Are Comedians Serious?

Doing standup comedy is a challenging proposition. You either get the laughs or the barfs. Comedy can sicken, and it can be sickening. It is certainly not for the faint-hearted.

Many of today’s serious, heavyweight actors, started out as comedians. These include Jamie Fox, Eric Bana, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and John Cho. John Cho has a serious role as an FBI agent in the television series ‘Flash Forward’ (an Armageddon-type plot). Robin Williams did ‘Awakenings’ and ‘Good Will Hunting’, playing psychotherapists. Fox and Williams won Academy Awards. Crystal was serial host for the Oscars.

In comedy, you touch on a universe of issues – some of which are anathema. Controversial issues are approached and broached on, at the comedian’s judgment and risk. If the jokes offend too many people (and audiences do get offended at segments of a stage performance), then the traditional boos of disapproval gets triggered. Yet, comedy is an entertaining way of getting strong and serious messages across. In a humorous way, messages do get across with more influence when audiences relate to the funny perspectives offered. Comedians have a plethora of subjects to select from: politics, social issues, relationships, food, education, parents, and more.

Talk-show hosts like David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres, Conan O’Brien, and Jay Leno have wide followings in television and on Twitter. Like them or not, they are surely influential. The more popular a comedian is, the more their social commentary are heard through their jokes. Even comedians take out their own kind.

Tickle your funny bone - tickle your thoughts. Love them, or hate them. Thus, comedy is serious business!

Here’s Canadian Russell Peters, at his impressionable best.