{"id":9242,"date":"2013-06-30T08:20:29","date_gmt":"2013-06-30T12:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/?p=9242"},"modified":"2013-06-30T08:55:44","modified_gmt":"2013-06-30T12:55:44","slug":"the-final-frontier-for-gay-rights-comedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/2013\/06\/30\/the-final-frontier-for-gay-rights-comedy\/","title":{"rendered":"The final frontier for gay rights? Comedy."},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Good<\/a>

Good luck with that punch line. (Source: Tickld.com website)<\/p><\/div>\n

(Warning: This blog post includes a frank discussion of sex and homosexuality, including a couple of euphemisms for gay sex.)<\/p>\n

This weekend, as the rest of the country chewed over a pair of landmark Supreme Court decisions establishing broader legal and civil rights for gay and lesbian Americans, I was watching old stand-up comedy specials on Netflix and humor bits on Youtube.<\/p>\n

I know, I know.\u00a0 Pretty highbrow stuff.<\/p>\n

The reason I went back to the gag reel was that I had this sort of queasy after-image in my mind of a hell of a lot of stupid anti-gay humor flowing from comedians who are supposed to be liberal, enlightened, aware.<\/p>\n

Guys calling each other faggot.\u00a0 Guys making “ick” jokes about anal sex.\u00a0 Guys slobbering over the idea of women having sex with each other.<\/p>\n

And sadly I found my memory pretty much confirmed.<\/p>\n

While five gray-haired Supreme Court justices — and most of the American public — have moved past the idea that gay people are, you know, kind of gross-funny, “faggot” schticks are still a staple for humorists who want us to think of them as cutting edge.<\/p>\n

There aren’t the fringe guys.\u00a0 I’m talking the A-list of American comedy here.\u00a0 Louis CK, Zach Galifianakis, Daniel Tosh,\u00a0 Seth Rogen, and on and on.\u00a0 Need a cheap laugh?\u00a0 Default to the queer jokes.<\/p>\n

This clip, illustrating my point, is NSFW in a big way.\u00a0 If you’re offended by sexual references and profanity, please don’t play it.<\/p>\n