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rena_reads87's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
After seeing Judy Gold perform live in Provincetown, I understand the catharsis and need for humor more than ever in these unprecedented times we live in.
Her book is knowledgeable, well-written and down right funny. It’s an easy read.
Her book is knowledgeable, well-written and down right funny. It’s an easy read.
rovwade's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
3.0
heathervickery's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
momofwestnpop's review against another edition
I honestly don't know how to rate this book! 100% this book will offend most people, but maybe that's the point?! She is honest, funny, a bit vulger and definitely not PC, but I did enjoy it!! Some parts were cringe and other parts were absolutely hilarious!
kayla_can_read's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
A little droney but good points
manwithanagenda's review against another edition
funny
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Gold drives home a very important point with clarity and laughter. As you can gather from the title, the book defends the right of comedians to free speech as critical to their professions and to the well-being of our society. Gold justly criticizes the practice of condemning comedians for doing their jobs and, more importantly, holding them to a higher standard than politicians and other figures with power.
I particularly liked Gold's emphasis on the origins of microaggression, triggering, and other buzzwords that have become popular lately. These words have a place, but they are being misused. Political correctness stemmed from a need for a safe working environment for the marginalized and disenfranchised and is essential for civil discourse. It should not bleed through into every aspect of our lives without careful consideration. To prohibit speaking about subjects prevents their being confronted and, more often than not, leads to complacency and the idea that there is no problem anymore and only helps those already in a position of power. The practice of using words once used by professionals in a clinical setting when someone is merely uncomfortable is absurd. Discomfort is where comedy lives. Gold writes that with laughter people can ease tensions and address problematic beliefs and challenge stereotypes and speak truth to power.
Gold makes excellent points and uses her own humor and life experience while breaking down her argument into eleven sections. She often quotes comedians from the last 120 years to prove her point and argue the importance of comedians tackling controversial subjects, providing historical context and insight. My one quibble was the I would have liked even more examples of free speech being infringed instead of the constant exclamations of how stupid it is to hinder comedians. Its a good point, but Judy, its a whole book.
I recently watched the whole first-season of 'Maude' with my husband. Bea Arthur plays a middle class housewife who gets carried away by her liberal politics. She lives with her fourth husband and divorced daughter and has a conservative neighbor for a foil. There is endless material to mine for comedy, but despite it being forthright and compassionate in its subject matter, it likely could not be aired no network television today. 'Maude' was a success because of its controversial plot-lines: race, white guilt, abortion and privilege were tackled. The show got messy, but it was always funny. Certain "bad" words crop up in conversation, but are part of the show's message. What I believe Gold's common-sense point is that people don't need to be sheltered from controversy, they need to own their own "triggers" and choose accordingly. No one has to watch any media, or sit through any show they don't want to. With a fair warning, adults can usher children out of "harm's way" and people with concerns for their own well-being can opt out.
If an entertainer has said something that offends, we have every right to tune them out, dispose of our albums, books (looking at you J.K.), etc. and move on with our lives, but of course they shouldn't be vilified more than people in power, than people in professional settings, than people who are actually supposed to be representing something better. Can we just fucking calm down? Come for the comedians if you insist, but not until you do something about the angry orange clown in the White House.
I particularly liked Gold's emphasis on the origins of microaggression, triggering, and other buzzwords that have become popular lately. These words have a place, but they are being misused. Political correctness stemmed from a need for a safe working environment for the marginalized and disenfranchised and is essential for civil discourse. It should not bleed through into every aspect of our lives without careful consideration. To prohibit speaking about subjects prevents their being confronted and, more often than not, leads to complacency and the idea that there is no problem anymore and only helps those already in a position of power. The practice of using words once used by professionals in a clinical setting when someone is merely uncomfortable is absurd. Discomfort is where comedy lives. Gold writes that with laughter people can ease tensions and address problematic beliefs and challenge stereotypes and speak truth to power.
Gold makes excellent points and uses her own humor and life experience while breaking down her argument into eleven sections. She often quotes comedians from the last 120 years to prove her point and argue the importance of comedians tackling controversial subjects, providing historical context and insight. My one quibble was the I would have liked even more examples of free speech being infringed instead of the constant exclamations of how stupid it is to hinder comedians. Its a good point, but Judy, its a whole book.
I recently watched the whole first-season of 'Maude' with my husband. Bea Arthur plays a middle class housewife who gets carried away by her liberal politics. She lives with her fourth husband and divorced daughter and has a conservative neighbor for a foil. There is endless material to mine for comedy, but despite it being forthright and compassionate in its subject matter, it likely could not be aired no network television today. 'Maude' was a success because of its controversial plot-lines: race, white guilt, abortion and privilege were tackled. The show got messy, but it was always funny. Certain "bad" words crop up in conversation, but are part of the show's message. What I believe Gold's common-sense point is that people don't need to be sheltered from controversy, they need to own their own "triggers" and choose accordingly. No one has to watch any media, or sit through any show they don't want to. With a fair warning, adults can usher children out of "harm's way" and people with concerns for their own well-being can opt out.
If an entertainer has said something that offends, we have every right to tune them out, dispose of our albums, books (looking at you J.K.), etc. and move on with our lives, but of course they shouldn't be vilified more than people in power, than people in professional settings, than people who are actually supposed to be representing something better. Can we just fucking calm down? Come for the comedians if you insist, but not until you do something about the angry orange clown in the White House.
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