A line between jokes and offensive comedy
Spira Tlhankane | Thursday May 11, 2017 18:00
Since last week there has been a brawl between local sprinter Amantle Montsho and video comedian Jujuvine after the latter passed a joke that was below the belt on social media.
Jujuvine was making fun of Montsho’s physical appearance and the champion was deeply offended and ended up labelling the former musician as a ‘fake child’.
Social media has already fuelled Montsho’s anger while Jujuvine is massively gaining popularity through this social mockery.
Whereas Jujuvine has apologised to Montsho, it has raised a question of whether comedians should draw a line when they deliver their satirical statements.
While comedians have a typical excuse of cracking insensitive and rude jokes just to make their audience laugh, some people get offended.
For comedians it is all done in the name of humour. But there is more to comedy than insulting people and some comedians cannot draw a line between jokes and insults.
Some people are beginning to term their humour as irrelevant because it steps on people’s toes especially popular figures of the society.
People are used as comedy materials and there is really no limit because these comics knowingly hurt someone’s feelings and they always get away with it all in the name of free speech.
Celebrities are a gift to comedians because they are easy punch bags. Some comics crack jokes about themselves just to stay out of trouble.
However some can argue that subjects of jokes need to take jokes in the right spirit because it is just a joke after all and it is all in the name of good humour.
Jujuvine did not only make a joke about Montsho but Minister Dorcus Makgato was also the victim of this social mockery. Unlike Montsho, the Health minister just brushed it off as a creative joke.
Jujuvine is not exactly a stand up comedian but comics make fun of celebrities all the time in their shows and no one ever really takes offence. Some comedians would even go to an extent of mocking the way President Ian Khama speaks on national television but it never raises any eyebrows.
Comedians like Ramozara and Rragwe Thinana always crack random jokes about some members from the audience but it has never been a big deal.
In other countries, comedians like Chris Rock often take it too far with jokes and people just laugh it off and life moves on. These outspoken comedians are celebrated for their ability to handle a sensitive subject and turn it into a joke without really throwing insults.
While such jokes are unfair to people, some take it as humor hence the difference between Makgato and Montsho. In any case a line has to be drawn but some comedians do not know where the line is between jokes and insults.
Asked whether there should be a line, popular local comedian Phenyo The Master said comedy is unlimited therefore comics can still crack jokes about people provided they present them well. “A joke shouldn’t insult people, it should be articulated in a certain way because some people are sensitive,” he said.
Phenyo The Master said comedy is all about promoting happiness therefore it should not lead to insults. He said in his shows he usually uses people as props and they never have a problem with it. He advised other comedians to put jokes in way that cannot offend anyone in the end.
Another local comedian, Rekunde said Botswana has a different culture when it comes to taking jokes therefore comedians should not crack a joke that would undermine someone’s social status.
The female comic said passing a joke while the subject is right there among the audience is fine but when the jokes is done on platforms such a social media it becomes a different scenario.
She said as a comedian you could not consult the people you want to roast beforehand all the time.
Rekunde said she never makes deep jokes about someone unless she is close to them. She said jokes have to be done right to avoid causing offence on the subject.
While some subjects of jokes are inclined to be offended especially when a joke about them is making rounds on social media, people are never going to stop because the line between offensive and funny is very tight and comedians are always going to straddle it no matter what.