How Far is too Far?

  27-3-13

I recently finished working on a show that was a satire. Satires push the envelope and bring up issues that often can be seen as taboo or against the grain. I've been sifting through audience comment cards/emails over the past few days. Some of the comments were very kind and helpful but others seem to mainly focus on our handling of one issue in the production. We had created the show to push buttons, but people were accusing us of going too far, particularily in the language department. Is there such a thing as too far in comedy? How far is too far?

I was reading an article on comedy where they were discussing making jokes too soon. Apparently, the acceptable length of time to make a joke after a disaster or tragic event is 7 years. (So, feel free to pull out those 9-11 jokes you've been saving...) On American TV you can show the flesh of the breast but not the nipple. You can say "ass" and you can say "hole" but you can't say "asshole" without getting bleeped. The line seems very blurry today as to what is and what isn't acceptable in comedy. And in I've noticed in HK comedy seems to be much more conservative than in other countries.

What are your opinions on this HKELD audience? Are there any topics you consider still off limits?

 


Related articles:

taboo, comedy

Comments

  • alexandra
    28 March 2013

    I think three subjects will always be taboo: religion, race, and sex.

  • michael
    28 March 2013

    There's no such thing as too far. If everyone liked what you do then you've made a big mistake as a performer. Nothing worse than vanilla. Push the envelope and touch the taboo, this is what an artist's job is.

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