脱口秀是冒犯的艺术吗？

近日，脱口秀演员HOUSE（李昊石）在演出中的“不恰当比喻”引发热议。对此，笑果公司回应称，第一时间对HOUSE进行了严肃的批评，要求他反省，并无限期停止他后续一切演艺工作。

🤔️小作业：

A. Because he doesn't find students funny

B. Because he believes students are too sensitive to his jokes

C. Because his performances were not well-received there

D. Because he doesn't agree with the teaching methods in colleges

A. She believes it's dominated by men who resist change

B. She thinks political correctness is important in comedy

C. She supports the use of controversial humor in comedy

D. She claims that the comedy community is highly diverse and inclusive

A. The audience may not appreciate their new jokes

B. The audience may record and share their unfinished jokes

C. Other comedians may steal their new material

D. The audience may not understand their new jokes

无注释原文：

Comedians Debate What Is Acceptable Humor

From: VOA

For over 50 years stand-up comedians have played an important part in the examination of popular culture and society. Several generations of comedians have served as critics and observers of American life. Many comedy acts have also courted controversy.

Right now, people inside and outside the world of comedy are debating what, if anything, is too controversial for comedic use.

To be 'politically correct,' or PC, means to avoid language that is, or could be, offensive to a group of people. It is usually used in sarcasm, however, by those who reject political correctness.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld created the hugely successful television show "Seinfeld." He is a leading critic of the so-called PC movement. In fact, he recently said that he would no longer perform at U.S. colleges and universities because he considers students to be too PC.

Chris Rock, John Cleese, Lisa Lampanelli and several other influential comedians also have expressed similar opinions. They say political correctness represents an unreasonable sensitivity. They argue that that it hurts comedy and restricts open discussion. Author and comedian Jim Norton has suggested that society is now "addicted to the rush of being offended."

Not all performers agree, however. Katherine Jessup has been doing stand-up comedy for more than three years. She is also a writer and co-host of the podcast, "Advice! with Dave & Kat."

Ms. Jessup says part of the problem is that for a long time, men have been the only people in the stand-up community with any power. She feels that these people are protesting because they don't want the community to change and they don't want to lose control.

"That seems to be said by a lot of people that are… comfortable and well established in where they are… and more than anything else its male comics and men in comedy sort of saying, like ‘You know you're taking this from me and I should have the right to say whatever I want to say.'… There is a lot of patriarchy, a lot of racism… It's this tough thing where, on the one hand,… there are all these great opportunities and on the other hand, like… it's still very much the club that it was before."

A growing number of performers and members of the media agree with Ms. Jessup. Several writers for The Washington Post newspaper and the CNN news network have released articles that argue against Mr. Seinfeld's position. Others say, however, that the real problem is that the audience does not fully understand the issues that they believe to be offensive.

Randolph Terrance has been doing stand-up for 16 years. He also co-hosts the weekly open mike at the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse in Arlington, Virginia as well as the podcast Three Guys On. He believes that audiences become offended without thinking about how comedians are trying to address a given subject.

"For instance, you say 'black guy' and the audience immediately pulls away from you because they think you're going to say something racist. Or they don't quite understand what the term 'racist' actually means or prejudice actually mean. Here's the mistake Seinfeld made: Seinfeld is too white and too rich to be allowed to say it. That's why everybody's mad….. What he said was true. To me, there's no question. I'm in front of audiences, I see it. You'd be a fool as a comedian to not see it… The audiences don't see it because they, they're not on our side."

The debate about what discussion is acceptable on stage is not new. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution bars the making of laws that would abridge free speech. However, there are laws that limit that right.

In the 1960s, comedian Lenny Bruce was arrested five times on charges of obscenity. His public battles with the law gained attention for and helped change attitudes about free expression.

Lee Rowland is an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU is a non-profit organization that works to defend the individual rights included in the constitution. Ms. Rowland says that the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly agreed that the only kinds of speech not protected are "true threats, defamation, obscenity, child pornography, and incitement to violence.

"Our constitution was [written] to protect minority viewpoints from government interference," she adds, "including, and perhaps most importantly, ideas that challenge, annoy, or offend us."

