New York: Dey Street Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780062953759
Laughter may be a medicine induced by comedians. But medicine is not always sweet, often it may be bitter. At least that is one of the conclusions Judy Gold came to while growing to be taller than everyone in her family. And that is part of why she became a stand-up comic. At least as a comedian, she could be in charge while on stage.
Judy Gold in Yes, I Can Say That explores why she became a stand-up comic providing the reader insight into her thought process and family history. She also spends time discussing what to expect when going to a comedy club. As one chapter heading mentions, you are likely to be insulted or offended while there, but is that not the reason you went? And context is everything! If you have to explain a joke, it is no longer funny. And the comedian is not necessarily the same as her/his stage act. So be warned when reading this book, you are likely to be offended once or twice.
And then you get to politics. All sorts of politics - academic, national/state, and other hot-button issues. And the poor comics. Everyone picks on them. So why do so many people have issues with jokes? Are they so insecure that words disturb them enough that they try to silence the speaker? This goes for right, left, center, and #MeToo as well. And then the politicians get into the act of trying to regulate what can be a joke. Well, if a politician can't stand being laughed at, maybe they should get off the stage.
So while I may not agree with everything Judy Gold says (although you could do worse than looking her up on YouTube), I do agree with her that she has the right to say that!
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