Some readers have emailed with more questions about how comedians handle hecklers in comedy clubs. The answer: they handle the problem in varying ways, often with extremely adult language.
But they don’t usually do it as Michael Richards did — by launching into a tirade aimed at a racial group. They handle it with varying degrees of humor, to try and “win back” the audience and regain control.
Another issue is Richards’ anger. But if you’ve been to comedy clubs and do a bit of research on You Tube you realize: he is NOT alone in either “losing it” on stage, seemingly losing it or answering a heckler with unfettered rage.
Comedy clubs ain’t beanbag. They’re a no-holds-barred show business arena with no safety net for the person onstage. XXX language isn’t unusual and there are some audience members who like that kind of entertainment. Rage-filled rants aren’t new. Others comics at the mikes have raged…and survived. Most notable: rants that were at times shockingly sexist have largely been given a pass.
NONE OF THIS excuses Richards (see our previous posts chain-linked below). But it does put this into a context: he did what some others have done with different subject matter and did it in the same style — but he failed and went over a vital line.
Here are some examples — but first a WARNING: There is some VERY ADULT LANGUAGE in some of them so we are just giving you the links — and you can decide to view them or not.
These are NOT OFFICE-FRIENDLY LINKS so if you’re at work we do NOT advise you to watch them now. And they are not for kids. These are linked off of You Tube and not the restricted videos (anyone can view them).
Jamie Kennedy and a woman heckler (SOME ADULT LANGUAGE)
Hecklers also pop up in politics. Bill Clinton handling a heckler:
A comedienne handling a heckler with more comedy than rage. Click HERE. Adult language.
Closest to Richards’ rant: The late Bill Hicks (who many comedians consider a genius and who retains a sizeable following among comics and comedy club fans) DOES go “nuts” and rage even MORE than Richards in several You Tubes. EXTRA STRONG WARNING: He uses intense, extremely adult language. But if you wish to view these bits (that are also mentioned in the Wikipedia link above under Hicks’ name) click here and here.
There’s a useful purpose in watching the Hicks videos. Stylistically, they’re are not much more different from what Richard did and you have to wonder if Richards was emulating Hicks with his rage and it was an experiment that failed (but Richards has said in his apology that he lost it).
If you view these (and research others) you’ll see that a comedian responding angrily to a heckler isn’t really new. And in comedy clubs, rage sometimes does replace setup/punchline or big laugh bits.
Richards just crossed a no-cross line in a business where similar, sometimes shocking name-calling SEXIST rants have been traditionally given a pass and the comics retained their fan base.
This isn’t excusing Richards one iota. It’s giving you a more accurate context in which his unfortunate remarks surfaced.
The context is:
Race = taboo. Sexism = still cool.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.