Note: When I use the word ‘Prophet’ I don’t use the popularist definition which usually reduces the term to ‘some sort of fortune teller’, but, more accurately ‘A person gifted with profound moral insight and exceptional powers of expression.’ (thefreedictionary.com)
I can’t remember who said it, but this great insight wasn’t mine unfortunately.
In a conversation at a conference recently, someone asked,
“Where have all the Prophets gone? Where are the truth-speakers?”
To which the reply came:
“They’ve become Stand Up Comedians.”
I would give credit where it’s due but I genuinely can’t remember who said what.
I’ve become a bit obsessed with Stand Up Comedians over the past few years, and after being a part of this conversation the penny dropped as to why. I’ve always found those who are willing to say the uncomfortable thing compelling, and this is where you find the best examples nowadays.
Prophets were traditionally those through history who have stood on the street corner, or walked into the halls of power, and thrown light on the uncomfortable truths.
The Biblical Old Testament Prophets in particular were these cantankerous, odd balls who would walk into the courts of the kings and the priests of their day, and point out where they were off track from their God-given mission.
Hosea reminded the leaders about fidelity.
Amos griped about how the poor and oppressed were being ignored in society.
Malachi had a rant about the anemic sacrifices being offered in the Temple.
Jonah‘s very life was an object lesson in the dangers of Ethnocentricism and how it robs you of your God-given humanity and purpose.
And these are just a few.
In fact, Jesus Himself looks a lot more like these guys than the religious leaders of His day. He holds nothing back in criticizing the institution for where they are off track. He wouldn’t have been joining your church as a placid member; he would have been touring around and tipping your stuff over, pointing out where you are completely missing the point.
Throughout history there have been a constant stream of prophetic voices. From St Francis of Assissi, to Luther, to Bono; these unattached outsiders called us back, and we have needed it, because apparently we’re easily distracted.
Catholic Mystic, Richard Rohr (one of our contemporary prophetic voices) says that, “we’ve always needed a 2 party system to keep us honest”. In the church this has been the tension between the priests and the prophets; and now in society it’s the tension between the leaders charged with maintaining the status quo, and the dissidents who challenge us to be better and to see the gaping holes in our systems and thinking. It’s like the two reins which provide the necessary lateral tension to, hopefully, keep humanity on the right track.
Enter Stand Up Comedians. At least, the good ones.
“(This is what) I mean when ascribing prophet status to Louis C. K. or Chris Rock or Doug Stanhope or their forebears. They aren’t seers or priests. They’re truth tellers. They’re teachers. Takers of liberty, givers of offense, their hostility is deliberate, their cruelty relentless — freeing us to laugh at our weakness, pain, and rage. No wonder we repay them with our love.”
Quoted from http://www.esquire.com/80-things/comedians-as-prophets-1013
And that’s what good stand ups do.
They hold up the mirror.
Either to our lives personally, or collectively as a society.
Let’s take the example of ‘white privilege’. Not an easy topic to bring up with white people and get us to admit that we live with benefits because of the residue of Colonialism. Many will usually swiftly disconnect from the conversation.
But give this issue to a group of skilled Stand Ups and watch what they do:
This is the late, great Patrice O’neal:
This is Louis CK:
This is Chris Rock:
Don’t under estimate what these guys just did.
You’ve been in conversations before, especially with white people, where this topic comes up. Someone will swiftly assert that ‘things are equal now’, or some other bollocks, expecting the conversation to be done, as if your constitution speaking about ‘equal rights for all people’ trumps the reality many people live with. It’s an uncomfortable truth many aren’t willing to enter into conversation on.
When liberals grand stand about this issue though they are often shut down because they either come across as whiney, or too heavy handed and judgemental. In fact I was in danger of straying into just that space in the paragraph above. I could feel myself going there, and I know that that tone gets you no where. You have to be more subversive than that if you want your message to have legs.
And you just watched 3 acts of cultural subversion.
You see the fact is that material like this doesn’t work, and isn’t funny, if it isn’t true. So by getting rooms full of people to laugh at this stuff, one city at a time, they are getting rooms full of acknowledgement about a real issue which is hard to speak about. If you laughed in that room you can’t claim you don’t know any more; you can’t plead ignorance, or the bit wouldn’t have been funny to you. Whether you like it or not, you’ve acknowledged the problem, and that’s where change starts.
Does it alter people’s minds straight away?
Very unlikely, but I think comedy bits like this go deep into your psyche and sit there. They penetrate and percolate, and the next time the curtain is pulled back for you on this issue, in your day to day, you’ll feel the truth of it and remember that a room full of people laughed along with you, which makes you braver to admit the uncomfortable truth, and maybe alter how you see things and act differently.
Is this why Comedians do it?
No.
They want to make people laugh, and be successful doing it. But the good ones do understand this dynamic. Societal change and ‘holding up the mirror’ isn’t necessarily their motive, but by writing and performing material which speaks to these uncomfortable truths they are fulfilling a prophetic role.
The good ones know it.
The best ones use it.
This is why Sacha Baron Cohen is genius. He creates characters who, beyond the toilet humour and dirty jokes, highlight big holes in our culture. Ali G is about Racism. Borat is about Xenophobia. Bruno is about Homophobia. All he has to do is embody these characters and place them in front of people who will out their own prejudice, and maybe ours as well in the process.
Similarly, in his 2012 movie ‘The Dictator’ his character Admiral General Aladeen delivers this speech at the close of the film:
This native Brit gives a full frontal criticism of the hypocrisies in American Democracy which would have been dismissed if it came in the form of bare faced rhetoric, but in the guise of comedy he is not only heard by millions around the world, but those millions usually have a smile on their face while listening.
In the same vein Comedian Russell Brand has slowly morphed into a revolutionary figure over the last decade. He’s seen the holes in our society and massive disparity between rich and poor, and he’s decided to start speaking out against it. It began as comedy routines on his radio shows and stand up tours, and has now become a regular stream of material emanating from his Youtube Channel (The Trews), where he still constantly uses the Trojan Horse of humour to smuggle in some pointed truths.
Do we agree with all these comedians?
Of course not.
Some of their conclusions are preposterous, often deliberately. That’s not the point. The point is to recognise the prophetic role that intelligently delivered comedy has come to play in our society in holding a mirror up to our collective faces. My hope is that the next generation of funny men and woman would strive to leverage their skills to change the minds of the masses and move us forward. To be more conscious of the effect they have. You have a power beyond mere levity.
I’ll leave you with this interesting conversation on the Opie and Anthony Show between Ricky Gervais and Jim Norton: “That’s what humor is for…to get over bad shit”
