Comedians and drugs

[Kapol]

I listen/watch a lot of comedy, and I've realized something. Comedians talk a lot about doing illegal drugs, pot in particular being one of the most talked about. Now, this isn't meant to be anti-drugs, or pro-drugs, or anything like that. They're illegal (at at least in some countries, but that's getting too much into it), and therefore it is breaking the law to do them. It just seems like comedians can basically admit to doing these illegal drugs and never face any consequences for it. That seems fairly foolish. It sends off the message that "Oh, you're famous or semi-famous? Then you can do whatever you want. You're an average joe who talks about doing drugs and the police hear it? Then you can be arrested."

Really, I still enjoy the jokes, but it seems a bit unfair to allow people to do more just because they're famous. Are there any other thoughts on the matter? Am I missing something, like the point? I'm honestly curious what other people think about this.

 

[WaywardHaymaker]

I always just get annoyed whenever a comic gets to their legally mandated pot material. I tend to zone out.

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

They don't necessarily do drugs cause they say they do, they tell stories intended to be funny. Ricky Gervais tells a joke about how some old man used to molest him when he was a kid, doesn't mean he was molested.

Now if you are referring to the guy that made super high me, then hes just plain unfunny, I can't get more than a few minutes into his act before tuning out.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Since they are claiming to do drugs doing an entertainment show, they can always claim it was part of the show. That's how they get away.

 

[Nudu]

I've been thinking about switching out alcohol with pot so I can live a longer and healthier life.

See? Now I'm doing it too. Don't worry, it's part of the act. I'm not breaking the law.

 

[Uber Evil]

Also, I would think that, in America at least, it would fall under free speech, and the police can't really arrest them without evidence.

 

[fKd]

awww youth lol. drugs are bad mmmkay

 

[SeaCalMaster]

Do you know how expensive it would be for the cops to investigate anyone who does or might do drugs, especially if we're including pot?

 

[MrLlamaLlama]

If you go up to a cop and said 'hey I smoked 3 ounces of pot last week' with nothing to back up the statement they can't do a lick about it. Alot of time and paperwork for no outcome. Same sorta thing with comedians. Nothing's to say they actually have done the drugs (though maybe they have) so it's a bit of a stalemate in that sense. If I were to go onto youtube as a nobody and do me a bit of standup about doing pot in my past, nothing would come of it, there's just stuff that the authorities (believe it or not) would rather be doing than kicking up dust over some habit that probably got kicked quite a while ago.

Plus it's just funny as hell.

 

[Zantos]

Even if they did do them, it's not illegal to say you did. I don't know how it is in the states, but in Britain you can only get done if you actually have drugs on you at the time for possession, or if you have drugs on you in large quantities or find some evidence that you're dealing then they can charge you with supplying. Like my genius mate who got kicked out of school for taking in a massive bag of weed and a list entitled "People to sell drugs to". They can also get you for under influence charges if you fail a urine test. But talking about having done it they can't really do anything.

 

[Lilani]

I listen/watch a lot of comedy, and I've realized something. Comedians talk a lot about doing illegal drugs, pot in particular being one of the most talked about. Now, this isn't meant to be anti-drugs, or pro-drugs, or anything like that. They're illegal (at at least in some countries, but that's getting too much into it), and therefore it is breaking the law to do them. It just seems like comedians can basically admit to doing these illegal drugs and never face any consequences for it. That seems fairly foolish. It sends off the message that "Oh, you're famous or semi-famous? Then you can do whatever you want. You're an average joe who talks about doing drugs and the police hear it? Then you can be arrested."

Really, I still enjoy the jokes, but it seems a bit unfair to allow people to do more just because they're famous. Are there any other thoughts on the matter? Am I missing something, like the point? I'm honestly curious what other people think about this.

That's sort of the culture of the entertainment business. It's not necessarily that they are being handed it since they're semi-famous (though Robin Williams tells stories of that happening), it's just that it's a lot easier for them to access and they spend a lot more time around people that do use it.

 

[Fwee]

Actually you can't be arrested for drugs unless you actually have them on you.
Talking about how you've done drugs isn't like confessing to a murder.
But here's my favorite Anti-Drug comedian bit, and it just might surprise you:

 

[viranimus]

Think it might also have something to do with a lot of comedians do a lot of drugs.

Simple fact is, many people when they are kids use comedy as a defense mechanism. Many times that carries over into adulthood. The problem was never solved, so they rely on comedy alot. In many cases they make a career out of it.

If the problems that perpetuated the need to use comedy were not solved as a kid in many cases these kids grow up unhappy. Its unfortunate, but many people when they are unhappy about parts of their lives will rely on drugs as a crutch.

So in many cases comedians are unhappy people (its actually part of what makes them good at their job, being able to bring out the absurd in the mundane) and unhappy people have a tendency to use drugs, so it stands to reason many comedians take drugs. And given that comedy is relevant to live experience, comedians would naturally talk about what they experience with drugs.

So, its sort of hard not to expect it.

 

[Kolby Jack]

I feel the same. Having never used any drugs myself, it makes me feel weird listening to a comedian talk about them. But even worse than that is when comedians talk about sex. To me, very little about sex can be funny. Sex as a peripheral topic can be used for laughs, but jokes about sex itself just fall flat for me. This is doubly unfortunate because a LOT of female comedians tend to focus on sex in their routines, thus making me not like pretty much any female comedians, which makes me seem like a misogynist.

To clarify what I mean about sex not being funny, here's some examples: funny situations that happen during sex (like your mom walking in or something) are funny, whereas talking on and on about how this guy/girl makes odd noises during sex are not funny. But of course that is just my opinion on it.

CAPTCHA: ricyclo lisrel. Sounds like either a recycling robot or and recycler from an ancient civilization.

 

[FalloutJack]

See, I disagree. I do believe that famous people are paying for it. For one, it kills their image and their brain, for the most part. To say their's no consequences is to pretty much defy laws of physics and biology. Besides, you know who certainly didn't get off scott free? Heath Ledger. Uh-huh, that's right. The Joker. OD'd in a closet, probably driven loopy by his role in The Dark Knight. Excellent performance and rather eerie finisher.

 

[InfiniteSingularity]

Police can only charge you for possession of drugs - and they can only prove you are in possession of an illegal substance if they find it on you. Admitting you have done drugs is not a criminal offence

 

[Mechanix]

Where's the proof that they do the drugs? The police can't prove anything.

 

[Treaos Serrare]

comics who talk about that crap nowadays are just doing it for an easy laugh, not may actually have done all the shit they say they have, though there are a few of the old guard who did indeed imbibe a shitload of drugs back in the 60's-70's and up to the mid 80's George Carlin, and Richard Pryor spring immediately to mind, and they talked about it in their stand up shows because it was public knowledge and if you cant make fun of your self, what can you make fun of?
also back in that time frame alot of comics played coffee houses that were basically hippy hangouts so drugs were aplenty among the audience anyway