Dane Cook Says the Era of Silencing Comedy Is Over

Remember that period in recent history when all of the comedians were silenced? Even if that doesn’t ring a bell — understandable because it didn’t happen — you can still rest easy. Dane Cook says comedy’s dark days of oppression are in the past. 

“As far as silencing or tampering with the freedom of speech of comics, that’s over,” he told Boston Magazine.

When did Cook know comedy was back? “The Tom Brady roast, I’ve never laughed so much in my life,” he explained. “I kept saying, ‘I can’t believe this is live. Comedy is back right now. Right now.’ And they’ll never take it away from us again, because enough comics have gone through the wringer of people dissecting their bits.”

Cook has had enough of “them” taking a punchline out of context and passing judgment. That’s unfair, like “trying to defend somebody for a crime, but you’re only allowed to use a tenth of the evidence,” he said. “With an excerpt, it’s impossible to know where somebody’s heart and soul is.”

But just because the silent era is over doesn’t mean comics will err on the side of good taste. Some will still misstep, he told the regional magazine — including Dane Cook. In fact, he said, if he doesn’t occasionally piss you off, he’s not doing it right. Anytime he feels like his comedy is getting a little too safe, “I go back to Boston and fix it to get right back to exactly what I’m supposed to be doing in the first place. I’m a cutup. I’m supposed to say the thing that’s wrong. I have to remind myself of that.”

How does Cook know if he’s crossing the line? “What I personally did is, a few years ago, I said, ‘If it hasn’t happened to me, if it isn’t how I see the world, I ain’t sayin’ it. But if it happened to me, and I experienced it, I’m saying it.’ That’s my truth. As a comic, I believe that if you’re observing and reporting on things that are actually happening, just like in journalism, it’s fair game.”

For example, Cook ended last year’s “Perfectly Shattered” tour in his native Boston. About an hour before the set, he watched a local newscast about a brawl at Kowloon, an area Asian restaurant. “I opened with that for about 15 minutes,” he explained. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been funnier than talking about what I think a brawl at the Kowloon looked and sounded like. It brings me right back to what I think stand-up is at its core: reactionary and a little bit too much, a little over the top, a little unnecessary.”

Take a minute to imagine Cook imitating the sounds of a brawl at an Asian restaurant. On second thought, better not. As he explained, that’s a little unnecessary.