https://rollingstone.com.br/noticia/os-principais-desafios-de-fazer-comedia-atualmente- Segundo-ben-stiller/

https://rollingstone.com.br/noticia/os-principais-desafios-de-fazer-comedia-atualmente- Segundo-ben-stiller/

The actor reflects on the issues of comedic content in the digital age — and argues that comedians do not give in to self-censorship or external pressure from the current political climate

Known for his roles in successful comedies such as Zoolander (2001), A Night at the Museum (2006) and Thunder Tropical (2008), the actor and director Ben Stiller revealed that it is more difficult to make comedies due to the current political climate, especially in the United States under the president’s government donald trump.

“Obviously, in this environment, edgier comedy is harder to do,” he told Radio Times (via NME). In the conversation, the artist said that his perception of comedy has changed, and that the genre has become more difficult to navigate in recent years. He notices a difference in the public’s attitude: according to the actor, Trovão Tropical would have little chance of being made today due to the controversial nature of many jokes.

“We live in a world where taking risks in comedy is more challenging. We are seeing this in evidence in our country”, he explained. “Definitely not on the scale that we did it, either, in terms of the economics of the business.”

Are there limits to comedy?

Freedom of expression in comedy has been a central theme in Hollywood, especially after the recent case of Jimmy Kimmel: the program Jimmy Kimmel Live! was temporarily taken off the air by ABCafter a sarcastic comment from the presenter regarding the murder of Charlie Kirkfar-right activist.

“The gang of MAGA [sigla para Make America Great Again] is desperate to characterize this boy who killed Charlie Kirk like anything that is not one of them and doing everything to take political advantage of it”, he stated Kimmel.

According to the company responsible for the program, the position would have been “offensive and insensitive”. Ben Stiller republished a news story about the subject on X, and added: “This is not right.” Other celebrities also expressed outrage at the decision, such as the actress Jean Smart and the comedian Wanda Sykes. The program was suspended between September 17th and 22nd, and Kimmel returned with an apology and a speech about valuing freedom of expression.

Comedy is a tool historically used to satirize social issues, but the discussion about its limits — especially when it comes to sensitive or controversial topics, such as race, gender, religion, disability and identity — has gained new contours in light of recent political transformations.

At the same time that creators defend the indiscriminate use of comedy due to its unique ability to channel everyday absurdism with sensitivity, others point out the problems of a stand-up show turning into a barrage of offenses, to the detriment of a critical resource, and the importance of working with ethical responsibility.

However, Stiller urged comedy workers not to back down in the face of external pressure. He still has hope that the genre can thrive if creators continue to follow their instincts. “I think it’s important that comedians continue doing what they do, speaking truth to power and being free to say whatever they want. That’s the most important thing,” he says.

The problem with social networks

The artist also commented on another threat to comedy: the rise of social media. According to him, the public is now more accustomed to short content on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, and this hyper-accelerated culture impacts the audience’s ability to concentrate and engage with the shows. “I think we’ve shortened our attention span a little. I feel lucky to have grown up in the analogue world”, he reflects.

In addition to successful comedy roles, Ben Stiller He was also behind the camera in the first two seasons of Ruptura, a hit drama from Apple TV+directing 11 of 19 episodes so far. The final season received 27 nominations at the Emmy 2025. However, he will not return as director for the third season, as he is working on a new film.

Journalist in training at the University of São Paulo, Gabriela is from Minas Gerais and passionate about art and culture. She was also a dancer and her main hobby is visiting all the street cinemas in SP. She was an intern at Jornal da USP and, at Rolling Stone Brasil, she talks about music, films and series.

Source: Rollingstone

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