Ms. Jessup says people have become quick to be offended and not quick to be thoughtful. She says this is not good for comedy. Mr. Terrance blames this on the fact that the audience does not understand the process of making a joke. He says it partly happens on stage, during open mike performances.

"Open mikes are, for us, we're just trying stuff out. But now, people have a camera in their pocket, so they'll videotape you and put it up. So there's this unfinished thought that's up on stage, or something like that, and people put that up and they think, 'Oh, look at this monster, he's telling a joke.' No, that was an unfinished thought that I am trying to work out, and this is the only place I have to work it out… People don't understand that because they don't understand the art of stand up."

Though this debate will likely continue for many years to come, it is safe to say that comedy will always be a main source of social commentary.

- ◆ -

注：中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考

含注释全文：

Comedians Debate What Is Acceptable Humor

From: VOA

For over 50 years stand-up comedians have played an important part in the examination of popular culture and society. Several generations of comedians have served as critics and observers of American life. Many comedy acts have also courted controversy.

在过去的50年中，脱口秀喜剧演员在对流行文化和社会的探讨中扮演了重要的角色。几代喜剧演员一直都是美国生活的批评者和观察者。许多喜剧表演也引发了争议。

1）表示“（喜剧）单人表演的，单口的”，英文解释为“performed by a single person telling jokes and funny stories on stage”如：stand-up comedy 独角喜剧，脱口秀，单口相声。

2）表示“忠实可靠的，可以信赖的”，英文解释为“loyal; that you can rely on to defend you”举个🌰：He was friendly, passionate, and a stand-up kind of guy. 他是一个友好热忱、忠实可靠的人。

3）表示“面对面争吵的；面对面打斗的”，英文解释为“involving violence or loud shouting, etc.”举个🌰：The two men had had a stand-up row in the pub after the game. 比赛之后两个男人在酒吧内发生了激烈争执。

4）表示“（会议）参与者都站着的”，英文解释为“A stand-up meeting is one at which people stand, rather than sit.”如：the hotel's stand-up management meetings 旅馆管理层的站立会议。

5）动词短语stand up，表示“（观点或信息）站得住脚，经验证属实”，英文解释为“If an idea or some information stands up, it is proved to be true or correct.”举个🌰：Their argument won't stand up to detailed criticism (= when it is studied critically). 他们的论点经不起仔细推敲。

court /kɔːt/ 作动词，熟词僻义，表示“（尤指因行为愚蠢或粗心而）招致，招惹”，英文解释为“to risk something unpleasant, especially by behaving stupidly or carelessly”举个🌰：Drinking and driving is simply courting disaster. 酒后驾车纯粹是在招惹祸端。

表示“争议；争论；争辩”，英文解释为“a lot of disagreement or argument about something, usually because it affects or is important to many people”举个🌰：There was a big controversy surrounding/over the use of drugs in athletics. 体育界对使用违禁药物争议很大。

Right now, people inside and outside the world of comedy are debating what, if anything, is too controversial for comedic use.

目前，喜剧圈内外的人们都在讨论什么是过于争议性的，不适合在喜剧中使用。

To be 'politically correct,' or PC, means to avoid language that is, or could be, offensive to a group of people. It is usually used in sarcasm, however, by those who reject political correctness.

“政治正确”（PC）意味着避免使用冒犯或可能冒犯某个群体的语言。然而，反对政治正确的人通常用它来讽刺。

offensive /əˈfen.sɪv/ 1）表示“冒犯的”，英文解释为“causing offence”举个🌰：This programme contains language that some viewers might find offensive. 这个节目使用了某些观众可能觉得不快的语言。

2）表示“进攻（性）的，攻击的”，英文解释为“used for attacking”举个🌰：Since the other side had taken offensive action (= attacked), we had no choice but to defend ourselves. 既然对方已经采取了攻势，我们除了自卫别无选择。

sarcasm /ˈsɑː.kæz.əm/ 表示“讽刺，挖苦，嘲笑”，英文解释为“the use of remarks that clearly mean the opposite of what they say, made in order to hurt someone's feelings or to criticize something in a humorous way”举个🌰："You have been working hard," he said with heavy sarcasm, as he looked at the empty page. “你工作真卖力，”他看着空白页狠狠地挖苦说道。

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld created the hugely successful television show "Seinfeld." He is a leading critic of the so-called PC movement. In fact, he recently said that he would no longer perform at U.S. colleges and universities because he considers students to be too PC.

