The (ostensibly) free world was shocked when
Will Smith assaulted Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars in March. For
telling a joke. And then, just days ago, Dave Chapelle was assaulted by an
armed man who rushed the stage during his Hollywood Bowl set at the “Netflix Is
a Joke” comedy festival. Apparently because the assailant didn’t like the tone
or topic of some of Chapelle’s humor.
This has understandably caused other comedians
to fear for their own safety. Howie Mandel recently told E!
News that the Oscars incident may have “opened the floodgates” to preposterous
and violent actions like these. Mandel said, “We’re already, as comedians,
being attacked as far as being canceled for something that you don’t like,
something that you find offensive, something that you think is too soon. You
saw what happened at the Academy Awards, and I thought violence triggers
violence.”
He added, “I think this is the beginning
of the end for comedy.”
And that truly isn’t funny.
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