Why are there almost no conservative comedians?

[Vyxn]

A conservative in the entertainment business has the same survival rate as a black at a KKK rally

Sad that the few conservatives that are in the entertainment business have to keep it to them selves for the sake of their career if they ever want one

[Jonuts]

Well, define "conservative". Fiscal conservatives? Social conservatives? The religious right? Do you consider Libertarian's conservative because they're fiscally conservative, or liberal because they're socially liberal?

That said, there's several reasons. Conservatives get no slack from the general populace of major cities (i.e., where the money is). The left has a great many number of sacred cows that are inviolate. The right? Their sacred cows are an invitation to an all-you-can-eat buffet as far as the left is concerned. Lastly, politics isn't that great a ground for humor, generally speaking. Comedian's are there to make you laugh, and it's not particularly funny to joke about how far in debt your country is. Best you can do is make fun of politicians, which everyone does regardless. They're likely smart enough to know that you don't actually *care* about their political opinions. You're going to a comedy show to laugh, not to discuss the political situation in the Philippines.

[Bender]

One thing I though about I didn't see discussed much in the thread is the issue of conservative people being largely unrepresented in all of the performance art sector, as well as the art sector as a whole. My impression is that this field attracts people with left-leaning views. I.e the same reason why there are few conservative journalists and few left-leaning economists. Maybe this could be a factor as well, in combination with a leftist bias in the business would equate to few conservative comedians.

[Kokolums]

There are conservative comedians.

Rush Limbaugh is a comedian to conservatives. He is offensive to the left.

Steven Colbert is a comedian to the left but offensive to conservatives.

There you go.

Also, keep in mind the demographics. If you look at the pool of voters in the United States, it leans slightly to the right. But when you look at the overall population of the United States, it leans quite left. Not everyone is allowed to vote or bothers to vote. That's how you have a conservative government while the public is liberal.

But it pays more money to cater to the bigger audience, so its natural to promote left-leaning comedians. Its like a wow server with a faction imbalance. Once the imbalance forms, it rapidly gets worse because there are perks to being in the imbalanced faction. Once the public starts to lean left, everyone tries to promote leftist comedians to be as efficient at making money as possible.

[serenka]

One thing I though about I didn't see discussed much in the thread is the issue of conservative people being largely unrepresented in all of the performance art sector, as well as the art sector as a whole. My impression is that this field attracts people with left-leaning views. I.e the same reason why there are few conservative journalists and few left-leaning economists. Maybe this could be a factor as well, in combination with a leftist bias in the business would equate to few conservative comedians.

I think you're right, i think someone else said it in this thread but i imagine that right leaning people are more likely to pursue typical higher paying jobs and safer careers, rather than acting, comedy, music etc that has a very low success rate, its not because they can't be funny, cant sing or act, its just you have more chance of being successful and getting a good career if you go to college and study accounting. whereas someone who's left leaning would probably be more likely to want to pursue something they enjoy, and not worry so much about if it leads to a good career etc

[Kokolums]

Comedy, especially the performance or standup variety, is frequently about transgression. Generally speaking, it's hard to be both conservative and transgressive. Even comedians that deliberately mock various modern, leftist tropes (Daniel Tosh would be an example) are still generally abhorrent to genuine conservatives. Shows like Southpark and Family Guy are frequently transgressive and mock left-wing politics, but they're not conservative at all.

I don't think it would be fair to say that conservatives don't have a sense of humor since there's plenty of apolitical humor available, but it's hard to make jokes that are conservative per se.

Its incredibly easy to make conservative jokes. All you have to do is make fun of Big Government, which includes waste, corruption, etc.

You can make jokes all day about how Obamacare is just a tax on the poor. Liberals would find those jokes offensive though because they think its untrue while conservatives think its very true.

Conservatives also like to portray liberals as a bunch of welfare addicts without a work ethic, which is a gold mine for jokes.

Liberals will say the system is rigged against them and unfair. Conservatives could point out the Amish have absolutely NOTHING going for them and even make it hard on themselves by shunning technology and they THRIVE, so obviously the system is not rigged against them and they are just lazy.

[Rojaha]

There are plenty. Not the majority, but there are a lot. Off the top of my head: Jim Norton, Colin Quinn, Nick DiPaolo, and Patrice O'Neal (though he's deceased). Conservative comedians tend to not go around advertising that they're conservatives in most places, for obvious reasons, or they simply aren't given much spotlight, since being known to be a conservative can hurt your career in the entertainment business.

[Spectral]

Its incredibly easy to make conservative jokes. All you have to do is make fun of Big Government, which includes waste, corruption, etc.

You can make jokes all day about how Obamacare is just a tax on the poor. Liberals would find those jokes offensive though because they think its untrue while conservatives think its very true.

These aren't offensive, they're just unfunny. I think anyway. Any examples?

Conservatives also like to portray liberals as a bunch of welfare addicts without a work ethic, which is a gold mine for jokes.

