S Bad times are good times for gallows humor. Still, no one really feels like laughing. Everyone is very sensitive right now. That is understandable. But also very sad – because for almost 20 years one thing has been a lot of fun and said so much about the development of society and the new self-confidence in marginalized communities: their humor.
In mainstream comedy were women who presented observational and socially critical humor were finally successful – instead of making jokes about themselves and their bodies. Black humor has changed in a special way: “Germany black and white” by Noa Sow was published in 2008. The popularity of the book has classic punchlines and running gags from the activist black communitywhich were created at spoken word and poetry evenings, made known to a wider audience.
Back then, people were mainly making fun of the white majority society. About colonizers who have sailed around the world to get spices and still can’t add anything to their food other than salt, pepper and a pinch of paprika. About white people who can’t dance or can’t pronounce the simplest names unless they’re Mayer, Meyer or Mayr.
This change of perspective was empowering. But the humor was not yet empowered. He only became more political and caustic over the years. This clearly proved that you can make wonderful jokes about racism without making racist jokes. And by 2020 at the latest with Black Lives Matter as a tool for dealing with structural racism and racist police violence.
This is how something came about that I call “empowered humor”: because humor is not only a topic of the white majority society, but also of white gaze had freed. The self-confidence of black people and other PoC in Germany was so great that people could make jokes about themselves. Observational comedy about phenomena and stereotypes within communities. With a view that only insiders can have and sometimes only insiders understand.
Hit the shit
The next step – I’m particularly excited about this – is a “crossover humor” of marginalized people. This special humor that arises when queer comedy meets the humor of disabled people and combines with the humor of PoC. I really hope we can make room for that. Because with the right-wing culture war and the threat from right-wing extremists, the prerequisites for this are disappearing. Theaters, television channels and newspapers are giving less and less space to the voices of minorities.
The hatred of social media is so great that many people are withdrawing. Above all, self-confidence decreases. It becomes increasingly difficult to laugh at yourself when that very self is threatened. And it’s harder to make a joke when you know the people around you just feel like crying.
This column has also become gentler and more explanatory. Because I too would like people to treat me more gently. At the same time, I would also be much more interested in kicking the crap here. Because I can deal with so much that is happening better with a rude saying or cynical joke.