Comedians (Japanese Case)

Yesterday, I had tea with Satori. Gloomy skies and billowing November clouds, but the tea was a warm red, and steaming. Satori said she loved to watch comedians perform, not with a little bit of guilt in her tone. I share her love of comedians, and the little guilt that comes with that love. Comedians, they are unafraid, the good ones at least, and bring laughter into the world.

But what kind of laughter?

Well, in the case of Japanese comedians, Satori and I were saying, a lot of the times, they produce laughter by mocking. And oftentimes, it is by mocking others. Self-mockery; yes, sometimes, and good ones do it, but on so many different occasions, one sees comedians poking fun at their partners, or their colleagues, in a completely mean way. Like, saying: "You're fat." "Look at that ugly -beep-, is she man or woman?" "He talks funny." "His mom talks funny, too." "You look like a potato in that outfit." "You are a potato, haha!"

Well, at least, those comedians are paid, to mock and to be mocked. So, Satori and I were saying, when we laugh at those mocking jokes, should we feel guilty? Yes, in principle, but again, the comedians are paid to perform the mockery. Those are performances that are not meant to be taken literally.

But some people don't get it. They think it's for real.

In that case, all the mocking that goes on is extremely dangerous. Even adults, Satori and I have seen, imitate what those comedians do to each other, and say very mean things, thinking they are funny. Well, we laymen are not paid to mock or to be mocked. It's all for free, gratuit. Those comedians, when mocked, make a living by mockery, sadly enough, but for us, it's different. Some of us may be born comedians, but others aren't. Why, those comedians, they ought to teach us better jokes. Satori and I finished our tea and let the gloomy weather overtake us.