This just sounds kind of bitter and stupid, not funny. I guess it's about as funny to me as liberals making fun of hillbillies for being stupid. Hahaha, look at those people that aren't like me! They're so stupid and lazy and ignorant! Hahaha! That's not really very funny.

Liberals will say the system is rigged against them and unfair. Conservatives could point out the Amish have absolutely NOTHING going for them and even make it hard on themselves by shunning technology and they THRIVE, so obviously the system is not rigged against them and they are just lazy.

You're kind of making the point.

[Paranoid Android]

It was always cringe-worthy when Bill O'Reilly would appear on The Daily Show. While not a comedian, he was so try-hard at trying to match Stewart, I could barely watch.

Conservative comedians are not free thinkers. They always have to be in their construct.

Oh Peter O'Rourke is not funny either. He tells his joke or satire then laughs at his own joke. Bill Maher does this all the time. I hate it.

[ati87]

I think the best thing you can expect from the right is racist wannabee though guys like Nugent who thinks that playing with himself in public is acceptable and funny behaviour.

[Spectral]

Why are there almost no conservative comedians?

Same reason there are almost no conservative actors, teachers or news reporters. There's no money in it.

Sure if you hit it big, become the next Louis CK there's a lot of money in it, but there is only one Louis CK. There are thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of comedians who never make it for every one that does. Not good odds.

Someone with a conservative mindset would never take that risk, they'd become an investment banker, lawyer or businessman something that was a sure bet.

Teachers and news reporters have never made a lot of money, they derive satisfaction from idealism.

This is a pretty good point in general. You can find this among extremely smart people as well - high IQ conservatives tend to do things like quantitative financial analysis or engineering, high IQ liberals are much more drawn to science or liberal arts in academia. Different values leads to different choices. Obviously these aren't absolutes, speaking in broad strokes.

[yetgdhfgh]

Comedy has always been thumbing your nose at the establishment i mean it dates back to the days of the court jester who would make fun of the king.

Conservatives have always been seen as the establishment and therefore have always been at the butt of many a joke.

Though it seems the ultra left are starting to feel the burn now cause there views are being made fun of because of how silly they sound.

[Elba]

Comedy is funnier when it is punching up, not down.

Given that the targets of conservative comedy are mostly less powerful groups, LGBT people, racial minorities, the poor, women, people seeking civil rights, and it usually comes of as not taking the piss but being actually spiteful (see all the youtube "comedians", Fox's failed comedy etc.) it's not wonder it is not really funny.

[shrunken]

Dennis Miller & Norm Macdonald?

[Spectral]

Comedy is funnier when it is punching up, not down.

That's the mantra that I hear repeated by leftists as an excuse for why their targets have it coming, but I don't really see any evidence that it's true in any meaningful sense. There are gay jokes and racial jokes that are pretty funny.

[Elba]

That's the mantra that I hear repeated by leftists as an excuse for why their targets have it coming, but I don't really see any evidence that it's true in any meaningful sense. There are gay jokes and racial jokes that are pretty funny.

Sure there are. But it depends if those jokes come from a place of hate for gays or minorities or not. If they do they are usually just cringey.

[Elba]

South Park is very pro status quo, if you make a noise and try to change things, left or right, you are crazy. South Park mantra is shut up and mind your own business. That makes them conservative.

[Torgent]

I don't find any of these people funny. John Oliver particularly annoys the hell out of me.

That's probably because he makes fun of your world view.

[Spectral]

Sure there are. But it depends if those jokes come from a place of hate for gays or minorities or not. If they do they are usually just cringey.

Well, yeah, but that's because hatred and venom usually doesn't make for great humor, not because of some arbitrary designation of punching up or down. Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter aren't great at humor either for the same reasons - they're organized around bitterness and antipathy, it doesn't tend to go well with good cheer and humor.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, I'd point out that parties are classified as left or right wing based on their tendencies, but any party may shift its beliefs over time. That doesn't necessarily mean there is no left or right.

You're right that they make fun of everyone. What I mean when I say they're generally more of a left view is that whatever Stan or Kyle says at the end of an episode is generally the underlying message, which usually lines up nicely with left wing social views and is in stark contrast to right wing views.

I feel pretty comfortable guessing that Parker and Stone are pretty middle of the road guys with socially libertarian views. Another tip off to them not being on the right is the Book of Mormon.

- - - Updated - - -

That's probably because he makes fun of your world view.

I find John Oliver irritating when he does his histrionic "current year!" routine. He can be pretty funny at other times, but the histrionics are just so over the top that it makes him grating. Whether I agree with any particular claim someone makes or not really has very little to do with whether they irritate me.

[Teebone]

Comedy and satire require the ability to criticise established norms and the social order, which is something conservatives generally do not excel at.

American Dad is probably your best example of social satire from the right wing.

Fix't! Also try watching re-runs of King of the Hill if you want to see a more elevated look at those values.