DARK HUMOR
In the aftermath of 9/11 the Daily show, Saturday Night Live, The Onion, and other comic mediums went dark. Lorne Michaels asked the important question on everyone’s mind, “Can we be funny?” America was in despair. The answer to that question is yes. According to psychologist Daniela S. Hugelshofer, “humor acts as a buffer against depression and hopelessness.” Comedy is an important part of our culture. It’s a survival mechanism. To joke of tragic events may be liberating to society, but this begs us to ask an important question. If comedy is about tragedy, then why are some topics off limit? What is the allowed time before a comedian can make joke about a tragedy? Who gets to decide when this jokes are acceptable?
Humor helps ease tensions. After the elections our country's tension was very high. People where unsure of their futures, it was a somber environment. perhaps not as dark as the days following 9/11, but still dark. Comedians have taken turns to joke about our future to help ease the tension within our society. as horrible as some joke may seem, they are necessary for society to begin to heal. these comedian are our shamans, voicing our opinions and giving us, society strength to begin to voice our own opinions. to take a stand on our beliefs and create a better future for america, a future in which our society can get along, putting aside race and social standings.