# "You can't be a Conservative and a Comedian" - What does this even mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2018, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994 "2018-11-05T09:59:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/21 "2018-11-05T14:53:29Z")
Clearly you can be a conservative comedian because they exist and some of them are funny (although I would say many of them would describe themselves as “libertarian”). But what I think “Conservative comedy”, that is comedy about conservative and right ring topics (which the good conservative comedians actually usually do very little of) is almost always not funny because it is almost always either: 1. Based on faulty premises of whatever Right Wing nonsense has circulated through their media. 2. Comedy of meanness. Comedy can be mean and being mean can be funny but it is a fine line that Conservative comedy usually misses. 3. Related to 3 Conservative comedy is almost always punching down with the only exception of comedy about Democrats or famous liberals. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/22 "2018-11-05T15:09:34Z")
I’ve never heard Norm MacDonald talk politics, but apparently he’s conservative and he’s very funny. Jeff Foxworthy is funny, but the rest of the blue collar gang (Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, Bill Engvall) are not great, in my opinion. However, my uber-liberal parents’ favorite comedian is…Ron White. Those guys don’t talk a lot of politics from what I’ve heard. Any comedian whose shtick is primarily tied to politics is unfunny to me. Doesn’t matter which side. Stephen Colbert is about as unfunny as it gets because that’s all he can do. On the other side of the aisle, when Dennis Miller launches into politics he becomes equally unfunny. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/23 "2018-11-05T15:11:14Z")
Huh. I would have always thought it was we have humor, they have anger and ne’er the twain shall meet. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/24 "2018-11-05T15:20:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Donald Trump is not an insult comic. He just juvenilely insults others, and he and his ilk think it is funny. It is the difference between Don Rickles and a schoolyard bully with his squad behind him yelling “Yur a turd!” at someone. The laughter in that case is not from the funniness of the “joke”, but at the fact that they are getting away with it. Maybe they confuse Trump with [Triumph, the insult dog.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM7B56xok9M) ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/25 "2018-11-05T15:32:30Z")
Be funny! Your politics will affect what you find funny. If you try to be liberal or conservative first, you will likely not be funny. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/26 "2018-11-05T15:34:58Z")
There’s a persistent sense of insecurity in what passes for modern American conservatism and it kills the funny utterly. I can picture redneck comedy in the sense of “them libruls think I’m dumb ‘cause o’ the way I talk, but I’m a lot wiser than they think”, as opposed to redneck vindictiveness in the sense of “them libruls think I’m dumb ‘cause o’ the way I talk, so me 'n the boys are gonna get our rifles and Second Amendment us some payback.” Much of what I see in so-called conservative humor these days has that threatening undercurrent. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/27 "2018-11-05T15:50:12Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I think it means comedy requires self awareness, a willingness to challenge existing viewpoints and introspection, things conservatives aren’t known for. > > Having said that there are a few funny ones. Nick dipaolo, also Greg gutfelds show on fox is funny. > > But for the most part comedy is liberal and male. I don’t think it’s impossible for someone of a conservative bent to be a decent comedian. channel 97 on SiriusXM (Jeff & Larry’s Comedy Roundup) airs plenty. I think the problem is that- politically speaking- those in power or public roles who call themselves “conservative” are actually “regressives.” ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/28 "2018-11-05T16:29:33Z")
I think both Norm and Bill Burr have conservative tendencies. Burr definitely would be a social liberal but he’s also very un-PC and very old-school in his sensibilities. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/29 "2018-11-05T17:05:01Z")
Art and conservatism are, by and large, mutually exclusive. There are a few exceptions to the rule, naturally. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/30 "2018-11-05T17:37:59Z")
Humor requires empathy, even if it is to upend expectations and go against the grain. Conservatism is built upon a lack of empathy, conservatives lack humor and have rage in its place. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/31 "2018-11-05T17:46:14Z")
