The difference between comedians and the general public is that we are meant to be funnier. And when you've got politicians giving material so easy that the general public is doing it, what is the necessity of us anymore?
Interpretation
Comedians are expected to be funnier than the general public, but when everyday events become too comedic, their role feels diminished.
In this quote, Jim Jefferies highlights the expectation placed on comedians to bring humor to the world, emphasizing that their craft relies on being funnier than ordinary people. However, he points out the irony that when political events and social situations provide abundant comedic material, the need for comedians may seem less critical, suggesting a shift in the dynamics of humor in society.
In practice
In a comedy show, a comedian might reflect on how absurd politics can be, using Jim Jefferies' perspective.
I don't think comedy really does change people's minds; I think you can only get someone who is almost ready to change their mind. You can't change someone from one direction straight into the other, but if you get someone who is considering your view, and you make a good point, there's power in that.
People don't get angry at you for shock value. People get angry at you when you affect something that is at their core, whether it be guns or religion or whatever. Their belief system.
I've made so many people angry that they kind of blur into one unpleasant memory of people staring at you with somewhere between passive aggression and active aggression.
The only bright spot in the entire evening was the presence of Kevin "Tubby" Matchwell, the eleven-year-old porker who tackled the role of Santa with a beguiling authenticity. The false beard tended to muffle his speech, but they could hear his chafing thighs all the way to the North Pole.
Neurosis is just a high-class word for whining.
I'm a lot less serious than people think, it's probably because the way my face is put together.
You feel completely in control when you hear a wave of laughter coming back at you that you have caused.
Throughout my academic career, I'd given some pretty good talks. But being considered the best speaker in the computer science department is like being known as the tallest of the Seven Dwarfs.
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