Comedian Conan O'Brien cautioned his fellow comics against losing their humor while criticizing the Trump administration during an interview at Oxford Union, uploaded Tuesday, Jan. 6. O'Brien, the former talk show host, expressed concern that some comedians are being "co-opted" by anger, sacrificing their ability to be funny.
"Some comics go the route of, 'I’m gonna just say F Trump all the time,' or that’s their comedy," O'Brien said. "But now I think, you’re being co-opted. Because' you’re so angry you've been lulled."
O'Brien, an Emmy-winner, emphasized the importance of comedians prioritizing humor, even when addressing serious topics. He argued that anger alone is less effective than using humor as a weapon against power. The Oxford Union, a student debating society at the University of Oxford in England, has hosted numerous comedians, celebrities, politicians, and world leaders since 1823.
"You’ve been lulled into just saying ‘F Trump. F Trump. F Trump. Screw this guy,' and I think you’ve now put down your best weapon, which is being funny, and you’ve exchanged it for anger," he said. "You just have to find a way to channel that anger, because good art will always be a perfect weapon against power, but if you’re just screaming and you’re just angry, you’ve lost your best tool in the toolbox."
