Obscenity in standup comedy

[Necromagus]

I listen to a lot of standup comedy, although I'm kind of on the wrong side of the Atlantic for it. I'll take pretty much anything I can get. A few weeks ago somebody made me listen to a Jeff Foxworthy album, and when I listened to it, I felt intellectually insulted by the way he refused to call a penis a penis. He had two jokes about it, and in both cases he wouldn't even address it by its name, just call it a "yoohoo" or some stupid euphemism you'd use when talking about a penis to a five year old. Now I don't need him to use the various four letter slang words that are available as an alternative, but if you won't even use the word that adults use for it in everyday conversation, you don't take your audience seriously enough. It wasn't bad enough that he was promoting a culture that prides itself on ignorance and bigotry, but he had to do it in a way that made it seem like he thought we were a bunch of toddlers.

 

 

 

On the other hand you have guys like Jim Norton (Mostly known from the Opie and Anthony show). All he seems to be able to talk about how much he spends on prostitutes and what he wants to do to various groups of people he hates. He's still pretty damn funny, but his subject matter is rather narrow. It seems like he doesn't have much to say beyond "I love prostitutes and I hate ".

 

 

 

Guys like Mike Birbiglia are wickedly funny in their own way without resorting to the F-word every other word. He'll call things by their name without resorting to obscenity. It seems that this middle line is pretty rare in modern standups, and if I had to choose between Jeff Foxworthy and Jim Norton I'd choose Jim Norton every time because even though he doesn't have much to say, he still thinks of his audience as mature people who don't need to be sugarcoated.

 

 

 

I think Lewis Black said it best when he said: "They told me not to use the F-word. Well what am I supposed to say? This is the language adult people use to deal with setbacks. When you get fired two days before retirement and lose your health ensurance and your pension you don't go sit on the couch and say: "Oooooooooooh [kitty]feathers... sassefras sassefras sassefras..." The healthy reaction would be F----------------------ck!"

[Craiglowery]

Speaking of Jeff Foxworthy, I can't stand any of the blue collar guys, especially Larry the Cable Guy. And Dane Cook. They're just not funny to me and they have horrible jokes. But my favorite comedian is Mitch Hedburg. His jokes were so simple, yet so unique. I wish I would have gotten to see him live before his passing. But yea I definitely recommend him for a good laugh.

[Nadril]

Speaking of Jeff Foxworthy, I can't stand any of the blue collar guys, especially Larry the Cable Guy. And Dane Cook. They're just not funny to me and they have horrible jokes. But my favorite comedian is Mitch Hedburg. His jokes were so simple, yet so unique. I wish I would have gotten to see him live before his passing. But yea I definitely recommend him for a good laugh.

 

 

 

Yeah I'm not a fan of blue collar either.

 

 

 

 

 

I saw Mike Birbiglia though and he was definitely damn funny. To think of it though I've seen a lot of stand up, and really it just depends how funny the person is. Some of the people I've watched are incredibly foul (Lisa Bentiali [don't know how to say her last name]) while some wern't that bad. It just kind of depends if the jokes and humor are good.

[misterxman]

Comedians can definitely be funny without foul language, clean comics even tend to be more impressive because they can pull off great shows without using any profanity which many of us tend to think is essential to be funny.

 

 

 

That said, Dean Lewis would be a great example of this, unfortunately there is nothing of him online.

[tomdavies90]

Well I happen to be on the right side of the Atlantic and we have an equal mix of people who are funny that hardly ever swear and those that swear every 2 seconds, you have people like Bill Bailey who's hilarious and hardly ever swears then you have people like Russel Brand whos still funny but swear a lot. And Billy Connolly who swear like every 2 seconds, I don't like him so much but still he's pretty funny, (and Scottish so that might explina the swearing.)

[crosshair2]

i can see where your coming from,but sometimes if they use profanity at the right time it can be hilarious. I love listening to Dane Cook he is hilarious and the first time i heard him he never swore and i laughed my a*$ off. Some comedians do swear to much, oh and i do find Jeff Foxworthy on one of the blue collar things, but i couldn't stand Larry the cable guy or Ron White.

[Mercifull]

A good comedian will use swearing to enhance the act. When swearing becomes THE act then it just isn't funny at all.

