You may assume a Latino comedian would trash Donald Trump, his huge, stunning Wall or each.
If the comic is Carlos Mencia, you couldn’t be extra flawed.
Trump barely got here up throughout Mencia’s epic set at Denver’s Comedy Works Friday. As an alternative, he summoned the unironic spirit of “Workforce America: World Police.”
“America … f*** yeah!”
The present, the second of two from the “Thoughts of Mencia” alum that day, discovered him defending the nation in opposition to its indignant critics.
What different nation has folks trashing it 24/7 however by no means leaving? We’ve got overweight poor folks and complain in regards to the slightest indignities. In the meantime, residents from different nations endure life-or-death hardships.
To paraphrase fellow comedian “Yakof Smirnoff” – “what a rustic!”
This wasn’t empty rhetoric or an try and woo Pink State USA. It flowed from the comedian organically, buttressed by insightful punch traces.
Mencia additionally raged in opposition to Cancel Tradition (with out name-checking the cultural scourge), begging audiences to chuckle about our variations. That unites us, and we’re all the identical on the finish of the day.
This wasn’t Colbert-level clapter or a TED Speak masquerading as stand-up. You may not hear a funnier set this 12 months than what Mencia uncorked.
He even bared his bum for an sudden chuckle.
— Christian Toto (@HollywoodInToto) October 18, 2024
The 9:45 p.m. present sailed previous midnight however by no means misplaced steam. He implored the group to present the venue’s servers a fatter tip for working effectively previous the anticipated time.
Mencia clearly had a blast, indulging in some grownup drinks late within the present. Crowd work bolstered his inclusive messaging, leaning on ethnic stereotypes with out dropping the group. It was virtually as if the ghost of Don Rickles haunted the venue.
He saved his sharpest assaults for the woke mob. Comedians aren’t politicians. They’re not attempting to harm our emotions. They only need to make us chuckle. And, if a gag lands the flawed approach, folks have suffered far, far worse.
Like Mencia.
He hinted at a troubled childhood, together with bodily hazard and sexual abuse. It made him extra resilient, a message he stated is misplaced on too many People.
It’s “Rub some filth in it” comedy.
The set featured sufficient “problematic” gags to get him canceled a half dozen occasions. He trotted out numerous accents, leaned into stereotypes with out worry and raged in opposition to isolating comedy by demographics.
He needs the liberty to be himself and share the jokes he thinks are humorous. The rising backlash in opposition to woke bylaws helps him do exactly that as of late. So is the membership’s coverage to lock up everybody’s telephones previous to showtime.
Phew.
Comedian tradition warriors are each uncommon and mandatory in 2024. Suppose Rob Schneider, John Cleese, Invoice Maher and Tim Dillon. They’re raging in opposition to the comedy machine, demanding the liberty their predecessors fought so arduous to guard.
At the moment’s insurgent comedians aren’t threatened by jail time … simply cancellation and the occasional assault. Ask Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock how that works.
Add Mencia to that small however important checklist. He’s been round lengthy sufficient to know why comedy issues, the way it unites us in troubled occasions and the way simply it may slip away if left unprotected.
Not on Mencia’s watch. It helps that he’s by no means been funnier.
The publish Carlos Mencia: The Anti-Woke Warrior We Want appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.