Interview · moment 10 of 22
The Robin Tran Joke and Comedy's Gerrymandering Problem
from Heroism is a Solitary Thing · #85
Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.
3 minGuest
Tim continues the comedy-purity rant with his heaven joke about trans comic Robin Tran, a story about a comic roasting a disabled audience member in Brooklyn, and his theory that power-hungry people are trying to gerrymander comedy standards.
- 23:37Tim on being treated with kid gloves by comedians—it makes him feel more separate, not included.
- 23:56A comedian in Brooklyn roasted a handicapped audience member with a Tinder joke, then defended it by saying if she wanted different treatment she wouldn't have come to the show.
- 24:30Tim loves Roast Battle because many unfunny people have invaded comedy for power rather than to entertain.
- 24:49Certain comedians want to police comedy and gerrymander the business to make it work for their values and lower what's considered funny.
- 25:27Roast Battle fights back against the idea that comedy is precious by letting great comics do it in a way audiences love.
- 25:48Comedy reviewers write about specials as if they're analyzing political speeches, but it's just a joke, not an official indictment.