[MPM]

Foxworthy is suppose to be a southern raised person. Curse words aren't accepted, so he doesn't use them.

 

I agree with merciful, if the comedian uses cuss words too often to get a reaction, their not that good.

 

I'm going to see some standup later this week. Their well known, and they don't cuss and are still good.

[Nom]

No one has mentioned Brian Regan? That guy is hilarious, and he never swears, like, ever. He's my favorite comedian just for that. Funny without the profanity.

[indy500fan]

No one has mentioned Brian Regan? That guy is hilarious, and he never swears, like, ever. He's my favorite comedian just for that. Funny without the profanity.

 

 

 

My family is crazy about him, especially my sister.

 

 

 

I don't care for stand ups of any kind, so I have no opinion on the topic.

[Mazurizi]

Well I happen to be on the right side of the Atlantic and we have an equal mix of people who are funny that hardly ever swear and those that swear every 2 seconds, you have people like Bill Bailey who's hilarious and hardly ever swears then you have people like Russel Brand whos still funny but swear a lot. And Billy Connolly who swear like every 2 seconds, I don't like him so much but still he's pretty funny, (and Scottish so that might explina the swearing.)

 

 

 

Bill Bailey is seriously the best comedian I have ever heard, Ross Noble is also very funny, but he sometimes uses euphemisms.

 

 

 

The other side of the coin so to speak is Roy "Chubby" Brown, and Jim Davidson always swear and use racism to fuel their acts.

[PaperClipsYaaaar]

F----------------------ck!"

 

Irony?

[Necromagus]

Hardly. These boards are visited by minors, and some people think that that kind of language shouldn't be used in front of children. Because of that forum rules say I can't say 'the F-word', and I'll follow those rules. My post was talking about adults talking to adults.

[Futurama]

Swearing's only funny when it's used in the right place. Constantly swearing for effect just aint funny.

[reaper88888]

George Carlin.

 

 

 

 

 

Just enough of everything to be really funny. :)

 

 

 

 

 

But yeah, most comedians seem to rely on either extreme amounts of swearing or childish low-brow jokes involving bathroom humor to make themselves 'funny'.

[Futurama]

But yeah, most american comedians seem to rely on either extreme amounts of swearing or childish low-brow jokes involving bathroom humor to make themselves 'funny'.

[RayOxide]

Billy Connolly who swear like every 2 seconds, I don't like him so much but still he's pretty funny, (and Scottish so that might explina the swearing.)

 

 

 

Racist?

 

 

 

Anywho, not many Australian comedians I see on the Comedy Channel (Comedy Central) usually on Stand Up Australia don't swear. I'd say 10% swear often, 40% dont swear, and 50% swear only once or twice, maybe five times in 15 mins (15 min runs.)

 

 

 

But, the thing I hate most is what Necromagus pointed out, people who can't just say 'penis'.

 

 

 

Also comedians that talk real fast, or with an accent. (Not being racist or anything) Just, some really strong english / british accents are hard to understand sometimes.

[ctp080188]

Billy Connolly who swear like every 2 seconds, I don't like him so much but still he's pretty funny, (and Scottish so that might explina the swearing.)

 

 

 

Racist?

 

 

 

Anywho, not many Australian comedians I see on the Comedy Channel (Comedy Central) usually on Stand Up Australia don't swear. I'd say 10% swear often, 40% dont swear, and 50% swear only once or twice, maybe five times in 15 mins (15 min runs.)

 

 

 

But, the thing I hate most is what Necromagus pointed out, people who can't just say 'penis'.

 

 

 

Also comedians that talk real fast, or with an accent. (Not being racist or anything) Just, some really strong english / british accents are hard to understand sometimes.

 

 

 

Ahahahahahhahahahhahahahaha, it's a stereotype Ray. Isn't that what you tell everyone else who's actually being racist?

 

 

 

On topic though, I don't really care if they swear, as long as swearing isn't the entire act.

[Phil]

Wrong side of the Atlantic? I disagree but heh that's a whole different topic there :P

 

 

 

My favourite stand-up comedian is Billy Connelly and he's probably one of the worst for swearing. He wouldn't really be the same if he didn't, it's just in his nature. Some people hate it though.

[Retefael]

Jim Gaffigan makes me laugh. Not only on the Sierra Mist commercials, but also when he talks about Hot Pockets. :lol: