What It’s Like to Perform Stand-up in Today’s Climate: California Comedians

Audiences are seen enjoying a show at Brea Improv in Brea, Calif.(Courtesy of the Brea Improv Comedy Club)

Los Angeles-based comedians have much to say on the topic of cancel culture, both on stage and off.

As prominent comics like Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock critique American audiences for what the duo describes as an increasing “oversensitivity” to jokes due to political polarization, others in the sphere performing in California—a known bastion of progressivism and political correctness—have echoed similar sentiments.

‘Sensitive’ Audience

Among such comics is Jason Rogers, who’s performed standup for nearly 15 years and owns the Los Angeles-based comedy club, Comedy Blvd.

In a recent interview with The Epoch Times, Rogers said the social and political climate in liberal cities like New York and Los Angeles has made it increasingly difficult to tell certain jokes. Crowds become easily offended, he says.

“I feel like nowadays, the mindset has shifted,” Rogers said. “I think conservatives are not so conservative with comedy and are able to still laugh, while liberals have really put comedy in a box and don’t allow certain jokes because they’re so sensitive.”

Such jokes, according to Rogers, include those about non-white racial groups or other minorities, particularly those some perceive as “victim” groups subject to discrimination, such as the LGBT community.

According to Rogers, such sensitivity has limited fun and creative freedom for him when performing stand-up comedy, which he says has also affected the industry overall.

“I feel like comedy is meant to test the boundaries of race, religion, politics, gender, and other stuff,” Rogers said following one of his recent shows. “[Audiences] don’t have to like what I’m saying, but don’t come after me or try to cancel me.”

Comedian Jason Rogers performs during a show in an undated photo. (Courtesy of Jason Rogers)

Rogers recalled one such instance when an audience member became angry and confronted him after a show.

“She thought I was offensive ... when I asked her which joke [offended her], she couldn’t even remember the joke. That doesn’t make any sense,” he said.

Such reactions, Rogers said, have led him and his peers to censor certain jokes they tell onstage based on where they are performing. In more liberal cities like Los Angeles, Rogers says he and other stand-ups are more careful.

“I definitely [censor] what I say now. I feel nowadays if you’re not that gender, race or religion [being joked about], then you can’t really talk about it,” he said. “I feel like it’s not allowed. But then [if we don’t joke about these things], how do we learn? We used to be able to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. Now we’re not allowed to do that anymore.”

When speaking on the future of cancel culture surrounding standup comedy, Rogers says the media plays a large role.

“I feel like we’re really pigeon-holing what’s allowed to be comedy ... Cancel culture within the media will [continue to] create an even bigger division among us,” he said. “What’s upsetting is that the media is controlling [cancel culture] quite a bit. All [major] media is biased.”

Much of the media, he said, has abandoned objective reporting to promote their own ideologies in their coverage, which he says plays a role in cancel culture in comedy and other spheres.

“The media are only going to defend or profile what fits their agenda. It doesn’t matter what the topic is, they’re just going to support whoever is preaching what they agree with. So it could be censorship or not … but they’re going to support whoever is in their corner,” Rogers said.

Cultural Dynamics

Another Los Angeles-based comedian, Vipul Munshi, says he sees a silver lining in the political atmosphere surrounding standup.

“There is a sensitivity there ... but I personally say whatever the hell I want, and I don’t care because the way I look at it is, that is what filters out my fans from people that don’t like me,” Munshi told The Epoch Times. “And that’s what I want, because the goal for any comic is to be in front of people that want to see you.”

Munshi says he finds more freedom of expression in today’s climate compared to his own South Asian upbringing, in which some ideas were suppressed in other ways.

Comedian Vipul Munshi performs during a show in an undated photo. (Courtesy Vipul Munshi)

The comedian has faced backlash for his jokes about the transgender community—but Munshi says such reactions don’t deter him from his craft.

“I don’t want to make someone laugh that’s going to be offended by everything,” he said. “There’s no way we’re all going to be fans of every [comedian]. And it’s okay. It’s absolutely okay.”