Wanda Sykes says comedians scared to tell certain jokes on stage, still should

Comedian Wanda Sykes said in an interview Monday that many comedians are afraid to tell certain jokes out of fear, but it’s still important to tell them.

Charlamagne tha God and the rest “The Breakfast Club” radio show The hosts interviewed Sykes and recalled his prolific career in comedy. Sykes gets his big break as a writer Chris Rock ShowHe won an Emmy in 1999 and later went on to have a stellar career in stand-up, as well as appearing in recurring guest roles on comedy shows. Curb Your Enthusiasm. He also hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2009 and was named one of the “25 Funniest People in America” ​​by Entertainment Weekly.

“What I loved about the Chris Rock Show was that it was full of uncomfortable truths,” Charlamagne recalled. “Even that whole period was full of uncomfortable truths, right? Do you think comedy is still allowed to be this honest? Or are we in an age where everyone wants a joke but not the truth that comes out?” [with it]?”

“No. You know what? I think you’re allowed to do this, but who’s the only one who wants to do this? You know what I’m saying?” Sykes, who does not stay away from political heat, answered this question. “If I’m trying to fill an arena, you know what I mean, you can’t be that ordinary. To appeal to the masses, you have to be. And sometimes, right now, what the masses want to hear is ugly, you know.”

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“I’m glad you said that. [going to] Do it,” replied Jess Hilarious, herself a stand-up comedian, “But when I do it myself, when I do it funny, people get angry.”

“Who gives a —-? You can’t do it for them. You’ve got to do it for yourself. You’ve got to say what you want. And hey, if what I want to say and what makes me feel is, you know, a good thing about the talent I have, if I’m only going to get 600 people, then those are, you know, 600 people you should be talking to.”

“But do people break so easily?” co-host DJ Envy asked. “The jokes used to fly. It didn’t matter. You made fun of everyone. It could be the disabled person. It could be for this person. It doesn’t matter. People are laughing. It doesn’t look like they’re laughing anymore. ‘You know what? We’re going to boycott your next show.’ They’re looking for a reason to say “

Sykes argued that many people like to play the critic or morality police, but often fail to understand where the comedian is coming from and deliberately misinterpret them in the worst possible way.

“A lot of people like to be critics. They want to be cops,” Sykes said. “It’s like if you say something it might offend you, but you have to look at where that person is coming from. You know what? Maybe their life, their perspective is different than what you know – ‘Yes, you’re offended, but you’re not in my shoes. You don’t see it from my perspective!’ – So I guess we survived that.”

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 26: Charlamagne tha God speaks during the “Keeping Up with Trends: The Future of Podcasting” panel during the 2025 Black Effect Podcast Festival at Pullman Yards on April 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network)

Another co-host asked if he noticed a fine line between punching or punching; This is essentially the dynamic by which people distinguish whether it is socially acceptable to make fun of a person or group by evaluating whether they are high-status or low-status.

Sykes stated that she is a black woman and gay, and said, “I always try to throw punches because that’s how I feel – but that’s me.” Still, he said, “If you throw punches, if it’s funny, I’ll laugh too.”

The difference is whether a derogatory joke comes from a place of affection/familiarity or genuine ill will toward a person or group, referencing a famous joke by Chris Rock about some men in the Black community.

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LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 10: Comedian/actor Chris Rock performs his stand-up comedy routine during a stop on his Total Blackout tour at the Park Theater at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino on June 10, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (Ethan Miller/Getty Images))

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