BY EMMERSON LAYNE

Comedy as it is known today is as subjective as it has ever been. It’s defined differently by everyone. Someone might find a joke hilarious while another person might find it appalling. In the back of their minds, they know not everyone is going to laugh or enjoy the joke, so they subconsciously respect others for their opinion. That’s what a decent person would think, while others use that maliciously to their advantage. Nowadays a comedian can make “jokes” about minorities or specific individuals that are objectively harmful, but when people call out the fact the joke was intentionally malicious or offensive, the comedian will say something along the lines of, “It was just a joke, chill.” This is what you call, Schrödinger’s Douchebag, a person who makes offensive jokes or statements, then says they were joking or serious depending on the reaction of others. This is very prevalent today, especially with extremists or radicals on the political spectrum. They understand comedy, but intentionally use it incorrectly. 

What sparked this realization about comedy was a recent appearance by Tony Hinchcliffe, a comedian guest to former president Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Madison Square Garden, where he made a series of racist and offensive jokes. One of the jokes that sparked condemnation was Hinchcliffe commenting that Puerto Rico was a “floating island of garbage”. When many people called out the many offensive jokes, Hinchcliffe and others proclaimed that they needed to “take a joke” or stated “it was just a joke”. If it was just a joke, what was the punchline? That Puerto Rico is garbage? If it was purely just a joke, it wasn’t a very good one, to which the quality of the joke isn’t the spark of backlash. It also has been found that Hinchcliffe has been making offensive “jokes” for a while now. A 2010 post by Hinchcliffe resurfaced, stating that “the best part of having a (mentally disabled child) is not buying it Christmas gifts. #DoTheyKnowItsChristmas?Nope”. In Hinchcliffe’s original post, he used an offensive slur to refer to mentally disabled children while also calling them an “it”. The same question is asked: What is the punchline? That mentally disabled children don’t understand the concept of time? Hinchcliffe never stated the intended punchlines of his jokes, so people assumed they were offensive rhetoric shielded under the guise of a joke. Which is not what comedy is. 

Jokes in comedy aren’t meant to belittle or punch down on a group of people or topic. Hinchcliffe and others similar to him do this in their comedy. Hinchcliffe’s jokes spread these belittling beliefs by hiding them as edgy jokes, or at the very least, as poorly made comedy. Hinchcliffe spread lies that Puerto Rico is an “island of garbage” or mentally disabled children don’t understand the concept of time, and many, many more. Which to people who comprehend subtle messaging, know these aren’t good jokes. Many of Hinchcliffe’s defenders most likely know that as well, but decide to become the textbook definition of Schrödinger’s Douchebag and his posse, who also lack self awareness. They use comedy to mask their disparaging opinions of others, in this case being Puerto Ricans and mentally disabled children, so they can promote their poor comedy, but still comedy nonetheless. 

It’s fine to come out and say a joke from a comedian you like or associate with, made a poor or intentionally malicious joke. It’s not bad to criticize someone or something you like for doing or saying something offensive. Because we all know, racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, etc. aren’t jokes, they’re seriously dangerous, especially to the unknowing target audience and the ones who are the ones being punched down. Defending the problem doesn’t fix it, it makes it thrive.