Long ago I removed the word “sucks” from my lexicon when it came to discussion of any art, but particularly comedy. I spent too long studying, writing, performing and teaching comedy to dismiss it that flippantly. The worst I’ll say about a comic is I am not their audience.

If I have issues with their technique or craftsmanship I will explain the reasoning. I prefer not to but I will if necessary. If I have a problem with their content and they want to change their stance to court me, that’s an integrity issue. I wouldn’t respect that either.

Here’s what I’ll say about comedy in general…

A comic owes their audience jack shit. What they have to do is pursue their truth. Not THE truth. A truth. Their subjective truth. And they have to do it at the very top of their intelligence. Skill and technique are how they present that “truth”.

The most basic component of the relationship between a comic and an audience is this… the agreement.

A comic who artfully presents that “truth” to an audience that agrees and finds it has humorous value gets a laugh.

If there is no agreement, there is no laugh.

Get enough agreement, you get a Netflix special. Get no agreement, you get a bartender who wanted to be a comic.

So people who are outraged by what a comic says are missing the point.

Comedy is not a set of instructions. Comics are not standing atop the barricade on the set of “Les Miserables”.

Comedians gather those who agree. If I have problems with their content, what is really bothering me is there are people who agree, and I have limited recourse for that.

I have known a shit ton of comics. Some who are successful and it absolutely baffles me. Some who have never been successful, which baffles me more. Some who are wildly successful and did not surprise me a bit.

I’ve known people you would immediately recognize and people who’ve made you laugh for decades whose names you’ve never heard.

I have great affection for funny people. I love them dearly. Even the ones I hate.

And none of them owe you a damn thing. Nothing. If they changed to fit your desire they should quit.

But…you owe them less. You aren’t required to sign on to that agreement. You don’t have to laugh.

So don’t. Turn them off. Don’t put your money or your outrage behind them.

Don’t pay attention.

The fact is comedy doesn’t die in an angry shouting match.

Comedy dies in silence.