Some of my favorite comedians are the ones who are able to communicate meaningful messages and experiences through their material.
Comedians like Chris Rock, George Carlin, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais perform comedic material that allows their audiences to view the world from different perspectives. These comedians allow people to think about serious issues through laughter.
In my opinion, comedians are some of the bravest kinds of artists because of the way they handle delicate and complex issues in ways that not everyone may agree with. Comedians are willing to say controversial and provocative things in order to spark conversations. Through these conversations, people are able to grow within their own individual thinking about various topics and issues.
The best comedy gives audiences the opportunity to look through a window into the way different people live their lives. To me, diversity is important within comedy because it allows people to understand others differently. Through comedy, people are able to relate to one another in ways that they might not have expected, nor would be able to otherwise.
As a journalist, pursuing stories that showcase a wide range of diverse voices is important to me because it allows people to have a more sophisticated understanding of how different people perceive various situations and topics. I believe that by presenting people with multiple perspectives on various topics, they will become better educated on those topics holistically, while also being more accepting of other people and the ways they think.
For my second story of the semester, I am covering the fifth-annual Finger Lakes Comedy Festival in Ithaca. I want to take the opportunity to highlight the number of diverse voices that are given a platform through the festival and explore how much of an impact diversity has on the comedic industry according to various comics.
I think that the world needs more comedians to help people make sense of the darkness that constantly surrounds us. I believe that comedians are able to shine a light into the darkness and provide hope that the world can be better.
Comedy encourages conversation and retrospection. Through these actions, we can change not only the way we think but the way others think too. Having the ability to laugh at ourselves and the ridiculous world around us as we reflect on ourselves and each other is a gift that only comedy is able to provide.
Let me know who your favorite comedian is in the comments!
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