Comedy should speak truth to power. It should always be aimed upward. When it's aimed downward, it's called bullying.
Interpretation
Comedy is most effective when it challenges those in power rather than targeting the vulnerable.
In this quote, Jimmy Dore emphasizes the role of comedy as a tool for social commentary. He believes that humor should critique and challenge authority figures and institutions, helping to reveal truths and injustices. When comedy shifts its focus to ridicule those who are already marginalized or weaker, it ceases to serve its purpose of enlightenment and becomes an act of bullying instead.
In practice
A comedian might use this quote as a rallying cry during a stand-up performance focused on social justice issues.
If you're using comedy to shame people for getting informed and questioning authority, you're not doing comedy, you're doing propaganda, 'cause comedy is supposed to poke holes in the status quo and challenge authority and question authority.
I sometimes wonder how many of these lifetime achievement awards you can accept before you have to do the decent thing and die.
I love it if comedy reflects real life because to me it's more reassuring that we'll get through.
You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at.
Well, I'm having a good time. Which makes me feel guilty too. How very English.
What a delightful thing is the conversation of specialists! One understands absolutely nothing and it's charming.
Facebook just sounds like a drag, in my day seeing pictures of peoples vacations was considered a punishment
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