George Carlin's Grim Warning Has Come True...

Summary

The transcript covers commentary on comedy, politics, and society. It references comedians like George Carlin and Bill Maher who complain that audiences are too sensitive now. It argues comedy tastes have evolved; racial stereotypes and targeting marginalized groups shows one to be a 'terrible person.' The transcript also includes soundbites of Trump, criticizes his Christian supporters' hypocrisy, and questions if voters would prefer Trump as a dictator over Biden. Overall, it explores how comedy reflects changing societal values and the idea that stubbornly relying on outdated jokes yields decreasing returns.

Takeaways

• 😀 Carlin criticized the powerful and felt comedy should mock those who abuse power, not the underdogs.
• 😡 Omar's anti-Semitic rhetoric is an example of dangerous Trumpism.
• 😠 Carlin predicted fascism would come to America disguised in consumerism and patriotism.
• 😤 Young white males who feel threatened make up Trump's core audience.
• 😒 The right values property over people and are without soul or care.
• 😬 Trump and co used riots and destruction to their advantage politically.
• 🙄 Evangelical Christians don't practice Jesus's teachings to help the poor and needy.
• 😕 Trump conned his supporters that he shared their Christian values.
• 😟 Carlin felt the country was finished, as people were distracted by gadgets.
• 🤔 Evolved audiences don't find old offensive humor funny anymore.

Q & A

What does the speaker say is unusual about Omar's comedy targets?

The speaker says Omar's targets are underdogs like women, gays, and immigrants rather than people in power who abuse their power, which goes against comedy tradition.

Who does the speaker say is Omar's core audience?

The speaker believes Omar's core audience is young white males who feel threatened by groups like women, immigrants, and gays.

What point does the speaker make using George Carlin's perspective?

The speaker uses Carlin's perspective to point out that comedy and audiences evolve over time. Jokes that worked decades ago may not resonate anymore as tastes change.

How does the speaker characterize today's comedy audiences?

The speaker says today's audiences have evolved and don't appreciate stereotypical or lowbrow racial humor anymore. They want more creative comedy.

What does the speaker say about comedians complaining about cancel culture?

The speaker believes comedians complaining about cancel culture are just stubborn and unwilling to evolve with changing audience tastes that want less offensive material.

What point does the speaker make about the difficulty of being a comedian today?

The speaker acknowledges that being a comedian today is very difficult given changing audience expectations. However, targeting marginalized groups is lazy and often seen as reinforcing oppression.

How does the speaker characterize today's comedy landscape?

The speaker characterizes today's comedy landscape as one where jokes that punch down at vulnerable groups no longer work like they used to, given more socially conscious audiences.

What does the speaker say about the value of only targeting marginalized groups?

The speaker says there's no real value in only targeting marginalized groups as comedy, and that it just shows the comedian is being insensitive and stubborn.

What are the two reactions the speaker identifies from comedians who face backlash?

The speaker says some comedians double down out of stubbornness while others go back to the drawing board and try to evolve their material.

How does the speaker describe lowbrow racial humor?

The speaker describes lowbrow racial humor as 'low hanging fruit' that is easy but often reinforces stereotypes in a harmful way.

Outlines

00:00

😆 Carlin on Targeting the Powerful in Comedy

Paragraph 1 discusses legendary comedian George Carlin's perspective that comedy should target those in power who abuse it, not underdogs like women, immigrants, and LGBTQ people. Carlin believed comedy traditionally went after the powerful. He saw targeting vulnerable groups as punching down. The paragraph cites modern examples like Trump rallies targeting these groups with anger and hatred.

05:03

😴 Carlin on the Decline of Critical Thinking

Paragraph 2 covers Carlin's belief that critical thinking has declined as people are distracted by technology and entertainment. He felt corporate and political power did whatever it wanted without accountability. Carlin saw this leading to a numbed, complacent populace that didn't question authority. He decided to just observe these trends from an entertainer's perspective.

Keywords

💡Comedy

Comedy refers to the genre of entertainment that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule. In the transcript, comedy is discussed in the context of comedians who rely on offensive stereotypes or 'punching down' at marginalized groups for laughs. This is contrasted with comedy that 'punches up' at those in power. The transcript suggests modern audiences have evolved to appreciate more thoughtful, creative comedy rather than lazy offensive tropes.

💡Offensive

Offensive means causing anger or annoyance through being insulting or rude. The transcript discusses how comedy routines that rely on offensive stereotypes or marginalize groups like women, immigrants, and LGBTQ people are no longer seen as acceptable by modern audiences. However, some comedians continue to use offensive humor and complain about 'cancel culture'.

