Althouse: "Every time a beloved celebrity dies I post some horrible shit about them I’ve been doing it for years now. I like destroying gods. And right when a famous person dies they’re at their most worshipped."

January 30, 2020

"Every time a beloved celebrity dies I post some horrible shit about them I’ve been doing it for years now. I like destroying gods. And right when a famous person dies they’re at their most worshipped."

"So as a response to all the outpouring of sympathy on social media, I post something vile. it’s just a joke. I don’t really hate any of the people."

Said Ari Shaffir, quoted in "New York Comedy Club cancels Ari Shaffir act after threats over Kobe Bryant joke" (Page Six).

38 comments:

gilbar said...: you know, The Sad Thing Is:

when Ari Shaffir dies, No One is going to post some horrible shit about him
on account of because; NO ONE knows (or cares) who the hell Ari Shaffir was; 1/30/20, 4:15 AM
Big Mike said...: May you be in Heaven half an hour before Ati Shaffer knows you’re dead.; 1/30/20, 4:27 AM
Shouting Thomas said...: Nobody to root for here.

Opposed to censorship.

Don't care about celebrities.

Tired of rape hysteria.; 1/30/20, 4:27 AM
Clyde said...: Nobody likes a turd in a punchbowl.; 1/30/20, 4:56 AM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Isn't Lord of the Flies required reading in high school anymore?; 1/30/20, 4:57 AM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Shouting in a bucket; 1/30/20, 5:00 AM
rhhardin said...: It's mocking the virtue signallers, not the celbrity.

"Don't forget me. I'm sad too." (Jeselnik); 1/30/20, 5:03 AM
rhhardin said...: Jeselnik on celebrity mourners - they're like wedding photographers who only take selfies.; 1/30/20, 5:06 AM
Temujin said...: He'll be shocked at what a douche he was when he gains a few years and a bit of perspective. Although class is something even a 4 year old can comprehend.; 1/30/20, 5:53 AM
rhhardin said...: Mob hysteria isn't class.; 1/30/20, 6:26 AM
Phil 314 said...: Gilbar nails it.; 1/30/20, 6:27 AM
Bob Boyd said...: never send to know for whom Ari Shaffir jokes; he jokes for thee.; 1/30/20, 6:57 AM
jpg said...: Wow, a god-killer. Wonder what gods he has killed. JPG; 1/30/20, 7:02 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "He'll be shocked at what a douche he was when he gains a few years and a bit of perspective."

He's 45. Not going to get more mature.; 1/30/20, 7:14 AM
rightguy said...: I do not want Ari's kharma.; 1/30/20, 7:24 AM
tds said...: "I like killing gods."

Has he actually killed any, yet?; 1/30/20, 7:43 AM
Two-eyed Jack said...: I have enjoyed watching Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars. One of the things it makes clear and which comes up in some of the episodes, is that many comedians have a sociopathic need to make a joke, to get a laugh, whatever the cost. Success comes to some odd people.; 1/30/20, 8:01 AM
JAORE said...: "you know, The Sad Thing Is:

when Ari Shaffir dies, No One is going to post some horrible shit about him
on account of because; NO ONE knows (or cares) who the hell Ari Shaffir was"

Well, I didn't know who he is. Sounds like I'd think he's a dick if this stuff is central to his comedy. Still don't care.

But when the mobs get to cancel people because of a joke.... THEN I care.; 1/30/20, 8:01 AM
Lurker21 said...: So he's a low-brow Roger Kimball?; 1/30/20, 8:02 AM
Scott Patton said...: Another thing that has come up on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, a requirement for getting away with making a joke like that, is that the joke has to actually be funny.; 1/30/20, 8:23 AM
Two-eyed Jack said...: Most jokes, even those devised by the best comedians, aren't actually funny enough and are dropped. Possible lesson: don't try stuff out on Twitter.; 1/30/20, 8:42 AM
Greg the class traitor said...: Ari Shaffir wanted to trash someone. He succeeded, in trashing himself

May he enjoy his success; 1/30/20, 9:25 AM
Narr said...: The worst thing about his joke is that isn't very funny.

And apparently the term "gods" in reference to the deification of celebrity ballers makes some clutch for their pearls.

