Episode 63: Can Comedy Change the World?

In today’s strange climate of political correctness, free speech exists in a weird place. Safe spaces, First Amendment zones, the attitude of victimization, and accusations that “your fav is problematic” abound. And yet, important things, challenging things, dangerous things still need to be said and are being said. One critical “loophole” for dodging the would-be censors to get these ideas out into the world is comedy. Comedians live in a peculiar kind of in-between that allows for a certain audacity in messaging that doesn’t quite exist for, say, politicians or activists. Special guest Lou Perez from We The Internet joins James and Antony to talk about messaging, humor, and more on this week’s episode of Words and Numbers.

 

Quick hits

More registered voters than citizens

https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/08/election-fraud-registered-voters-outnumber-eligible-voters-462-counties/

UK bans straws

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-chogm-plastic/britain-to-ban-sale-of-plastic-straws-in-bid-to-fight-waste-idUSKBN1HP338

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/16/scientists-accidentally-create-mutant-enzyme-that-eats-plastic-bottles

Toastabag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2KxiFL8XsA

Foolishness of the week New Yorker complains about Chik-fil-A

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-gastronomy/chick-fil-as-creepy-infiltration-of-new-york-city

Topic of the week: Free Speech with Lou Perez

http://www.louperez.net/

https://twitter.com/LOUontheSUBWAY