Recently, I've got into this strange entertainment niche...
Redbar Radio, a show that breaks down comedy specials and podcasts in a funny way.
My initial thought was that this was just people being jealous haters. Then it won me over with humour, and sometimes with legitimate artistic criticism. Is this the new form of literary criticism?
Redbar Radio is a long show, and over the course of the show they might break down tape on ten to fifteen different comedian-podcasters. It's more enjoyable when the host, Mike, criticizes rich, established performers. Those performers are going to be alright either way, so I don't feel too bad about it.
The part I find distasteful is when he picks on up and coming / struggling comedians. Then it starts to feel a little gross. I just feel bad for the performers.
Also, the criticism of these figures comes in many different forms, which you may get more or less mileage from:
Making fun of their performance, set design, production quality, etc.
Making fun of who they appear to be as a person.
Criticizing them for scamming or nickle-and-diming their audience.
Criticizing them for illegal / unethical activities.
Mike, does this thing which comedians do as well where they mix humorous segments with serious segments. This is something that allows comedians to weasel out of things because they blur the lines between seriousness and jokes, and claim things were just jokes to squirm out of backlash against them.
Certainly, I wouldn't try to censor any of this even if there are parts of this criticism that I find unfair or not to my taste.
What are your thoughts on this blend of humour and criticism?
I don’t follow this, but I’m thinking that it seems like an easy route with no challenge to go after the struggling ones. Says a lot about the person going after them doesn’t it.
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