喜剧演员杰瑞·宋飞创作了非常成功的电视节目《宋飞正传》。他是所谓政治正确运动的主要批评者。事实上，他最近表示，他将不再在美国大学院校里表演，因为他认为学生过于政治正确。

Chris Rock, John Cleese, Lisa Lampanelli and several other influential comedians also have expressed similar opinions. They say political correctness represents an unreasonable sensitivity. They argue that that it hurts comedy and restricts open discussion. Author and comedian Jim Norton has suggested that society is now "addicted to the rush of being offended."

克里斯·洛克（Chris Rock），约翰·克里斯（John Cleese），莉莎·兰帕内利（Lisa Lampanelli）以及其他几位有影响力的喜剧演员也表达了类似的观点。他们认为政治正确代表了不合理的敏感性。他们认为，这损害了喜剧，限制了公开讨论。作家兼喜剧演员吉姆·诺顿（Jim Norton）表示，现在的社会“沉迷于被冒犯的快感”。

sensitivity /ˌsen.sɪˈtɪv.ə.ti/ 表示“敏感，谨慎对待”，英文解释为“the fact of a situation, subject, etc. needing to be dealt with carefully in order to avoid upsetting people”

表示“冒犯，得罪，惹恼”，英文解释为“to make someone upset or angry”举个🌰：I think she was offended that she hadn't been invited to the party. 没有邀请她参加聚会，我觉得她有点生气。

Not all performers agree, however. Katherine Jessup has been doing stand-up comedy for more than three years. She is also a writer and co-host of the podcast, "Advice! with Dave & Kat."

然而，并非所有的演员都认同。凯瑟琳·杰瑟普（Katherine Jessup）从事脱口秀喜剧已有三年多了。她也是播客节目《Advice! with Dave & Kat》的编剧和联合主持人。

Ms. Jessup says part of the problem is that for a long time, men have been the only people in the stand-up community with any power. She feels that these people are protesting because they don't want the community to change and they don't want to lose control.

杰瑟普女士认为，当前问题的部分原因在于，长期以来，男性一直是脱口秀社区中唯一有权力的人。她觉得这些人不满，是因为他们不希望社区改变，他们不想失去控制。

"That seems to be said by a lot of people that are… comfortable and well established in where they are… and more than anything else its male comics and men in comedy sort of saying, like ‘You know you're taking this from me and I should have the right to say whatever I want to say.'… There is a lot of patriarchy, a lot of racism… It's this tough thing where, on the one hand,… there are all these great opportunities and on the other hand, like… it's still very much the club that it was before."

“这似乎是很多人说的……他们在自己的位置上很舒服，有地位……而最重要的是男性喜剧演员和喜剧圈的男性似乎在说，‘你知道你是从我这里拿走的，我应该有权说我想说的任何话’……大量父权主义，种族主义……这是一个艰难的问题，一方面，有着各种美好的机会，另一方面，这依然很大程度上就像以前那样的俱乐部。”

established形容词，1）可以表示“（因为优秀而）被认可的，著名的”，英文解释为“used for describing someone who is known for doing a job well, because they have been doing it for a long time”，如：an established artist/star 著名艺术家/明星。

2）表示“（因长期存在而）已确立的；被承认的；既定的”，英文解释为“accepted or respected because of having existed for a long period of time”举个🌰：There are established procedures for dealing with emergencies. 处理紧急情况有一些既定程序。

📍well established /ˌwel ɪˈstæb.lɪʃt/ 表示“得到确认的；公认的”，英文解释为“having a recognized position, or being generally known about”举个🌰：The rules, though not written down, are fairly well established. 那些规则虽然没有写下来，却是得到公认的。

patriarchy /ˈpeɪ.tri.ɑː.ki/ 表示“父权制社会；男权社会”，英文解释为“a society in which the oldest male is the leader of the family, or a society controlled by men in which they use their power to their own advantage”

racism /ˈreɪ.sɪ.zəm/ 表示“种族主义；种族歧视，种族迫害”，英文解释为“the belief that people's qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races”

A growing number of performers and members of the media agree with Ms. Jessup. Several writers for The Washington Post newspaper and the CNN news network have released articles that argue against Mr. Seinfeld's position. Others say, however, that the real problem is that the audience does not fully understand the issues that they believe to be offensive.

