How Comedy Got Depressed
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Why does it seem like more and more comedians are depressed?
If you or someone you know may be struggling with mental health issues, check out the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
1-800-273-8255
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Mental health doesn't immediately come to mind as the funniest thing in the world. So why are the funniest comedians today the ones who are open about their depression, anxiety, and every other mental health issue in between? Let's find out in this Wisecrack Edition on How Comedy Got Depressed.
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=== Watch More Episodes! ===
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Written by: Myles McDonough
Hosted by: Greg Edwards
Directed by: Michael Luxemburg
Video Title Card Design: Amanda Murphy
Motion Graphics by: Dean Bottino
Editing: Henry Camacho
Produced by: Evan Yee
#comedy #comedians
© 2020 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc.
idk sometimes getting constantly fed relatable depression memes kinda bums me out more after a while. Seeing how many people who are liking them because they relate to the same kind of sh*tty suffering, really makes me despair about the state of the world and the future generation. I get that it's a coping mechanism and makes people feel less alone in their struggles, raises awareness etc. But joking about it to the point where it's considered normal to stay in bed all day every day, ruminate negative thoughts, have low self worth & toxic behaviours; just trivialises debilitating illnesses, which is damaging af in the log run. This sh*t is unhealthy and shouldn't just be seen as self depreciating humour. People should really seek out help/support if it's accessible to them and not just get stuck in this negative echo chamber of sadness, thinking it's edgy humour and normal. Call me an "oversensitive kill joy" but I'm depressed so I kinda am lol
I disagree with this philosophy. Comedy doesn't need to be constructive to be worthwhile.
I mean, they're not allowed to talk about anything else, or 'certain groups' will come after them. So, they change the topic to something that's still relatable, won't get them fired, and, admittedly, really is a problem in modern society.
I've often considered the new mental health struggles and depressing situations in the comedy zeitgeist as an aspect of relatability and normalization (after 200,00 years mental illness genes gotta be in the majority of people, right?). But, I never really thought about it from the perfomers' pov and how self destruct their sets could potentially be (and after Robin Williams, you would think I would, right?). I remain at a cross roads between the ability to maybe shrug off and laugh off an experience or story, (bc, Hey! Everyone has been through struggles like awkward situations, low points, poorly handled interactions, occasionally illegal situations, etc., right? (And it's known that sometime people laugh out of awkwardness...)) and the possibility of not addressing a problem or situation that is really troubling you. There is a difference between telling a story after you've moved on and trying to play something that's hurt you as a joke. But when it is your job to just get laughs, it, unfortunately, doesn't really matter how you, personally, feel.
Another important note is that comedy helps society talk about taboo subjects. A decade ago suicide, depression, anxiety and mental health were dirty words that we refused to acknowledge. Now we are discussing if comedy is a healthy way to deal with mental health or if their are better ways to solve these problems. I have no doubt in my mind that comedians lead the charge on getting mental health out of taboo and into the limelight of a major health concern for society.
It's great that we're openly talking about this, destigmatizing this is wonderful & I gotta figure talking about it helps the speaker a little bit but it's no alternative to therapy
Shit....I absolutely wish there was a fajita chlone
Today I learned I actually owe all the credit for Big Comfy Couch to Gallagher 😂
We were just talking about this! Trying to find a good comedy now-a-days is like trying to find a clean pig in a mud puddle.
To quote The Joker: "I always thought my life was a tragedy but, I learned it's a comedy."
that nietzsche interpretation is absurd and easily disproven by his writing.
The episode where Frank, Charlie and Mac play a prank on Sweet D making her believe she is so funny and great because her stand up was all about depression, now that shit was funny.
Greg!
The ridge wallet is the best. I love a wallet easy to lose and small enough to fall out of my pocket
If this is the closest we’re going to get to having thug notes back I will take this because frankly, Greg, you have been missed. I really hope this means you’re coming back.
Oh his voice!
*laughs in military dark humor
19th century Germans were not well known for their comedy. Actually German comedy is a good source for comedy.
1:38 Speaking of Mitch Hedberg, I wonder if he would still be with us today if he had been more willing (and encouraged) to confront his own obvious personal struggles.
"philosophers as diverse as 3 dead white guys"
Don’t be afraid of depressed comedy, dark humor is a cathartic way to let out our anger without hurting anyone.
My dad said that this guy sounds like the actor who plays Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy, and I gotta say he was pretty spot on XD
Seems pretty gay to me.
Same things that make us laugh, make us cry
Ms pat is literal example of Nietzschian transformation, plus she's hilarious af.
Comedy comes from a place of great pain. This is and has been known for years.
Thank you for your detailed sourcing and citing - entertaining and informative:-)
Would recommend “The Darkness” by Contrapoints. She covers this topic very well.
I think the greatest part of comics talking openly about their own mental-health issues is it's easier to get help for it, if you can ID with someone who's out in public about it. It's NOT easy, just easier. It also keeps mental-health issues from living completely in the closet.
Dr. Sparky Sweets took an alias and new identity. Want to know the lore of that.
what white person directed you to sound like Bleeding Gums or is that how you really talk?
Dave Chappelle is clearly responding to Nietzsche's challenge 💜
why does he speak asymetrically?
I miss thug notes
Could you do one about gen Z and their humour? Perhaps I'm too depressed but I genuinely don't understand it, and I'm curious to know how it would be defined.
Potently screamed delivery. Whenever I was failing to be convinced the extra phonetic harmonics and resonance would bounced me straight into accepting obidience.
The death of comedy.
comedies does not make you a better person, it's you made yourself a better person
Most of these people aren’t very funny. I guess mental illness can be considered a trend in comedy but you’re wrong if you think it’s the future of comedy. Nothing will ever take the place of actually funny people who write good jokes that aren’t just based on how depressed they are. Basically none of these comedians will ever be considered great unless they branch out with their material. That’s why Dmitri Martin isn’t around anymore
Greg!!! Missed you dude!!!
Why is everybody depressed nowadays?
I almost screamed when i saw Bert Kreisher
Thanks this video really spoke to me. As someone who's suffered from anxiety and depression, Ive always had trouble relating to other people.
Fighting what ills us and what WILL ills us more is very hard and damaging. Laughter should be used to alleviate the way but never to undo it. So have a few giggles here and there but do not forget to man the Guillotine. Those heads aint cutting themselves, yo
......good video. But: only, like, 5 frames of hannah gadsby? Mhmmh
I think there is a lot of people who use trauma as fuel. I think what matters is what kind of engine you put it in.
Good video Time to go kill myself now lol
welcome back greg. missed ya
GREGG is my favorite Wisecrak host, I used to have so much fun with thug notes. I hope see him more around..
Hm, I feel like it's just *american* comedy catching up to the British style of self-deprecating, oft macabre humor due to so many people struggling with anxiety, depression and the consistent stream of negative news all the time. It also felt like American comedy used to make fun of others, while British stand up would make fun of oneself.
Instead of pinning the blame of unchecked mental health issues on how some people do comedy.... what if instead we were to ask "hey, why can't we just have people get the help they need?" You know, without the excessive expense and other hoops? Also, what if we dealt with the underlying systemic societal problems that have lead to what seems to be a massive increase on mental health issues in our modern times? But yeah, maybe you're right, and comedians aren't doing jokes right. That's the problem. Sure. I mean, comedy is a reflection of The Now, and so obviously there's going to be a huge amount of comedians who focus on the things that occupy the majority of their thoughts. Sort of the canary in the coalmine.
What interests me is that the guy in the cubicle isn't being a dick, he's sick. Okay. There's still a social contract and it still has to be paramount. Take a rowing team, for instance, as an analogy for the sort of cooperative behaviors we rely on for a society (or even small tribe) to function. If Rower B isn't pulling their weight, then it doesn't really *matter* why. You aren't reaching your destination, or Rower A, C and D are having to work harder than they would have otherwise. Meanwhile, Rowers A, C and D (that just put in the extra effort to carry Rower B) may be sick too, or hurt or scared or anxious or whatever... because they're people and life is hard. Furthermore, the other rowers can't force Rower B to see or treat the real cause of their sickness... (Rower team HR won't allow signs of mental health to be asked about at all), they're not trained for dealing with mental illness and only the most emotionally altruistic have the energy to care in the first place. So, get your shit together Rower B, I don't know what else to tell you. I suppose the real issue is that societies can get by without 100% rower participation, so they do. If we still existed in small tribes and our primo hunter was stricken with illness, it'd be in our best interests to do everything we can to carry/heal/help him/her because without them we might starve come winter. Mental illness would've been pretty unlikely with our hunter, though, since their value as a person would've been concrete and obvious to them and everyone else. They control a lever that does something quantifiable. These days, not everyone can tell what their lever is attached to, if it's attached to anything at all.
Hahaha
this man is talking softly and yelling at the same time.
watching it again just for ur voice
One could argue that Gallagher himself is a form of depression.
DUDE i love ur voice!!!
Greg!!!!!
Greg's voice cures eases my anxiety😌 please voice some audio books please🙏
In a way .. to rely on depression as your comedic bits = you have to stay depressed and get more depressed to find new material.. and i think thats the problem with new comedy.. and why , it isnt' funny.. there really are no 'greats recently.. there is no creativity.. just like how the female comedy always has to talk about her period.. its boring, and predictable. And it doesn't bring any new perspective.. i hate complain standup that has no goal.. but the comics that really commentated of society and satirical, it brings a new viewpoint .
New age comedy sucks. I dont think i can watch any new stand up these days..
It feels like comedy has become more narcissistic to be honest. And mental health depression has become the 'cool thing'.. vs comedy and mental health as coping mechanism and to uplift people while showing the humour in something so depressing.. tbh, i think humour recently is dying.. its not funny. It's meaningless.. and its just narcasssism.
Sarah Silverman is not even funny
OMGGGGG THUG NOTES!!!! Omg I mist that voice
Thank you wisecrack this video was really a helpful video.
Bonus points from the german audience for your correct pronounciation of Kant!
escapism has functional applications as well. it is not catagorically bad. Besides, you can escape into anything from substance abuse, working, television all the way into anorexia. Simply stating something is an escape is not a statement that holds information. Anything can be an escape. Consider this, what if this so called help one should seek, does not exist. Even in my country where mental healthcare is covered by insurance, mostly, the healthcare providers have financial incentives to only except patients whose problems are relatively simple. As soon as you have multiple diagnosis that have treatments that are contra-indicated by one of your other diagnosis, you get turned away everywhere. Or even just because your case is too complex. As soon as it is financially unattractive to let you in, you are screwed. Healthcare is a buyers market, there will always be plenty of people in need of care, supply and demand dictates that for maximum profit, many need to not be able to get help. You know, kind of like employment. I think saying people need to "get help" is ablist. You don't "get help" you acquire it, either because you qualify or because you have the resources to pay for it yourself. Resources that can cover like 200 bucks an hour btw. Kind of hard if you are not mentally healthy enough to function. So then, if we can't get help, what's left? We cope. We get through the day somehow and try to do the next thing again the next day. Often that requires the ability to occasionally escape the hell of our own minds. I don't know if comedy is better or worse then substance abuse, or if its better or worse then gaming or being a workaholic or playing fantasy roleplaying games or getting into kinky things or overeating or not eating at all. It kind of depends on the person which forms of escapism help them lead their best lives. Just remember that addiction is a symptom, not the disease.
Good golly, Greg has a great voice!
Hannah Gadsby!!! I can't believe the video did not mention her. Nannette was so popular and critically acclaimed for letting go of self-deprecative humor and needing to comfort the audience towards telling the reality of trauma and healing. I was further surprised not seeing a comment on Hannah, so here it is...
Ever heard of Doug Stanhope?hahha that's his entire bit.
Me: Huh, Pete Davidson, John Mulaney, Bo Burnham, Bill Hader, Patton Oswald. Funny how these are all comedians I love and relate to... Wonder why that is
Greg!!! It's always great to hear from you. I miss your thug notes SO MUCH!
"Killing yourself is alright, just don't curse." - NLworld censorship logic in a video about depression.
The researchers needs to look up Daniel Sloss, cause his comedy is so dark you have to laugh.
Great video
The belt fitting around his neck joke was about auto-erotic asphyxiation not suicide although it can easily turn into suicide.
I like Dark comedy stories. Mental health is NOT funny.
Gallagher. Was. Not. Funny. Great video though!
I'm having a really hard time trying to find fun on these comedians just get a psychiatrist damn it
Anyone else thinks my man sound like the Rollback version of Hannibal Buress?
there's a joke around here somewhere about them being sponsored for wallets with a money clip
you know whats funny is though out this whole video i didn't see Christopher Titus. He's a great comedian that fits in this category of comedy
I have been diagnosed with genital herpes 8 months ago, I was lonely and sad I wanted to be healed and did all I could but I was not healed but luckily a friend of mine directed me to this great Dr. Clement on NLworld who helped me and my health have been completely restored from Herpes Virus Contact Dr Clement with this number+2348055494910 or Email: drclementcurehome.01@gmail.com mobile.facebook.com/Dr-Clement-112512500534533/?ref_component=mbasic_bookmark&ref_page=XMenuController&ref=opera_speed_dial
But doctor, I am Pagliacci.
The comedian at 8:42 is an Indian comic called Daniel Fernandez if anyone wants to check out his special its available on his NLworld channel. He is pretty funny.
People who can't joke about anxiety and depression. Or laugh at jokes about anxiety and depression. Have never had anxiety and depression.
are u idiot??
🙌❤🙌❤🙌❤
Shooo, you guys provided a resource to help those in need both in the video & description ? I tip my hat to you fine individuals.
Laughter is often the best medicine. Then, one day, you stop laughing. It shouldn't ever replace therapy.
I once saw a cripple guy without the bottom half of his legs roll off of the bus as it was lifting him up, and when I saw the commotion and looked up to see his leg nubs kicking in the air, I started laughing hysterically. everyone on the bus was furious at me, but I realized right when I saw that, that Iwaould probably never see it again. fucking incongruity lol
we all need connection and authenticity. and comedy is such great place for that! i'm always in awe of those who are brave enough to do it!
That Bob Hope joke had me WEEEEAK😂
I love Greg. SparkySweets Phd has always had my back.
Man, I miss George Carlin.
10:35 Who is this ravishing beauty? 😍
B
Hatred, fear, and hysteria ruining society and our fun. Who ever is pushing it, tell them to talk to the hand. Uh, like this ✋ , not 👊that, to clarify.
Bo!
cause capitalism
All this talk about using comedy to confront trauma and mental illness and not one name for the groundbreaking Chris Titus!