The recent controversy involving a comedian’s crowd-work session has once again highlighted the troubling intersection of entitlement and comedy. When an audience member at a show hosted by Pranit More boasted about expecting sexual favours in return for a ₹370 plate of biryani, the resulting online reaction was swift and severe.
Filmfare’s Editor-in-Chief Jitesh Pillai writes about the ongoing controversy and his thoughts on the blatant misogyny that still surfaces in such stand-up comedy shows.
In his words:
Internet outrage—yeah, so what else is new? The misogyny is so deeply embedded that sacking one toxic fellow or cancelling a comic is not part of the solution. They will come back next year with a plum assignment on Netflix; another one will feature as a ‘Big Boss’ contestant; yet another may do another low-brow reality show. So, what’s the messaging? Get notoriety, become famous.
Today, the outrage is over a plate of biryani. The outrage is over the fact that the guy felt obliged to get something in return just because he spent ₹370 on a plate of biryani.
Also, I feel this whole thing of being a ‘sakht launda’ and comedians talking about male loneliness in a way that asks for sympathy in an aggressive way makes my stomach churn.
Last year, it was about something some podcaster with a pea-sized brain asked someone inappropriately about his parents. I’m not for ban culture or imposing restrictions. How about good taste? Common sense?
Comedians, with the notable exception of one or two, are all recycling the same tired jokes, pulling their punches at the exact points. It’s a rollercoaster of mediocrity. And guess what? The joke’s on us because there is an audience which laps it up in the name of ‘peak Gurgaon content.’
Abuse of the mother-sister variety is liberally sprinkled, and everyone goes, ‘Ha-ha, humour.’ ‘Lighten up, it’s only a stand-up set.’ But there is something larger—the inbred patriarchy and misogyny. Bollywood, of course, has a lot to do with it: the stalking, the taming of the ‘shrew,’ fixing the errant ‘vamp’ with a slap, equating ‘izzat’ with private parts being violated. It has all slowly inured us to body shaming, bullying, and slut-shaming.
Do we stop attending shows? No. Do we stop low-brow comedians from peddling their substandard stuff? No. Just discretion. Slut-shaming and homophobic or racist slurs should just be cut off. Don’t encourage a climate of sick, ribald humour. It comes from self-censorship.
The rigors of a 9-to-6 job, the stress of living, mental health issues, and just this business of day-to-day drudgery get people down. Add to it the bubbling oestrogen and testosterone levels for youngsters in their 20s—all a potent potion for an explosion. Covid really pushed the boundaries of all sense and decency; this is just the after-effect.
Have our standards fallen so low? Just as Bollywood has put up a shit-show and is burning from the repercussions, it’s time these half-assed comedians come up with something smart. Think Jimmy Fallon, think Oprah, think smart, think cool, think progressive. Don’t get your jollies by pulling down someone vulnerable.
I will not go to any show that puts down women or is disrespectful of the LGBTQ community. That’s a good start. The rest will fall in line.
Also Read: Editor’s Take: Jaya Bachchan, A Quiet Riot of Authenticity