越来越多的演员和传媒人士赞同杰瑟普女士的观点。《华盛顿邮报》（The Washington Post）和CNN新闻网的几位撰稿人发表了反对宋飞先生观点的文章。然而，其他人说，真正的问题是观众并不完全理解他们认为是冒犯的问题。

Randolph Terrance has been doing stand-up for 16 years. He also co-hosts the weekly open mike at the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse in Arlington, Virginia as well as the podcast Three Guys On. He believes that audiences become offended without thinking about how comedians are trying to address a given subject.

兰道夫·特伦斯（Randolph Terrance）从事脱口秀16年了。他还是弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿阿灵顿电影院和喜剧俱乐部每周开放麦的联合主持人，以及播客《Three Guys On》的主持人。他认为，观众在没有思考喜剧演员如何讨论特定主题的情况下，就感到了冒犯。

open mic /ˌəʊ.pən ˈmaɪk/ 表示“开放麦克风（指公开自愿即兴表演）”，英文解释为“an event at which anyone is allowed to tell jokes, read poetry, sing, etc. on stage”举个🌰：There's live music with an open mic and a free pint for all performers. 有现场音乐和自愿即兴表演，为所有表演者免费提供啤酒。

"For instance, you say 'black guy' and the audience immediately pulls away from you because they think you're going to say something racist. Or they don't quite understand what the term 'racist' actually means or prejudice actually mean. Here's the mistake Seinfeld made: Seinfeld is too white and too rich to be allowed to say it. That's why everybody's mad….. What he said was true. To me, there's no question. I'm in front of audiences, I see it. You'd be a fool as a comedian to not see it… The audiences don't see it because they, they're not on our side."

“比如，你说‘黑人’，观众立即就会疏远你，因为他们认为你要说一些种族歧视的话。或者他们并不真正理解'种族歧视'或者'偏见'这些词的真正含义。这就是宋飞犯的错误：宋飞是白人，太富有，没有资格去说这些。这就是为什么每个人都很生气……他说的是真的。对我来说，这是毋庸置疑的。我在观众面前，我看到了。作为喜剧演员，你要是看不到这一点，那你就是个傻瓜……观众看不到，因为他们不站在我们这一边。”

prejudice /ˈprɛdʒʊdɪs/ 表示“偏见；成见”，英文解释为“an unreasonable dislike of or preference for a person, group, custom, etc., especially when it is based on their race, religion, sex, etc.”如：a victim of racial prejudice 种族偏见的受害者，《傲慢与偏见》Pride and Prejudice.

The debate about what discussion is acceptable on stage is not new. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution bars the making of laws that would abridge free speech. However, there are laws that limit that right.

关于什么样的讨论可以在舞台上被接受的争论并不新鲜。美国宪法第一修正案禁止制定限制言论自由的法律。然而，也有一些法律限制了这一权利。

表示“修正案”，英文解释为“An amendment is a section that is added to a law or rule in order to change it.”

constitution /ˌkɒn.stɪˈtʃuː.ʃən/ 1）表示“宪法；章程”，英文解释为“the set of political principles by which a state or organization is governed, especially in relation to the rights of the people it governs”举个🌰：Britain has no written constitution. 英国没有成文宪法。

2）表示“组成；构成；结构；构造”，英文解释为“how something is made up of different parts”如：the constitution of a chemical compound 化合物的结构。

3）熟词僻义，表示“体质，体格”，英文解释为“the general state of someone's health”举个🌰：He has a very strong constitution. 他体格很强壮。

作名词，表示“条状物”，英文解释为“a substance that has been made into a solid rectangular shape”如：a bar of soap 一块肥皂，a chocolate bar 一条巧克力棒。

作动词，表示“禁止，阻止”，英文解释为“If someone is barred from a place or from doing something, they are officially forbidden to go there or to do it.”举个🌰：The players are barred from drinking alcohol the night before a match. 运动员在参赛前夜不得喝酒。

🎬电影《逆转王牌》（Runner Runner）中的台词提到：He said I'd be barred from re-entering the country.他说我下次回国时会被禁止入境。

📍set the bar high/low = put the bar high/low 表示设定高/低标准、高/低要求（to set a high/low standard for something）

abridge /əˈbrɪdʒ/ 表示“删节；节略”，英文解释为“to make a book, play, or piece of writing shorter by removing details and information that is not important”举个🌰：The book was abridged for children. 这本书删节后供儿童阅读。

In the 1960s, comedian Lenny Bruce was arrested five times on charges of obscenity. His public battles with the law gained attention for and helped change attitudes about free expression.

