It's Your Week. The future of comedy, from TikTok to punching up
We all heard The Slap. We all had different reactions. Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars sparked debate on what's fair to joke about, what isn't and what the state of comedy is today.
👋 Sallee Ann here and welcome to Your Week, our newsletter exclusively for Paste BN subscribers (that's you!). This week, we talk with Life and Entertainment editor Anika Reed about our series on the future of comedy. It's a really interesting project that makes you think about the implications of comedy, and also introduces you to some hilarious new talent along the way. I'm excited for us to talk about it.
But first, don't miss these stories made possible by your Paste BN subscription:
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Comedy connects, sparks conversation
I'm sure, especially during the pandemic, you have a comfort show you can watch over and over and laugh every time. Personally, I'll never get tired of Moira Rose in "Schitt's Creek." And I love watching Ali Wong's comedy specials.
"We've all doubled over in laughter at some point from a great punchline during a standup comedy set, a side-splitting scene from our favorite comedic movie or TV show, or a hilarious TikTok," said Reed. "Comedy connects us – but it also sparks conversations about our culture."
When the laughter subsides and you feel more uneasy than amused, that's where our reporters dived in.
"Paste BN's Life and Entertainment team wanted to answer questions surrounding where comedy is in this moment and what the future may look like for a genre that has produced a ton of new creators – and spawned much heated debate – in the past year," Reed said. "Comedy is a broad topic, and we hope the audience walks away with a streamlined look into the current conversation."
So what does the future of comedy look like? Reed says the answer is complicated and subjective. Reporters talked to dozens of comedians and industry experts to get their take on where the genre is today.
Reed said a quote from Mo Amer underscores a throughline of the project: "It's the thing about standup, it's so subjective, right? That’s what gets lost in this whole conversation, how subjective it really is."
More from our Future of Comedy series:
- Do stereotypes have a place in comedy? Phoebe Robinson, more comedians talk being in on the joke.
- Comedians like Chappelle, Gervais want to punch down, but what about the need to punch up?
- 'We want to be heard': Why comedians make intimate comedy specials
- 9 comedians being hilariously authentic on TikTok — and changing the industry
- Mindy Kaling on the pressures of TikTok for young comedians, where comedy is headed
- Meg Stalter mastered the art of cringe comedy. Now, she's ready to show you her 'earnest' side.
- 10 up-and-coming comedians you need to know
Thank you
Thank you for supporting our journalism with your subscription. Our work wouldn't be possible without you.
I'll be out next week (probably rewatching a lot of "Schitt's Creek") so Nicole Fallert will be your host. She's awesome.
Best wishes and warmest regards,
Sallee Ann