Comedy Works Best When It Stays Funny
Conan O’Brien says too many comedians spend their time yelling about Donald Trump instead of trying to make people laugh. During a talk with the Oxford Union, he said some comics think just shouting insults at Trump counts as comedy. In his view, anger has taken over, and the humour has faded.
Trump Makes Satire Hard
Conan said Trump speaks in such wild ways that it becomes tough to parody him. At the same time, comics who only attack him nonstop lose sight of real comedy. He believes comedians give up their sharpest tool when they trade humour for outrage.
Anger Is No Substitute For Jokes
He explained that some comics claim the times are too serious to be funny Conan disagrees. If you are a comedian, you should still make humour your main job. Anger can exist, but it should be shaped into something creative, not just shouting.
Politics In Comedy Is Complicated
Conan also said the role of politics in comedy is tricky. He admitted he has strong opinions, but his comedy comes from impulse, not heavy planning. He joked about Trump during the interview, including teasing him about remodelling the White House like a resort.
Comedy Has Changed In The Trump Era
Conan has criticised modern political comedy before. He once said that Trump hurt comedy because he is already so extreme that comedians struggle to top him. He joked that this damage to comedy might be worse than anything else Trump has done.