Lots of interesting ideas in this thread. Would only add that Much humour is essentially set theory, that is, drawing circles around “us” and “them,” even when “us” is everyone else and “them” is the guy who slips on a banana peel. It helps form solidarity especially and divisions. Sometimes these are smart and progressive, that is, binding disparate people together for causes that improve lives, and sometimes they are stupid and regressive, creating artificial divisions and serving narrow interests that hurt people. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/32 "2018-11-05T17:52:14Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > Now Samantha Bee and Trevor Noah are definitely left-leaning, and I don’t care for their politics, but they do poke mild fun at their own point of view from time to time. _ **That** _ makes them funny, and their message gets out and is useful. :dubious: Seriously? Besides the occasional and safe self-deprecating joke, neither of them can make much fun of “their own side”. They either fall flat (Noah) or don’t even bother (Bee). Compare Jon Stewart or John Oliver. Who do so. Or Monty Python. _Life of Brain_ is 2 hours of lampooning of leftist politics and is actually pretty easy on “establishment” figures, despite all the Pythons being very left wing at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/33 "2018-11-05T17:53:03Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Art and conservatism are, by and large, mutually exclusive. Do tell. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/34 "2018-11-05T17:53:45Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > That said, despite my liberal impulses, one of my favorite writers is PJ O’Rourke. I seldom agree with him, but think he expresses himself wonderfully. He kind of peaked with PARLIAMENT OF WHORES and ALL THE TROUBLE IN THE WORLD, though. I despised his politics, but the man was a hell of a good writer. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/35 "2018-11-05T17:56:07Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > I don’t know why but it just bugs me so much people just throw that phrase out there without actually having any discussion about it. I think this is controlling behaviour. The Left don’t like people making fun of them. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/36 "2018-11-05T18:02:23Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Do tell. Art and conservatism are, by and large, mutually exclusive. There are a few exceptions to the rule, naturally. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/37 "2018-11-05T18:06:48Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I’ve never heard Norm MacDonald talk politics, but apparently he’s conservative and he’s very funny. Jeff Foxworthy is funny, but the rest of the blue collar gang (Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, Bill Engvall) are not great, in my opinion. However, my uber-liberal parents’ favorite comedian is…Ron White. Those guys don’t talk a lot of politics from what I’ve heard. > > Any comedian whose shtick is primarily tied to politics is unfunny to me. Doesn’t matter which side. Stephen Colbert is about as unfunny as it gets because that’s all he can do. On the other side of the aisle, when Dennis Miller launches into politics he becomes equally unfunny. In regards to Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, Bill Engvall, and Jeff Foxworthy are they are admitted conservatives/Republicans or is everyone just assuming that based on the fact they are “redneck” comedians? (They all appeared on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour which was marketed to the blue collar “redneck” audience.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/38 "2018-11-05T18:13:45Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Art and conservatism are, by and large, mutually exclusive. There are a few exceptions to the rule, naturally. Even if this is true, it’s not really useful to keep stating it without expanding on _why_ it might be true. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/39 "2018-11-05T18:26:28Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I think this is controlling behaviour. The Left don’t like people making fun of them. Bullshit. I offer you this basic example: Liberal version Q: How many feminists does it take to change a light bulb? A: One to change the bulb and another to write a book about how the bulb is exploiting the socket. Conservative version Q: How many feminists does it take to change a light bulb? A: You mean femiNAZIS! Hyuk hyuk hyuk! What’s the matter, cant take a joke? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994/40 "2018-11-05T19:28:59Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > In regards to Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, Bill Engvall, and Jeff Foxworthy are they are admitted conservatives/Republicans or is everyone just assuming that based on the fact they are “redneck” comedians? (They all appeared on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour which was marketed to the blue collar “redneck” audience.) No idea. They show up on[this list](https://www.ranker.com/list/best-conservative-republican-comedians/ranker-comedy)of conservative comedians, but I can’t speak to the accuracy of the list. Or how they define “conservative.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-be-a-conservative-and-a-comedian-what-does-this-even-mean/823994.md?page=3)