George Carlin Didn’t Like Comedians Punching Down

November 30, 2021 – Comedians are finding themselves the targets of increasing criticism for their material, but this isn’t an entirely new topic. In a 1990 interview with Larry King, comedic icon George Carlin addressed such controversies while taking at aim at comedians who targeted underdogs. In the CNN interview, Carlin specifically took on the work of Andrew Dice Clay who was at the height of his popularity:

“I would defend to the death his right to do everything he does. The thing that I find unusual, and it’s, you know, not a criticism so much, but his targets are underdog[s]. And comedy traditionally has picked on people in power, people who abuse their power. Women and gays and immigrants are kind of, to my way of thinking, underdog[s]. And, you know, he ought to be careful, because he’s Jewish. And a lot of people who want to pick on these kind of groups, the Jews are on that list. A little further you’ve got women, gays, gypsies and boom, boom, boom, and suddenly you find the Jews.”

When King asked Carlin about Clay’s appeal:

“I think his core audience are young, white males who are threatened by these groups. I think a lot of these guys aren’t sure of their manhood, because that’s a problem when you’re going through adolescence. You know, ‘Am I really, could I be, I hope I’m not one of them.’ And the women who assert themselves and are competent are a threat to these men, and so are immigrants in terms of jobs.”

Watch the clip here: