Can any comedian, even one as talented as John Oliver, make a laughing matter out of the crisis in Medicaid?
Tag: opinion
JERRY SEINFELD: A comedian’s lesson from a defamation case
A few years ago, star comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s family spent quite a bit of time in court and with lawyers. First, his wife gets sued for plagiarizing (or copying) somebody else’s cookbook. Then Seinfeld himself gets sued for talking about the lawsuit filed against his wife when he appeared on David Letterman’s show. And it…
Free Speech versus Privacy: British comedian Louise Reay sued by ex-husband
As it happens, comedians tend to have extroverted personalities and considering the nature of their jobs, that isn’t exactly surprising. Yet, they also have a private life and sometimes they actually do draw some of their comic material from the experiences of their private lives just like their other experiences. Problem is, other people in…
JAY LENO: ‘Woulda Coulda Shoulda’ He Pay for Defamation?
Jay Leno knows a thing or two about the occupational hazards of a comedian’s work. In the provocative new book Comedy Under Attack: The Golden Age and the Headwinds, somebody said that stand-up comedy is “the most fun anyone can have with their clothes on.” At least until somebody else gets offended in which case…
SACHA BARON COHEN BLINKS: How Not to Make a Comedy Movie
Sacha Baron Cohen is a gifted comedy actor whose wacky sense of humor and the way he pushes the envelope in his movies often cracks up his audience big time. Except that his shenanigans can sometimes seriously rub people the wrong way, even some of the folks in his hit movies. And when that happens,…
Jim Norton: Lessons from a “Chicken” defamation fight
Comedian Jim Norton and the Opie and Anthony show are two of a kind and when they come together, it may be wise to prepare oneself for a moment that may not be so ordinary. As it happens, Jim Norton is a stand-up comic who is known for pushing a tough line with foul-mouth remarks…
The Stephen Grant Saga: Marrying A Comedian…and all its Stuff
British comedian Stephen Grant is a guy who wants to wash his family’s laundry in public regardless of their wish. But he is not the only comedian who would do something like that. Just across the pond, American comedian Sundra Croonquist frequently pissed off family members by some of what she said onstage in her…
Vince Vaughn’s “Couples Retreat”: The Bikini Model versus NBC Universal
Things can get complicated and courts and lawyers can come into the picture when a Hollywood movie features people who did not sign on as cast members. Just check with the comedy movie Couples Retreat starring Vince Vaughn. In the movie, four couples embark on a vacation at a resort to work out the issues…