The changing times

So I watched Eddie Murphy Delirious a couple nights ago. Hard to believe it was made in 1983! I was nine. Not sure I was allowed to watch it right away and I honestly can't remember when I did first see it. Needless to say it’s a classic. Now, the thing that struck me watching it this time was a certain sense of wonder at how much the changing times have altered the conversations we are able to have and ultimately the tone and flavour of humour.

Eddie started off with a long segment about homosexuality which would today be absolutely foreign and considered completely inappropriate. I think the key for me with this, and other dated humour, is recognising that it is dated and that at the time it was racy but acceptable.

So what’s changed? I think it’s the acceptance of diversity more than anything. There’s still pockets of jackassery in relation to gender, sexuality, race etc, but it’s no longer “cool” to make jokes about it all.

I remember growing up and using the insults of the time and thinking about them now…if I rolled them out in this day and age it would be considered completely scandalous and I’d probably lose my job.

Personally I think the change has been good. There’s no need to make humour out of things that make people feel marginalised. There’s always the tried and true fall back of toilet humour. Heh heh