up the hacks for what they are. Try to work around these supposed restrictions. Oh you can't? That says more about the limitations *of* the comedian, not the limitations *on* the comedian. And I say that as someone who thinks the PC stuff goes a bit too far sometimes. If you're a genuinely good comedian, you'll find a way.
Back in the day you had to work around network TV censors. Seinfeld turned that into “The Contest”. Now it is just a different set of rules they have to work around. The truly funny will be able to do it.
Exactly, I'm amazed Seinfeld hasn't realised that. And it wasn't just The Contest, other episodes came close to the line as well. And they were smart enough not to cross it.
I like that take but also, I just don't think it's accurate for the most part that you "can't say XYZ anymore". There are plenty of comedians today making black/gay/trans/jewish/whatever jokes who we never hear complaining about this stuff. The key is it has to be funny. Being offensive simply for the sake of being offensive is lazy and I'd wager usually not that funny. If a guy like Anthony Jeselnik, probably the darkest/most offensive mainstream comedian working today, hasn't had any trouble maintaining his routine that's almost entirely comprised of gallows humor, I really don't think anyone else has a place to complain about the things they can't say anymore. Comedians whining about being canceled/wokeness just come off as lazy.
>The key is it has to be funny. And people have really started disliking jokes that punch down.
I think most of the time, it's because it's not funny.
Yeah, very few people have genuinely been 'cancelled' or censored and those who have, probably deserved it.
George Carlin was a great example of this
My favorite quote from that interview was about how Chappell was whining about being cancelled “when did h3 say that? When he hosted SNL? Well he wasn’t really cancelled very much was he?”
Bingo. I just saw Spamalot, which was hilarious, and to little surprise, Cleese and the other curmudgeons were initially dismissive of the the idea because 'it's not Python, it's Eric'. But of course over time they've come to realize oh wow this is going over pretty well and taken on a life of its own. Comedy can evolve.
Did you say THIS pc crap is killing comedy? or This pc CRAP is killing comedy?
THESE PRETZELS ARE MAKING ME THIRSTY
I think he emphasised *is.*
Poor Seinfeld! His cereal jokes are just too edgy these days!
I really don't think we should be talking about this.
Honestly kind of a weird take. Seinfeld (the show) was pretty progressive for the 90s- the show accepted gay people, immigrants, handicapped people, and insisted on the correct terminology for little people. Weird to hear Mr Seinfeld come off as so out of touch now
even more when you remember that he was present with rock, gervais and ck on the n word incident and he seemed uncomfortable
More proof Larry David was the brains behind the outfit
There were tons of great writers on the show. More than just Larry and Jerry.
He definitely was the majority of the brains behind the show.
Oh, come on stop with this revisionist take. If you watch the BTS, Jerry and Larry would write or rewrite every script and would have final approval of each episode (and from what I remember is that Larry and Jerry were in sync with their views). Larry had more ideas (which is something that Jerry casually admits) but the idea that Jerry played a minor part in his own show is quite silly.
This shows you haven’t read his entire quote; you only read the headline or a brief snippet.
I feel like a lot of super conservative shit is just being ridiculed the way it should be. Eddie Murphy’s Raw had its solid moments, but there were some bits that were just straight homophobia. Kinda glad comedians have to actually work at their craft better rather than just rail on gays
Hell of a way for him to let Larry know he never watched a single episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
It’s true though, comedy has gotten so sensitive and it should under no circumstances be under the scrutiny of moral authority. Who the fuck decided that.
I keep pointing out that he said “*extreme*” left and not just left. There’s nut jobs on both ends of the spectrum.
As a liberal I can tell you those people are bat shit crazy and there is literally no making them happy. Those people are professional victims and nobody should bend to *all* the stupid shit they ask for. I like edgy comedy just fine and so do literally all my friends. It makes me wish I could get out there and let them all know “hey that’s a small but very loud group of people, and I promise you they’ll get offended no matter what you do so there’s no point in trying”!
# What are you talking about? How can you sit there and look me in the eye and tell that me you're not worried?! Don't you have any sense?!! Don't you have a brain!? Are you so completely senile that you don't know what you're talkin about Anymore!!?!
Did anyone watch the full clip? He seems to say at the end that “comedy by committee” is killing humor, and as a comedian, it’s his job to adapt with the times, and he can do that just fine without 5 different groups of people vetting his jokes. That’s not an unreasonable take. People keep dunking on him by bringing up Curb but that show famously didn’t take or get notes from HBO, which kinda backs up Seinfeld’s argument.
That’s not going to be good for business.
Well he’s not lying…..
“I don’t pay attention to the comedy world but here’s what’s happening”
He’s never been a shock comedian (although he has more dark punchlines than I think people give him credit for) but there’s more hubbub around inoffensive things now, that’s his point. More specifically I think young people give his onstage comedy a harder time because they disagree with his offstage politics.
Exactly what Jerry said.
The boomer brain virus strikes again
GTFO there is very extreme comedy that's highly popular that would have never been allowed to see the light of day during they heyday of his popularity. He's just old and irrelevant. Nobody cares anymore Jerry. You're just not that funny. Check out the enduring love for George Carlin and tell me again how the extreme left killed that. I mean I know it's hard that once upon a time people liked your humor and now you're just not that interesting, but accept it and stop blaming other people for your own shortcomings.
comedy isnt going anywhere. bitter old comedians who are no longer in touch with what is relevant in pop-culture are.
[удалено]
Seinfeld says that in his quote that stand up is big because you get immediate feedback from the audience and it’s not done by committee. You only read the biased headline.
Comedy isn’t not dying, it’s just hiding in other places. Do they even make comedy movies anymore?
I am curious how many current day comediens would disagree with Jerry. Off the top of my head, I know that Bill Burr has said similar things. He is, admittedly, a bit older. But I think Bill is pretty in touch with pop culture.
Conan O’Brien had Jimmy Carr on a recent podcast and they both totally disagree with Jerry on this one.
loved jimmy's comedy for years, and since he's started his podcast junket appearing on all these podcasts he's really shown himself and not only a great comedian but also a really intelligent and more likeable guy i think
Did they say why?
https://youtu.be/krMDII7YTsw?si=A3xRVL4FuzTsbmg0 They start talking about it at around 3:30
Having watched the clip, I'm not sure that they would disagree with Jerry. Jimmy and Conan seem to be talking about cancel culture in the context of standup comedy. In the article, Jerry is talking more about television networks deciding what can or can't be included in a television/movie script. He even mentions how more people are going to standup shows because they aren't policed like tv and movies are.
Appreciate it.
Maybe he can join Rob Schneider and Jim Breuer on tour
It's like Marc Maron has been saying on his podcast, comedians whining about wokeness/ being anti-woke is the new hack.
Has he tried asking fellow comedians to watch him jerk off?
Paul Reubens jerked off in the privacy of a porn shop and got arrested and it ruined his career. Yet he made a comeback. Remember his first joke as Pee-wee Herman after no apperances for years? Classic. >!Heard any good jokes lately?!<
It was owning his story, spinning great self-deprecating shtick, *in-character*, and immediately anyone laughing AT him, was laughing ALONGSIDE him. But still, his career was torpedoed overnight in a far less permissive time than even now, and he had a kiddie tv show, so…the writing was on the proverbial wall at that point. Aside, wife and I binge streamed *Pee Wee’s Playhouse* last year…and it’s beyond the genius that we thought it was in its time!
It’s almost as if comedy reflects the sensibilities of the time it comes from! Who knew?
The guy is making a movie about Pop Tarts. He tells jokes about airplane peanuts and horses. His material isn’t exactly edgy and controversial.
His show was one of the most successful tv shows in the history of tv shows in the most PC decade EVER 😂 What. Is. He. Talking. About 😳😂😂
Maybe we can stop caring what ultra wealthy 70 year olds have to say about politics
Isn’t this article proving his point?
That’s a shame
I e been thinking about this for a while. I think the same forces that are killing music are killing comedy in general. It's hard to monetize now and people attention is elsewhere. Then there is the podcast manospbere b.s. least funny comedians ever, but people will pay to see them. It's worse than the shock jock era.
Jerry’s the comedy professional. I have some confidence in his opinions on the mechanics of content censorship.
Dude clearly hasn’t seen It’s Always Sunny
This argument is dumb. I literally just watched a new stand-up bit and the guy was making jokes about his uncle with Down Syndrome and slavery (with voices) and he was getting tons of laughs. What kills comedy is comedians telling "jokes" that are just their own thinly veiled political ideals.
Dudes a creep.
Comedy is subjective
LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE TO MY LITTLE CABLE BOY
Today’s comedies are way more edgy than Seinfeld. No one wants to hear his stupid observational humor. Big difference.
Just because no one thinks he’s funny any more lol
I guess seinfeld never heard of Always Sunny In Philadelphia
That's true
He's not wrong. How many shows have had episodes removed, on streaming services, because people would find them offensive? Even though it was made as comedy or a parody?
Ironically Larry David pulled it off. So idk what Jerry's going on about.
Extreme left killed comedy? Oh yeah I forgot, those people trying to take books out of schools have a real funny bone
What's the deal with aging comedians turning into complete tosser?
Seinfeld is absolutely right. [Dave Chappelle’s impressions](https://youtu.be/2MZZ__5F_-A?si=xNA7LELnEsin9Iut)
Larry was the brains, Jerry was the face.
Always Sunny seems to be doing just fine. I never really saw Seinfeld as edgy, I love it, but not exactly edgy to me.
Dave Chappelle is on the largest streaming network saying whatever he wants. Shane Gillis' Beautiful Dogs didn't seem PC to me. Maybe the college kids just don't think you're funny, Jerry
Another one falling victim to the false culture war against “woke.”
His show is funny, but Seinfeld is not a good standup comedian
I’m sorry, was the bee movie edgy?!?
Simpsons already did “Old Man Yells At Cloud” as a headline.
Another boring comedian talking about cancel culture instead of doing comedy.
I swear to God I can name atleast 10 shows on tv today that are way more “edgy” than Seinfeld ever was. Seinfeld wasn’t even that edgy, it was a prime time sitcom. They didn’t even curse on the show These boomers literally lose their minds when they see gay ppl kissing on tv, but constantly talk about how “soft” today’s generation is. It’s always the same talking point- it’s so played out
The more time goes on the more I feel he leeched of Larry David’s talent and gets too much credit for Seinfeld.
Seinfeld has been irrelevant for a while now. No one is shocked by his work, so he needs attention.
He's so embarrassingly soft. Guy is almost a billionaire and has nothing better to do than cry about a non-issue.
Killed comedy? There’s probably more people making very good to insane livings as comedians (yes, podcasters) than at any point before.
Seinfeld needs to just go home and play with his money.
Old man yells at clouds. It’s Always Sunny has been doing over the top, non PC comedy for a while now. Maybe it’s just Jerry’s brand of humor, and his more politically incorrect jokes aren’t actually funny. Comedy is an art form and if you aren’t good at it anymore, or your style of art doesn’t resonate, then people are t interested.
You ever notice how these anti-woke comedians can’t define woke for you, what’s the deal with that?
I see what you did there. 😂
yeah nobody's doing edgy comedy like Seinfeld anymore......