We get to live in a disruptive, consequential era—one for the history books. We wonder what they’ll say about today.
Political correctness and cancel culture have made a major mark on our lives, but don’t seem to be aging well. The PC police have even gotten in the way of artists expressing themselves freely and enjoying a frictionless earning experience.
So, now some top stars are using their considerable juice on the threat being posed to free speech and expression in the name of equity, empathy, and nondiscrimination.
They’re worth watching because they’re willing to absorb some near-term jeers to save comedy and free expression in the long run.
What if the superheroes who end up saving the day for our fundamental freedoms are actually jokers in disguise?
Meaning, what if the battle between free expression and political correctness is decided with the help of humorists who saw the same troubling trend and decided to sound the alarm, despite inevitable blowback?
Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Joe Rogan, Bill Maher, Russell Brand, and Dave Portnoy are each thriving, and surely don’t make their lives easier by taking on cancel culture, but they’ve each decided to do so.
These are non-conservatives warning us about the hard Left’s war on free speech.
As we know, every great story requires brave protagonists and cynical antagonists. So, Free Speech’s Hall of Justice needs a Legion of Doom as its foil. Sadly, there are too many examples of professional jokesters who abandoned the pursuit of laughs in favor of partisan posturing and point-scoring.
The Legion of Doom’s starting lineup is a murderers’ row of the formerly funny: Stephen Colbert, Keith Olbermann, Alec Baldwin, and Howard Stern.
Speaking of Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferers: What do Stern and Jimmy Kimmel have in common? Besides being preachy progressives, each has done blackface. That may not be a coincidence. Wokeness is a clutch survival skill in overcompensation nation.
Conversely, the Hall of Justice is led by Seinfeld and Chappelle, some of the most respected and respectable figures in our culture. And they’re each going against the grain and sanely saying the same thing: Freedom of speech is under attack, and it’s no laughing matter.
Fatigued by the lifeguards of acceptable language, comedians’ jobs have gotten way harder and a lot less fun. And several distinguished stars have decided to go off-script and defend free expression.
Why it’s so remarkable is that they don’t need this mess. They have a lot to lose, yet each of them opted to bring more headaches and heat upon themselves.
Perhaps with the Left shrinking what’s acceptable and playing for keeps, it forces one to throw the professional challenge flag, call for the referees, and assert the rulebook.
Another observation about Seinfeld and Chappelle: They seem remarkably mature, peaceful, humble, free, and to be living the good life. They’re making the most of their talents and seem grateful for their good fortunes.
That’s in stark contrast to the Legion of Doom’s talented team, who seem to have lost their lust for laughs and too often come off as condescending, cruel creeps. That raises the question: Who seems better adjusted and in it for the right reasons?
Pay special attention to Seinfeld, Chappelle, Rogan, Maher, and the rest. Not only are they supremely talented, but they may end up being more consequential and do big and serious things, while our elected officials play court jesters.
