12 Responses

1. theatlasboy says:

   September 20, 2007 at 11:31 pm

   So your message here is — let me see if I’ve got this straight — “if audiences don’t want to see bigotry being spewed under the guise of comedy, they should stay home”? Because it strikes me that this policy is going to leave kind of a lot of people at home. Is that fair to them? Moreover, is it fair to comics who <>don’t<> exploit hatred for allegedly-comic effect, then have to worry about getting billed alongside these racist/sexist/homophobic idiots, or losing potential audience members who don’t want to be subjected to that kind of bullshit? Speaking as a comic, and also as an audience member who doesn’t want to be subjected to that kind of bullshit, I for one have no feelings of solidarity toward any of these guys. They’ve driven me away from a number of clubs (in an audience capacity), so it’s a fairly safe assumption they’re also driving away people like me, which means they’re cutting into my career, which means they’re the enemy. Why should I be anything but happy to see them get what they deserve?I really don’t get your point here — it seems to me that you’re defending the people who are causing offense, at the expense not only of the direct victims (the people who have to sit through their bigotry) but of the majority of comics — comics who aren’t promoting intolerance but are losing potential audience members because other comics are.You can’t have it both ways — if you’re going to criticize the media for characterizing stand-up as a small, mean, dirty business, then you <>have<> to criticize the factions of comics who are working so tirelessly to make it smaller, and meaner, and dirtier. Because as long as those comics are out there, and as long as we’re not doing anything to distance ourselves and/or comedy as a whole from them, there’s a good chance the media is just calling them like they see them.

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2. Fatguy says:

   September 21, 2007 at 10:28 pm

   I’m offended by theatlasboy’s use of the word “bullshit” and demand that you publicly apologize for giving him venue to use it. I’ll give youuuuu, say 2 days to do it, or I’ll ban your site, write another site calling for people to express their negative views about your site. I’ll also consult with an attorney to see if I can sue you. I am, after all, very offended!atlasboy,Please leave your real name, myspace link, as well as any link promoting your shows and tour calendar. I’m going to speak with several coalitions about a wide spread ban on your act. I’ll also be starting a newsletter to be sent out to alert good honest religious citizens (such as myself) on which comics to ban. And yours, for your usage of such filthy language, will be at the top of the list! I will organize and protest until you’re out of the comedy business! P.S. FUCK YOU!

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3. theatlasboy says:

   September 23, 2007 at 1:08 am

   So, just to get this straight — you don’t intend to address my comments at all? You don’t intend to explain why we as comics should condone — much less support — the actions of people who are using the name of our profession to spread bigotry and intolerance, and are in the process doing harm to the credibility of comedy as a whole? You’re not going to acknowledge the tangible consequences of these idiots’ actions on the likelihood of future comedy shows at this college and other institutions? You’re just going to make an irrelevant personal attack? Just making sure that’s the deal here…

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4. Fatguy says:

   September 24, 2007 at 4:28 am

   So, just to get this straight — you don’t intend to address my comments at all? You don’t intend to explain why we as comics should condone — much less support — the actions of people who are using the name of our profession to spread bigotry and intolerance, and are in the process doing harm to the credibility of comedy as a whole? You’re not going to acknowledge the tangible consequences of these idiots’ actions on the likelihood of future comedy shows at this college and other institutions? You’re just going to make an irrelevant personal attack? Just making sure that’s the deal here…Firstly, we live in America (it’s still defined as the land of the free, isn’t it?) Secondly, you can’t please everyone, and you shouldn’t try. If you’re easily offended, you should check out the person’s act, and what others that think like you feel about him/her BEFORE going to a show. Secondly, the institution should define the rules, not the audience. Thirdly, a discussion of race and stereotypes is NOT NOT NOT racism, prejudice, or bigotry. Carlin’s used the N-word in his act, and most found it inoffensive. You can make the same statement about hundreds of comics. Use of that word, or others doesn’t make the statements automatically offensive (doesn’t make them automatically funny, either). The author of the article, and (according to her) most of the audience didn’t find it offensive. Where is the line drawn? Are you aware of the dangers involved when a line is drawn?Should you not discuss religion, for fear of offending someone? Politics? Should we all get together and have a CD/DVD burning of any and all comics that use “that word?” Cheese and rice!

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5. jeremy says:

   September 29, 2007 at 5:32 am

   I have actually seen Bill’s show and must say that he has a rather self-deprecating sense of humor. Further, if he’s making fun of anyone it is white people and their rather monochromatic way of looking at things.It can be very hard to craft a joke that is neither dirty nor offensive, that’s probably why Seinfeld did so well. However, that doesn’t mean that Richard Pryor isn’t funny. It also doesn’t mean that Eddie Murphy is as funny as he was twenty years ago.

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6. wendy says:

   September 29, 2007 at 5:37 am

   I could see the points of the people on here stating that hatred is being spewed, if in fact the way Bill leads his life showed hatred and bigotry, but in fact that is not the case. This is comedy and he probably said funny things, because he can sometimes be a funny guy, and has always been in my very limited one on one dealings with him down to earth and kind.

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7. bill says:

   September 29, 2007 at 8:28 am

   hilarious.hey atlasboy, i love how competely ignorant your statements are. i think it might behoove you to actually WATCH someone’s act before you condemn them as a “racist,” a “bigot,” an “idiot,” and a “homophobe.” You weren’t at the show (where I killed), you have never seen me perform, and you didn’t even read the full article, which was actually a pretty positive review of my act.There’s a word for people like you who make grand, sweeping vituperative declarations on people based on utter ignorance: Republican. Bigots are people who base their judgments on a generalized anger and a complete lack of knowledge.Are you such a spineless lemming that you hear a phrase and right away you jump at the chance to express your flaccid and unfounded opinion? You are a comedy chihuahua — annoying and irrelevant.My name is Bill Dawes and my number is 917 239 0248. Call me. Do a show with me. If I don’t wipe the floor with you, I’ll donate 1000 dollars to whatever Rush Limbaugh, NRA, or NAMBLA organization you support.Money, meet mouth? Although I know people like you; bullies and chickens, armchair warriors who live and die unnoticed. I’ll be waiting.

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8. Vic says:

   September 29, 2007 at 3:18 pm

   Oy.I’ve seen Bill live. He’s hilarious. I took some friends to the show that are much more conservtive than I… they laughed their collective asses off. Fact is, comedy in its creation and delivery requires much more intelligence and insight then the simple minds of those being “offended” can muster to understand it. It’s a critique of underlying bias, sterotype, or genral “hoidy-toidyness,” not an endorsement of it.Funny how those most offended are always the least likely to have a clue. You don’t “get it” because you are a moron.

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9. IRISHNBRITISH says:

   September 29, 2007 at 4:35 pm

   Firstly, BILL AND JAMIE ARE FUNNY.Secondly, you say you are ‘sitting at home worrying about being booked with these guys.’ Does this mean you are waiting to be booked? Sounds like the green eyed monster to me? Surely, if you are going to take the time to write this amount of text, you could have used this platform to showcase some of your alleged superior comedic ability. I don’t see any. Hmmm, then again, I have to admit, you were actually really funny (but maybe this wasn’t what you intended). You also suggest Bill and Jamie types have ‘driven you away’ from a number of comedy clubs? I’d dare bet these guys were wearing white coats at the time and I can definitely see they took you along the quickest route possible to your destination… you know… straight through offence, along a sense of humour bypass. Perhaps when you commented: “I really don’t get your point here…” you really should have just left it there… it summed things up perfectly.

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10. IRISHNBRITISH says:

    September 29, 2007 at 4:48 pm

    [I’ll try once more]Firstly, BILL AND JAMIE ARE FUNNY.Secondly, you say you are ‘sitting at home worrying about being booked with these guys.’ Does this mean you are waiting to be booked? Is that a green eyed monster I see? Surely, if you are going to take the time to write this amount of text, you could have used this platform to showcase some of your alleged superior comedic ability. I don’t see any. Hmmm, then again, I have to admit, you were actually really funny (but maybe this wasn’t what you intended). You also suggest Bill and Jamie types have ‘driven you away’ from a number of comedy clubs? I’d dare bet these guys were wearing white coats at the time and I can definitely see they took you along the quickest route possible to your destination – you know – straight through offence, along a sense of humour bypass. Perhaps when you commented: “I really don’t get your point here…” you really should have just left it there. It summed things up perfectly.

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11. Cherie J says:

    October 4, 2007 at 6:15 pm

    Bill, not all conservative people are a holes like Atlas boy. I am a firm believer in freedom of expression, especially through comedic means. It has been used as a tool for making serious issues more palatable since the Ancients. Atlasboy, you should know better. Mean business? What business isn’t? I worked in comedy clubs and I have have yet to meet a “mean” comic. (egotistical, short,drunk, coked up,oversexed, maybe but not mean). I don’t know who this person thinks he is fooling, he has as much sense of humor as an impacted colon.

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12. theatlasboy says:

    August 23, 2008 at 10:31 pm

    Oh, pardon me. I figured that since the article described your comedy as racist and sexist, and you were associating with that racist and sexist hack Jamie Kennedy, you were probably a racist, or at least a sexist. If you’re not, I apologize. In the future, if your act is in danger of being misinterpreted as an expression of bigotry, you should probably try to avoid people like Kennedy.

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