Art makes us feel many different emotions – pain, surprise, joy, or even confusion. Art is also a great way to get people more involved and interested in the social issues in our world today. One very popular method is comedy.
In the article, Eddie Murphy Accepts Twain Prize with Jabs and Bill Cosby Jokes , the author, Jada F. Smith celebrates Eddie Murphy’s receiving the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. The Mark Twain Prize is awarded to comedians who are not afraid to talk to the public about controversial social issues. However, because these are comedians, of course, they add their own special twist. Using humor, people watching or listening to these celebrities are not only amused by the endless jokes, but become aware and interested about touchy issues some people do not talk like to discuss.
Mr. Murphy certainly did not forget that when he brought up Bill Cosby – a much talked about figure who has been accused of sexually assaulting dozens of women. He even took a step further to imitate him. “‘I would like to talk to some of the people who feel that I should give back some of my trophies’, Mr. Murphy intoned in character.”
The voice of Donkey from the movie Shrek is just one of the many examples of comedians who have demonstrated and proven to the public that comedy is not all about making fun of certain people or being mean to them. Comedy creates a very easy-going and comfortable environment where people come together to enjoy themselves and learn at the same time. Comedians, such as Eddie Murphy, can take certain controversial issues or figures into their act, and turn it into a positive experience. What many people don’t realize is the amount of power and influence these comedians have on us.
On a side note, laughter is the best medicine there is. Tracy Morgan, another comedian, spoke of when Murphy was the first person to call him and make him laugh after Morgan was involved in a terrible accident.
As said before, comedians – like all other well-known people – have immense power. It’s up to comedians, such as Eddie Murphy, to use this power and their skill to make people laugh to bring up social issues that people need to be aware of. Comedy is a very powerful form of expression because – and that I can confidently claim – everyone loves to just relax and laugh for a moment. Whether we are watching Youtube, a television show, or a movie – it is possible to get a good laugh and become more involved with the social issues that surround us every day.
And just a very inspirational and thought-provoking quote from the Mark Twain prize winner himself:
“You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits. Have you ever met a person, you say ‘Let’s get some parfait.’ they say, ‘Heck no, I don’t like no parfait?’ Parfaits are delicious.”
Insightful! I’ve never thought of comedy as an art form. I’ve that of it as an expression before but that’s pretty obvious. One has to live in a cave to not realize that. In a way, I found your point on how comedy brings up social issues quite aligned with John Oliver’s agenda on Last Week Tonight, a comedy show that talks about the government policies, and all other kinds of issues mentioned in the news. However, I don’t believe bringing up social issues in a comedic way to convey a message is the essential purpose of comedy. In your post, you mentioned “everyone loves to just relax and laugh for a moment. ” That, I believe is the point of comedy. To put it simply, comedy wouldn’t be an artistic expression if it doesn’t fulfill that purpose.
It’s definitely true that art is capable of evoking so many different emotions, and one of those artistic expressions, as you mentioned, is Humor. Humor can be used in so many ways— to make people laugh, to bring up certain topics (that otherwise may have been difficult to speak about), and so much more. As I read this, I was constantly thinking about a show, called Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, that is being discussed and analyzed in my English class. In his weekly program, he uses humor and satire to do two things: 1. make viewers aware of a certain topic, and 2. accomplish goal 1 through laughter. When you say “Its up to comedians, such as Eddie Murphy, to use this power and their skill to make people laugh to bring up social issues that people need to be aware of”, I thought it truly captured what John Oliver is trying to accomplish in his show (maybe you would find the show interesting too!). I also completely agree with you when you say that many people don’t realize how much power and influence comedians have on us…There truly is lots of power in humor and comedy!
I never really thought of comedy as a form of art, but it is. I like how while making people laugh, these comedians can also bring awareness to controversial subjects. For example, show like “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver, “Colbert Report” with Stephan Colbert, and “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart help make topics that are boring to be interesting and worth watching. John Oliver not only raises awareness to these issues but he also makes people take action. While talking about net neutrality, Oliver with his humor and satirical remarks kept the audience’s attention and pushed them to take action to keep net neutrality. Comedy can make people laugh, be more aware of social issues and make people take action. That is a pretty powerful form of art.
I agree that comedy is a powerful tool to make people more socially aware. Especially today, most people no longer want to listen to completely biased and dramatic political talk shows. Comedy makes us laugh and exposes so many issues at the same time. It’s an easy yet powerful way of raising awareness. Eddie Murphy, in my opinion, definitely deserves the Mark Twain prize. Even while voicing the donkey in Shrek, he was a voice of reason. Today, he continues to make us laugh and question our society, which is no easy task.
I didn’t really think of comedy as art before reading your post, but now I’m definitely considering it. It makes sense. Comedy is a form of expression for comedians just as art is a form of expression for artists. Comedy caters to those who enjoy a good laugh, and art caters to those who enjoy looking deep into a work and deciphering what the artist was thinking when they created it. Both of these types of people bring awareness to touchy subjects that others may not want to touch with a ten foot pole. They are able to get their points across in ways that do not offend many people while articulating their opinions to everyone who enjoys their work.
Great post! One of the more interesting parts of humor I like to consider is how many comedians actually suffer from depression. For instance, Jim Carrey and Robin Williams (may he rest in piece) both suffered from severe depression. I think there thought process is that since they feel down, they enjoy making other feel happy. Like you said, laughter is the best medicine there is. Another theory is that they use it as a copping mechanism to block their emotions.
I’m glad that you decided to write an article about comedy. It is an art form that I, among many others sadly overlook. Whereas many factors divide us as humans from one-another, comedy offers an insightful means of escape from that reality. Perhaps one of my favorite ways to watch the news is actually from comedians. They give a refreshing means of learning about what’s going on in the world while at the same time laughing at the absurdity of it all. Sure sometimes not everything is factually correct, but nonetheless the skit still is a representation of reality just like any art. One of the best ways to approach politics in my opinion is through comedy as it allows audiences to approach a divisive topic in a leisurely way. The following SNL skit of the democratic debate is a prime example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfmwGAd1L-o.
I love this post and wholeheartedly agree with everything said! For me, comedy is a release. Whenever I am with a group of people that want to watch a movie, I always suggest a comedy. I do this because when we all laugh in unison it brings us closer together. I also believe that comedy of the controversial nature can show someones true colors, it says a lot about you if you can’t laugh at a funny joke just because it is controversial.
Comedy acts as a pain reliever, it makes very controversial topics easier to digest during tough times. Laughter tends to be the best medicine because it relieves all the stress that everyone has built up and, as a result, people can laugh together as one. Your post was very interesting because whenever sensitive topics arise people tend to go up in arms and fight one another. But, because of comedy the strain between people tends to go away. Comedy is probably one of the most relatable art forms, which allows everyone to focus at the problem at hand rather than the problems with one another. I honestly think you can talk about anything if you do it in a comedic way.
I agree with your conjecture about the power of the comedian. To access the humor of many, it provides an outlet for powerful conversation. I agree with you in that comedians end up lightening an environment surrounding a topic that can sometimes be considered as “uncomfortable”. But sometimes we need to talk about things that are uncomfortable, otherwise it will always be uncomfortable. Concerning the award that Eddie Murphy is receiving, I’m surprised that such an award exists. Even more so, I’m glad that society is publicly recognizing those who acknowledge the problems that occur, and take action against them.
I love your insightful view of comedy as an expressive art form. Indeed it is a great way to attack societal problems that would otherwise be very hard to talk about. Being satirical about an issue helps create an atmosphere of comfort, enjoyment, and at the same time seriousness. This combination is the best of both worlds in my opinion. It helps keep audiences focused at all times on the serious issues on head while at the same time getting them laugh.
Comedy is an art… You’re right! I never thought of it in this way, but, just as any other form of art, comedians express their emotions, ideas, and issues at hand to their audiences and entertain through laughter. I have always agreed with the statement, “laughter is the best medicine,” and it’s incredible what it can do for people. It also allows for the comedian, like you clearly said, to reach out to their viewers about societal problems in a way that grabs and holds their attention. This reminds me of the satirical news shows, such as Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and how the message of these networks is largely communicated through humor. It’s a clever way to connect with people, and it can even sometimes make a greater statement than other forms of art.