>Yoshie says:
>
>> the joke doesn't challenge the audience at all in this respect
>
>... that's a pretty high bar you've just set for comedy.
There is a sense that comedy is generally conservative without conservatism being the fault of comics, because laughter depends on recognition of conventions (be they stereotypes, mannerisms, etc.) exaggerated for effect. The best comedy, however, refuses to let the audience go at that & compels them to see the sources of conventions as well, which more often than not turn out to be oppressive social relations. I think Chuck Grimes' post on Richard Prior explains very well what great comics can do. At best, the comic & the audience can challenge each other.
Yoshie