The comedy world is officially being flipped on its head, and social media is absolutely buzzing. A powerhouse lineup of the industry’s biggest stars recently opened up about how the scene is rapidly changing, and their unfiltered takes on cancel culture, Hollywood gatekeepers, and mental health are going viral.
During a series of candid conversations ahead of the star-studded Netflix Is a Joke Festival, fan favorites like Nicole Byer, Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams, Seth Rogen, Hannah Gadsby, and Joel Kim Booster came together to reveal the new, unwritten rules of comedy.
From Instagram to TikTok, fans cannot stop talking about the refreshing honesty, especially when it comes to the highly debated topic of getting “canceled” in the modern age.
The Truth About Cancel Culture
While many stars claim that cancel culture is ruining entertainment, “Why Won’t You Date Me?” podcast host Nicole Byer completely shut down the narrative, causing a massive wave of support across X (formerly Twitter).
“Nobody’s actually getting canceled,” Byer confidently stated. “Do you have a point of view, or are you just saying something for shock value? ‘I can’t talk about X, Y, Z,’ just makes you sound like an old-timey idiot. Learn how to adapt with the culture. Just be smarter, move forward, rewrite the joke. Nothing is off-limits in comedy that’s authentic, true and actually funny.”
The iconic Ms. Pat, star of “The Ms. Pat Show” and “Ms. Pat Settles It,” echoed that exact sentiment with her signature fierce wit.
“You can do anything as long as you do it with grace and taste,” Ms. Pat shared. “It’s comedy. If you can’t laugh, go watch a soap opera. I tell people all the time I’m not going to edit myself. I haven’t had that problem. And if I did have that problem, I don’t know I had that problem. So no, I’m not worried about cancel culture. I’m too old to be canceled.”
Ditching Hollywood and Embracing Social Media
Another major viral talking point is how top-tier comics are completely bypassing Hollywood executives to build their empires directly with fans online.
Instead of waiting for a network executive to greenlight a project, stars are using podcasts and social media clips to sell out massive venues. According to industry experts, comedians like Kountry Wayne are treating social media like a full-time job, dropping up to sketches a day to connect with audiences.
Even beloved veterans are finally jumping on the trend. Millennial comic Mae Martin recently launched the hit podcast “Handsome” alongside Tig Notaro and Fortune Feimster, admitting they have the time of their life doing it.
“People have a pretty sensitive bullshit meter these days, and they’re attuned to anything that feels unoriginal,” Martin noted. “Maybe it just goes along with sharing their lives more online, but they respond when they can feel people are being honest.”
Prioritizing Mental Health in a Harsh Digital World
With the rise of internet fame comes the dark side of constant online criticism, a topic that sparked an emotional conversation among the stars. Joel Kim Booster candidly explained that humans simply are not built to absorb the endless feedback available on social media.
“If you take it out of context, it changes, and you lose control of it,” Booster warned. “As a stand-up, you should be concerned about the people in the room laughing or not laughing. Anything beyond that should be immaterial.”
To combat the intense pressures of the industry, comedy entrepreneur Katie Cazorla is making waves in Hollywood by launching the Kookaburra Comedy Lounge. Built specifically to support performers, the venue offers unique perks like production resources and free or discounted access to therapists.
Ultimately, megastar Seth Rogen summarized the true spirit of the shifting comedy landscape best. Hosting his upcoming variety show “Seth Rogen Smokes the Bowl” at the Hollywood Bowl, the multi-talented star reminded everyone that at the end of the day, authenticity wins.
“To me there is only one rule of comedy, and that is that it is funny,” Rogen said. “That rule encapsulates many things, but that is the job of the comedian: to make things that they find funny, as funny to as many people as they’re trying to reach.”
