The Power of Political Comedy

In a world where political conversations are becoming increasingly unavoidable, we need to use comedy as a vehicle to address these topics. Whether scrolling through TikTok or watching television, politics has progressively pervaded different spaces for the better part of the last decade. Politics has also become a more popular topic in comedy, resulting in many comedians — such as Jim Gaffigan and Whitney Cummings — receiving scrutiny for their inclusion of political jokes within their acts.

These are not conversations we can afford to shy away from as society becomes more involved in political and social movements. Ignoring such topics in the comedic space would be ignorant and dismissive of the realities millions of people face every day. When done right, political humor has the power to bring change and spark important conversations.



Politics in comedy has existed long before the time of social media and Netflix specials. Charlie Chaplin released the political satire film “The Great Dictator” in 1940 as a response to the rise of German and Italian fascism during World War II. In 1964, Stanley Kubrick created the black comedy, “Dr.

Strangelove,” parodying the fear of a nuclear war coming out of the Cold War. Even before these films, political cartoons have used comedy to make sense of current events since the 18th century . The long history of blending humor and politics highlights how comedy is used as a medium for important social commentary.

Through joking about political leaders and mirroring current events, comedy serves as an important outlet to make political conversations more accessible and engaging for audiences. Today’s comedians continue the tradition by including politics in their sets — a necessary action in a more politicized world, where humor acts as both a coping mechanism and a call to action. Not all political comedy is equal, however.

One of the general rules of comedy is to “punch up” rather than “punch down,” meaning comedians should make fun of those who have more power than them in society instead of marginalized groups. When critiquing another comedian for punching down, George Carlin famously said, “ Comedy has traditionally picked on people in power, people who abuse their power. Women and gays and immigrants, to my way of thinking, are underdogs.

” But these lines are not always easy to draw. What constitutes one group as holding power over the other? Race? Class? Gender? Sexuality? The answers to these questions are hardly simple, as power dynamics are not always rigid, and context is important. Someone may hold privilege in one sector while also being marginalized in another.

The punching up versus punching down debate has also called into question the meaning of free speech and censorship. Comedians often claim their jokes are meant to push boundaries and elicit reactions, yet critics also state freedom of expression should not come at the expense of marginalized communities. Comedians have the power to spread important messages and create powerful messages.

Using their platform to spew hateful rhetoric is irresponsible and ignorant. That said, comedians should be able to tell any jokes they want — as freedom of speech and expression is crucial for their craft. However, this freedom also extends to the audience, who reserve the right to voice their disapproval and push back against jokes they do not like.

Like with any jokes, audiences subjectively decide which they find funny. Freedom of speech is an important value on which our country was founded, but too often, people confuse the principle with freedom from consequence. Comedians must know backlash is inevitable when telling controversial jokes targeting marginalized groups.

If they continue to do so, the comedians will face the consequences and decide where to go from there. They are not “being silenced” just because audiences are not amused by their jokes. Comedians have the right to push boundaries and test limits, and the crowd has an equal right to critique their acts and express their dislike toward distasteful jokes.

As the United States has become more polarized, politics has seeped into nearly every aspect of our lives, and comedy should be no different. Comedy cannot be only an escape from reality when humor has the power to address contentious topics and spark important conversations. The long-standing tradition of combining politics with comedy is more important now than ever, as social media allows jokes and messages to spread quickly and reach many different groups of people.

However, the intersection of politics and comedy has an equal power to spread harmful narratives just as much as positive ones. While challenging oppressive systems and poking fun at world leaders can be one route political comedy takes, perpetuating damaging stereotypes and spreading hate is another. Comedians must be responsible with their platforms, as they hold much influence in their jokes.

Comedy’s political power lies in its ability to create an important discourse and confront different perspectives. When comedians thoughtfully use their platforms, they can positively contribute to the discussions affecting our society and create change for the better. Johanna Brooslin, FCRH ’27, is an English major from Medfield, Mass.

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