A racist problem

**yesdachi** · 10-24-2005, 18:08

Originally Posted by Goofball

Chris Rock I can take or leave (meaning I like some of his stuff, but dislike some of it also). I don't know who George Lopez is. George Carlin? His humor doesn't seem to be race-based, if I recall. He's more of an angry, "stick-it-to-the-Man" type of guy.

George Lopez is a Latino comedian who has a TV show but use to do standup, his routines usually included stereotypical Latino racist jokes like Chris Rocks standup usually includes stereotypical black racist jokes. George Carlin’s "stick-it-to-the-Man" routines have occasionally hit a racist theme. But that is all beside the point I was getting at.

Do you think it is ok for comedians to tell racist jokes?

**Ser Clegane** · 10-24-2005, 18:18

I think judging racist jokes depends pretty much on the context.

There is quite a difference between

a) overemphasizing racist cliches to ridicule these cliches and present a mirror to the audience

or

b) just making cheap shots to slander people

Sometimes the difference is obvious in a given context or through the overall tone of the joke - sometimes the line between the two is very fine and even the person who makes the joke might have difficulties realizing on which side of the line he/she is moving.