💡Marginalized

Marginalized refers to groups that are treated as unimportant and denied power in society. The transcript says comedy has traditionally picked on marginalized groups like women, immigrants, and LGBTQ people. It argues that 'punching down' at the marginalized is an outdated and lazy approach to comedy.

💡Power

Power in this context refers to social, economic, and political authority held by certain groups and individuals in society. The transcript praises comedy that 'punches up' at those in power rather than 'punching down' at the marginalized. It suggests comedy should call out elite groups and individuals that hold unchecked power.

💡Evolved

Evolved means developed gradually over time. The transcript states that comedy audiences have evolved in their tastes over time. Jokes using offensive stereotypes that may have worked in the past no longer resonate with modern audiences who appreciate more thoughtful, creative humor.

💡Cancel culture

Cancel culture refers to withdrawing support for public figures after they do something offensive. The transcript mentions comedians complaining about cancel culture stifling their comedy. But it argues audiences' tastes have simply evolved beyond offensive humor.

💡Stubborn

Stubborn means refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action. The transcript suggests some comedians are stubbornly sticking to offensive humor to show they won't yield to cancel culture, even as audience tastes change.

💡Creative

Creative means using imagination and original ideas to create something. The transcript praises creative comedy that moves beyond stereotypes. It suggests modern audiences appreciate thoughtful creativity more than lazy, offensive tropes.

💡Low hanging fruit

This idiom refers to the easiest solution requiring the least effort. The transcript criticizes comedians going for 'low hanging fruit' by using cheap, offensive stereotypes rather than more thoughtful, creative humor.

💡Drawing board

This idiom means going back to the beginning and starting over. The transcript suggests some comedians may need to go 'back to the drawing board' and develop fresh, creative material instead of relying on offensive stereotypes.

Highlights

Comedy traditionally picks on people in power who abuse their power

Anger and rage at certain demographics is at the core of the experience at Trump rallies

The right wing is interested in property over people

Trump and Republicans don't care about helping those who can't help themselves

Trump conned Christians who don't do Jesus's work of helping the poor and needy

Power does what it wants, putting it out front more nakedly now

The country is finished, sliding downhill as people are distracted by gizmos and toys

The audience has evolved, old jokes don't resonate anymore

Our comedic tastes have gotten better, we appreciate more creativity over stereotypes

There's no value in repeatedly targeting marginalized groups, it just makes you look terrible

Some comedians wave the white flag and go back to the drawing board on outdated humor

Comedy that punches down at the less fortunate is low hanging fruit

Stubborn comedians keep doing offensive humor to show they can't be canceled

Making it in comedy is insanely difficult

Outdated comedians end up performing for niche right-wing audiences

Transcripts

There's the thing that I. That I find unusual and it's, you know,

it's not a criticism so much.

But his targets are underdogs.

And comedy traditionally has picked on people in power,

people who abuse their power.

Women and gays and immigrants are kind of to my way of thinking, underdogs.

Years later, the late George Carlin's words ring true.

Omar has a history of launching

vicious anti-Semitic screeds.

With no finer example then Trumpism.

I said a long time ago, we're in a pre fascist state.

And I said, when fascism comes to America, it will not be wearing jackboots

and brown shirts and it will be wearing Nike sneakers,

and it will have smiley face buttons on the, on the hard rock and carry a flag.

Yeah. Oh of course always that.

But when.

But I've never been comfortable with because because I'm at heart a lefty.

Once again these are points made eons ago, alas.

Above, Carlin shows the playbook to success and Trump runs with it.

I think his core audience are young white males who are threatened by these groups.

I think a lot of these guys aren't sure their manhood, because that's a problem

when you're going through adolescence, you know, am I really am I could I be

I hope I'm not one of them.

And the women who assert themselves and are competent are a threat

to these men, and so are immigrants.

Lo and behold, well.

America was certainly great when we valued the nuclear family and family values.

What would you rather have?

Four years of Donald Trump as a dictator or four more years

of Joe Biden as president?

I think I'm choosing Donald Trump as a dictator for four more years.

You rather have four years of dictator Trump or four years of a Biden presidency.

- Four years of a dictator Trump. - Yeah, I'm going dictator Trump, for sure.

- So that's why we as an. - Audience then will laugh.

- You say we I don't think you're in that. - No, no, but I think you're captive.

We I think that's what what is at the core of that experience

that takes place in these arenas is a certain, you know, a sharing of of

anger and rage at these, at these.

Targets, anger and rage at certain demographics.

- Much fun. - I love it, I love it.

We having a good time.

USA. USA.

I.

- Knock the crap. - Out of him, would you?

Seriously can be seen at a Trump rally near you.

You know.

If I fell out of an airplane, I would land on the left side of that line.

You know the difference that I define?