20世纪60年代，喜剧演员莱尼·布鲁斯（Lenny Bruce）因淫秽罪被捕五次。他公开挑战法律引起了人们对自由表达态度的关注并有助于改变这种态度。

obscenity /əbˈsen.ə.ti/ 表示“下流话；淫秽的言辞”，英文解释为“a very offensive or sexually shocking word or sentence”举个🌰：He was shouting and screaming obscenities. 他叫骂着不堪入耳的下流话。

Lee Rowland is an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU is a non-profit organization that works to defend the individual rights included in the constitution. Ms. Rowland says that the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly agreed that the only kinds of speech not protected are "true threats, defamation, obscenity, child pornography, and incitement to violence.

李·罗兰（Lee Rowland）是美国公民自由联盟的律师。公民自由联盟是一个致力于捍卫宪法中赋予的个人权利的非营利组织。罗兰女士说，美国最高法院一再同意，唯一不受保护的言论是“真正的威胁，诽谤，淫秽，儿童色情，以及煽动暴力。”

attorney /əˈtɜːnɪ/ 表示“律师”，英文解释为“In the United States, an attorney or attorney-at-law is a lawyer.”比如我们可以说a prosecuting attorney，即“公诉律师”。

表示“诬蔑；诽谤；中伤”，英文解释为“the act of damaging sb's reputation by saying or writing bad or false things about them”举个🌰：The company sued for defamation. 这个公司因受到诽谤而提起诉讼。

表示“煽动；鼓动”，英文解释为“If someone is accused of incitement to violent or illegal behaviour, they are accused of encouraging people to behave in that way.”

"Our constitution was [written] to protect minority viewpoints from government interference," she adds, "including, and perhaps most importantly, ideas that challenge, annoy, or offend us."

“我们的宪法是为了保护少数派观点免受政府干扰，”她补充说，“包括，也许是最重要的，那些挑战、惹恼或冒犯我们的观点。”

Ms. Jessup says people have become quick to be offended and not quick to be thoughtful. She says this is not good for comedy. Mr. Terrance blames this on the fact that the audience does not understand the process of making a joke. He says it partly happens on stage, during open mike performances.

杰瑟普女士表示，人们变得容易遭受冒犯，而不容易深思熟虑。她说这对喜剧并不好。特伦斯先生将这归咎于观众不理解创作笑话的过程。他说这部分发生在舞台上，开放麦表演期间发生。

"Open mikes are, for us, we're just trying stuff out. But now, people have a camera in their pocket, so they'll videotape you and put it up. So there's this unfinished thought that's up on stage, or something like that, and people put that up and they think, 'Oh, look at this monster, he's telling a joke.' No, that was an unfinished thought that I am trying to work out, and this is the only place I have to work it out… People don't understand that because they don't understand the art of stand up."

“对于我们来说，开放麦就像是我们在尝试新的东西。但现在，人们的口袋里有了摄像头，所以他们会把你录下来并上传。于是，舞台上的那些未完全成型的想法，或者类似的东西，就被人们上传了。他们看到这些，会想‘哦，看这个怪物，他在讲笑话。’不，那只是我正在努力构思的一个未完成的想法，而这是我唯一能够构思它的地方……人们无法理解这一点，因为他们并不了解脱口秀的艺术。”

videotape /ˈvɪd.i.əʊ.teɪp/ 表示“录制；把…录下来”，英文解释为“to record a film, television programme, or event on videotape”

Though this debate will likely continue for many years to come, it is safe to say that comedy will always be a main source of social commentary.

尽管这场辩论可能会持续许多年，但我们可以肯定，喜剧将始终是社会评论的主要来源。

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