Do Comedians “Speak Truth to Power"?

Do comedians “speak truth to power”? Are they “brave”? Nah, not really. At least not here in the United States, where you don’t have to be brave to do comedy. And thank God for that!

On top of being funny, comedians are often said to “speak truth to power”—which sounds brave, and is brave, outside of the United States. Don’t let "activist comedians" fool you—you don’t have to be brave to speak truth to power in the U.S. of A. And that’s a good thing. Especially if you’re a comic. Because many countries around the world outlaw heresies such as mocking heads of state, royal families, and other protected classes. If you make the wrong joke, you can be fined, jailed, or worse. Believe it or not, but many of those joke-restricting countries are western democracies, e.g. Germany, Britain, and Canada. As you see in the video, the United States is the only country on the planet where a comedian can make comedy without fear of state reprisal. So, bring us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to get up at an open mic and call Trump a fascist.*

(*Don’t worry: Trump doesn’t have the power to punish you the way a fascist would. Let’s keep it that way.)

“Tickling Giants” trailer

Credits:

Written by and starring Lou Perez

Directed by Greg Burke

DP and Editor: Kevin Jacobsen

Sound: Fernando Castillo

HMU: Jenny Diaz

Executive Producers: Maurice Black, Lou Perez, Erin O’Connor, & Rob Pfaltzgraff

Creative Director: Erin O’Connor

Head Writer: Lou Perez

Creative Producer: Lana Link