Narr
It's 2020 people, class left the building a long time ago; 1/30/20, 9:39 AM
Howard said...: Ari yes one of Joe rogan's best friends he has been on the podcast multiple times. when Joe is with other comedian friends they talk about what a supreme asshole Ari is, but they all love him anyway. What do you expect from a pig but a grunt?; 1/30/20, 9:57 AM
Scott M said...: I'll take FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF FREE SPEECH for $600, Alex.; 1/30/20, 10:47 AM
Scott M said...: Ari yes one of Joe rogan's best friends he has been on the podcast multiple times. when Joe is with other comedian friends they talk about what a supreme asshole Ari is, but they all love him anyway.

I need to do a search through Rogan's podcast to see if Anthony Jeselnik has ever been on. As much as I love his stand-up and get what he's doing, I have zero insight into what he's actually like in person. Could be the whole schtick isn't really schtick at all. I can completely see that with him.; 1/30/20, 10:49 AM
Scott M said...: Well, that was easy...Youtube :); 1/30/20, 10:50 AM
eddie willers said...: Another thing that has come up on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, a requirement for getting away with making a joke like that, is that the joke has to actually be funny.

The first time I ever heard of sexual harassment was in the early 80s when I went to my branch office and saw one of the salesmen sitting way back in the row of desks behind the young woman who was the secretary/coordinator for the region.

Turns out she had complained about him and that was his "restraining order".

The real trouble was the boy just couldn't tell a joke. Now I shared the filthiest stories with her and we'd have a laugh. His would thud and now he was banished.; 1/30/20, 10:58 AM
h said...: When Weinstein dies, will he get the same benefit of the doubt that Kobe is getting? Suppose he is never found guilty of a crime? Then will he be Kobified?; 1/30/20, 11:07 AM
MikeR said...: Okay, sounds like a good guy to cancel. At least, I don't need to pay attention to him ever. Everyone else, do as you please.; 1/30/20, 11:24 AM
Bill Peschel said...: Comedians should never try out jokes on Twitter. Period.

It seems obvious. People go to a comedy club to laugh. That's the purpose of the room.

On Twitter, there is no assumption. There's also no ability to set up a joke. There's no body language to convey an idea of what the comedian is thinking.

Of course, Twitter also is full of assholes who get their jollies from anonymously stringing up anyone they like, consequence-free.

I'm also in favor of free speech, so the comedy club shouldn't have cancelled him. That's a stupid decision. But, jeeze, Ari, do you have to tap dance on a landmine and complain about your legs getting blown off?

(And, yes, I agree with the above, that a lot of comedians are damaged people. Everybody gets hurt in life, but they're affected so badly that they're personally abusive. Not all of them -- Jack Benny is known as a sweetheart -- but some of the old comedians like Joey Bishop and Danny Kaye were loathed in the industry.; 1/30/20, 11:38 AM
PM said...: The swatting list just keeps getting longer.; 1/30/20, 11:40 AM
William said...: Monique Van Vooren recently passed away. She was the star of "Tarzan and the She Devil". The most notable fact about her was that she was not Mamie Van Doren. Mamie Van Doren is still alive. I'm just glad to live in a country where you can still make fun of movie stars like Monique Van vooren and Mamie Van Doren, but you have to be selective.; 1/30/20, 12:21 PM
William said...: The exemplary lesson that Kobe Bryant's life and untimely death teaches us all is that we shouldn't make fun of Kobe Bryant until after the funeral.....The rape allegation was the elephant in the room. It should not be buried with Kobe, but the elephant should be put into a medically induced coma until after the funeral. Then pile on.....The joke was unseemly, but making such a joke a capital offense is far more unseemly.; 1/30/20, 12:29 PM
elkh1 said...: Destroy gods when they are alive, not after they die and cannot fight back.; 1/30/20, 12:32 PM
Bunkypotatohead said...: "I like killing gods."

Know any good Mohammed jokes?; 1/30/20, 1:03 PM
Johnathan Birks said...: Mohammed did not kill himself.; 1/30/20, 1:07 PM
Rabel said...: Nobody going to post the "joke"?

"Big ups to the hero who forgot to gas up his chopper.”

Nine dead. Three children.; 1/30/20, 1:47 PM