YOU CAN'T JOKE ABOUT THAT

A libertarian TV personality defends comedy against a wide array of charges.

“When someone says ‘You can't joke about that,’ what they really mean is ‘this is a subject that makes people sad or angry,’ ” writes Timpf at the beginning. In the "sad" category are the deaths of close relatives and pets. In the "angry" column are racism, sexism, transphobia, body positivity, and the like. "Candor and comedy really do connect us as humans," writes the author. It’s a good point, but it’s difficult to ignore the politicized backdrop of the author's commentary, featuring repeated references to her essays for the National Review and position with Fox News. Some of Timpf’s arguments are marred by logical fallacies. For example, a woman asked her how her mother felt about her grandmother's death. Sadly, Timpf's mother had also recently died, and she felt awkward saying so. If you don't understand why, she recommends, “the next time you’re at a party, just try breaking a small-talk silence with the question ‘So, who here do you think is gonna die first?’ ” The other person will likely "get weird," as she claims, but this does not prove the point that there is a widely enforced social stricture against talking about death. Elsewhere, the author makes solid, well-researched points in defense of freedom of speech. For example, in an amply documented chapter about the removal of problematic past episodes of TV shows from streaming services, she writes, "Although some people may see erasing what’s become unacceptable as a sign of progress, signs of progress are exactly what you are erasing." Timpf recounts plenty of dust-ups and scandals involving comedians including Chris Rock, Norm MacDonald, Dave Chappelle, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and more. "Comedy is my religion," she writes, but the relentless politicization of comedy makes this a less powerful call for unity than it might be.

Those in the choir will enjoy the preaching; others may still find a few notes that resonate.