The difference between right wing and left wing people to the right of center.

Well, let's start with the people to the left, people to the left of center.

Liberals, Democrats, populists.

They're interested in people, human beings and human values.

People to the right of the line, Republicans and rich people

and and right wingers.

They're interested in property. Property, not people.

These are big facts from George Carlin.

Anarchy, hatred, chaos, rioting and looting.

Destruction and arson.

Riots and lawlessness spread throughout our country.

Rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults

and the wanton destruction of property, the crime and the stores

being broken into and the looting.

Take the 2020 summer protests. Trump and co proved it, as they always do.

And they're soulless. They're without soul.

They don't really care. They don't really care.

They don't.

These Christians don't do Jesus work, which is to feed the poor and take care

of the ones who can't help themselves.

That's what they're Jesus said, feed those who have no way to take ones who have

to have nothing to going for them.

Help them in my name are don't even want to know about where's that tax return?

I get my I want my my what do they call it?

The rebate. I don't know, it's goofy.

And here's the con artist they fall for.

I believe in God, I am Christian, I'm a Protestant.

I'm very proud of it. Presbyterian to be exact.

I'm Presbyterian.

Boy, that's down the middle of the road, folks.

- In all fairness, I'm an Old. - Testament guy or a New Testament guy.

Probably equal two Corinthians. Right.

Two Corinthians 317. That's the whole ball game.

I love people as I meet them one by one. People are just wonderful as individuals.

You see the whole universe in their eyes if you look carefully.

But as soon as they begin to group, as soon as they begin to clot, when there

are five of them, or ten or even groups as small as two, they begin to change.

They sacrifice the beauty of the individual for the sake of the group.

I decided it was all under the control of groups.

Now, whether it's business, religion, political people or what,

and I would distance myself from wishing for a good outcome.

Let it do what it's going to do and I'll enjoy it as an entertainer, and.

I'll reflect on what it has on its own.

People like me from previous months. Okay.

Total control.

Bing bing bong bong bing bing bing. You know what that is, right?

Are we going to someday elect a satirical president?

A guy who really has no intention of having the guys doing it as a

as a sales tool for something else?

Well, we're working on it. Power does what it wants.

Power does what it wants, and now they're just more naked about it.

Now they just put it right out front and say, this is this is

what we're doing to you folks.

It's, you know, this country is finished.

It's been sliding downhill a long time, and everybody's got a cell phone

that makes pancakes, so they don't want to rock the boat.

They don't want to make any trouble.

People have been bought off by gizmos and toys in this country.

And no one, no one questions things anymore.

So there are many different ways that people will take this peace.

And that is totally, completely fine before we get into it,

if we missed any story, if you would like to send us a story, get at me on Twitter,

on TikTok and on Instagram.

Send me a DM, send me a link and we'll look into it.

How I view this is rather simple.

What we have in this current landscape is not that comedians are going on podcasts

and hosting their own shows and saying, you can't say anything anymore,

it's that the audience has evolved jokes that would work 50, 30, ten,

five years ago don't resonate anymore.

That's also just how the audience evolves with time.

Are the same plays in the NFL going to work over and over again?

Maybe one will hit depending on the game situation, but these are

completely different revamped playbooks.

These are not fullback dives on the goal line anymore.

In addition, when I hear someone like

a Bill Maher complain and kvetch Yiddish

about how everyone is just too sensitive.

No, it's not that we're too sensitive.

It's that our tastes have just gotten better.

We appreciate more creativity instead of using typical racial stereotypes.

In addition, one thought that continues crossing my mind is one of those

clips of George Carlin where he did say, and it is the same exact theme

that many in media take as well, which is calling out elites, calling out

the powerful that is in that will always be in because they have unchecked power,

calling out those that can't afford a roof over their heads, or calling out those

who are marginalized, calling out those that are an oppressed community.

There's no real value in that, because what it does is it shows

that you're just kind of a terrible person if you keep doing it, and then you

double down and then you triple down.

It's twofold.

It's I'm just stubborn and I'm going to continue doing this because I want to show

them a strong man and I'm not canceled, even though I keep getting gigs

and the other is waving the white flag and being like, yeah, maybe I'll

just go back to the drawing board, which doesn't seem incredibly difficult.

I could never be a comedian. I know some are gonna be like, oh, really?

I think it's one of the most difficult jobs, and I feel like I'd pull

a Deandra Reynolds if I went up there.

And I understand their job is insanely difficult, and making it in comedy

insanely difficult.

But to go for this low hanging fruit, what it'll potentially get you

is the Jim Breuer, Rob Schneider,

you know, post, post post careers

of performing on a paywall from Fox News.

Maybe they're getting paid for it. Don't know.

All I know is people aren't watching.