Liberals are not only more politically correct than conservatives, but are also destroying comedy, according to HBO’s Bill Maher.
During a conversation regarding comedic censorship with comedian Jeff Ross on this weekend’s Real Time, Maher discussed Jerry Seinfeld’s recent statements about steering clear of college campuses, and questioned whether cultural sensitivity is a generational, or a liberal, or a conservative problem.
Seinfeld told ESPN’s Colin Cowherd earlier this month: “I don’t play colleges but I hear a lot of people tell me, ‘Don’t go near colleges, they’re so pc.’”
Seinfeld further mocked college students, saying, “’That’s racist. That’s sexist. That’s prejudice.’ They don’t even know what they’re talking about.”
“If Jerry Seinfeld is too politically incorrect for you, maybe you should look in the mirror,” Maher said Friday.
“I appreciate Jerry, who’s not necessarily thought of as an edgy comedian sticking up for comedy as an art form,” Ross responded.
Ross added: “Comedy is medicine… You don’t want it generic; you want it potent… we have a responsibility to shine a light on the darkest aspects of society.”
“I used to fight with this audience all the time,” Maher said. “Because we used to get the audience strictly from liberal sources, then we got the audience like from everywhere and I’ve had a much better time the last couple of months.”
Maher concluded saying liberals are “too sensitive.”
Watch the segment:
Seinfeld, who is known for his mild brand of observational humor, has refused to back down from the comments, and told NBC’s Seth Meyers a week ago, “there’s a creepy pc thing out there that really bothers me.”
June 9, an open letter written by a gay California student and directed at Jerry Seinfeld began circulating online, and asked the former Seinfeld star to adjust his material so that it “spurs social dialogue” and isn’t based on “archaic ideals.”
Written by San Diego State University student Anthony Berteaux, and published by the Huffington Post, the letter stated, “Sexist humor and racist humor can no longer exist in comedy because these concepts are based on archaic ideals that have perpetrated injustice against minorities in the past.”
Berteaux also wrote:
So, yes, Mr. Seinfeld, we college students are politically correct. We will call out sexism and racism if we hear it. But if you’re going to come to my college and perform in front of me, be prepared to write up a set that doesn’t just offend me, but has something to say.
Maher plans to further address the issue during Friday’s episode of Real Time.
Follow Kipp Jones on Twitter @kipjones
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.