Woke Comedy Clubs Suck

I haven't been on stage as a comedian in a few years now. And with Covid-19, it might be a little while more before I do give it a shot again. It's not that I am that funny. I'm not really. I mean, don't get me wrong, I try. Lord, do I try. But, a brilliant comedian I am not.

Now here is the deal. I don't swear, I don't tell racist jokes (well, for the most part, I think), I don't tell sexist jokes, I don't tell homophobic jokes, I do a pretty clean set. I'm just not that comfortable doing raunchy material. I want to do a set that I can feel good about doing in front of my parents.

Don't get me wrong. I've tried some jokes that were, um, edgy? And they often flopped, big time. Sometimes I like to play with taboo subjects. I once made a pretty terrible joke about Hitler and Jews. That didn't go over big. I retired it quickly. But, hey, it was worth a shot. I think if I could have gotten it right it would have been funny...but no doubt offensive.

Now, over time, I have been noticing more and more open mic rooms and comedy clubs implementing rules on homophobic, Islamophobic, racist, sexist material. Let's call them "woke" rooms. Or "woke" comedy clubs. Despite what I said above which suggests that these would be the perfect place to go and perform because of my material, my preference is to NOT go to those kinds of places.

Why? Well, simple. Because, I don't like the notion that people are judging comedians, watching closely, ready to chastise if they happen to do an off-colour joke. The idea of a place that comedians aren't free to explore their ideas doesn't appeal to me. I see it as stifling.

Now, I've watched local comedians do horrible sets filled with the kind of content I dislike. They made me cringe. That type of material doesn't do anything for me, at all. These are comedians who would be permanently banned in a woke comedy club. And, even if I hate their comedy, I still don't want to see them banned or chased off the stage.

And, when I did try some jokes that were on the edge of decency, I probably would have been chased off the stage as well. But, trying those jokes helped me determine what flies with people and what doesn't. It helped me realize that I'm just not an edgy comedian. They were mistakes that I made, and was allowed to make because I wasn't in a woke club that would have judged those failures harshly.

It's not that I don't understand the desire to run open mics or have clubs that don't want certain material done. I get this philosophy of wanting a "safe space" for all. But, I guess I just don't find safe spaces very enjoyable. There is nothing about a safe space that challenges me. I'd rather go into a club or room and hear hard to like stuff that allows me to explore what I don't like and why I don't like it than go to a place where the decisions are made for me.

In a woke comedy room, the decision about what I should or should not hear is determined for me. I'm treated like a child, and the gatekeepers who determine which comedy I should be subjected to are like helicopter parents. They arrogantly know what is best for me. They are the judge. They determine based on their own morals and beliefs what I should be allowed to hear. I really don't like that arrogant and demeaning attitude. I'm a grown man (sort of), and I want to hear the bad stuff, dammit!

Now, all comedy clubs do have limits. Most aren't going to let some Neo-Nazi jump on stage and start raging on without some interference. And it's kind of understandable. But, when it comes to freedom of speech, the more we can have, the better off we all are. Woke comedy clubs go in the absolute opposite direction, looking for more ways to curb freedom of speech. And that just doesn't sit well with me.