Factually! with Adam Conover

Comedy Censorship Used to be WORSE with Kliph Nesteroff

Jan 24, 2024

Kliph Nesteroff, a historian of comedy, explores the history of censorship in comedy and debunks the notion of audiences being "too sensitive". They discuss the evolution of comedy censorship, modern taboos, cancel culture, and the distorted narrative of free speech on college campuses. They also touch on legal consequences faced by comedians and the impact of technology on our perception of world events.

01:08:18

Episode guests

Kliph Nesteroff

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

American society is more permissive about speech than in the past, debunking the claim that censorship is on the rise.

Conservative groups intentionally incite protests on college campuses to portray them as anti-free speech and further their own agenda.

Censorship exists today but is not as extreme as in the past, with contemporary taboos mainly focusing on offensive language and remarks.

Deep dives

The myth of limiting speech

There is a tiresome trend in which comics complain about being silenced and censored during their specials, but the reality is that American society is far more permissive about all types of speech than it was just a few decades ago. The idea that American culture is more censorious is actually propaganda being pushed out by the same forces that were censoring speech in the past.

Introduction

2min

Comedy Historian Cliff Nesteroff and the Evolution of Censorship in Comedy

8min

Taboos and Censorship in Comedy

6min

The Evolution of Comedy Censorship

22min

Healthy Eating with Green Chef

7min

The Irony of Free Speech on College Campuses

12min

Comedy Censorship: Historical Context and Modern Taboos

12min

Addressing Objections and Misconceptions

3min

For as long as there's been comedy, there have been people lamenting that "you can't do comedy anymore". This sentiment feels more prevalent than ever, but is it actual censorship or a shift in our culture? Adam talks with Kliph Nesteroff, a historian of comedy and author of Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars, about the history of censorship in comedy, and how the idea of audiences being "too sensitive" is propaganda pushed by the very same people who censored comedians in years past. Find Kliph's book at factuallypod.com/books

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