Conan O’Brien recently took part in a nearly hour-long debate with the Oxford Union, criticizing comedians who make much of their material with serious, anti-Trump comments. The former late-night show host said Trump is not cut out for comedy in general because “comedy needs a straight line, and right now we don’t have a straight line. We have a very crooked, rubbery line” (via Mediaite).
“Some comics go along the lines of, ‘I just say ‘F. Trump’ all the time…’ That’s their comedy,” O’Brien said. I guess I was deceived. It’s like a siren guiding you to a rock. You’re just fooled into saying “F Trump.” F. Trump. F. Trump. Please destroy this man. And I think you have now thrown away your greatest weapon, which is fun, and replaced it with anger. ”
O’Brien pushed back against the idea that comedians need to be serious all the time because the world situation is so serious.
“Even that guy, anybody who says, ‘Well, things are too serious right now. We don’t need to make jokes.'” And I think if you’re a comedian, you always have to be funny,” he said. “You’ve got to find a way, and you’ve got to find a way to channel that anger in another direction… Because good art is always a good weapon, always the perfect weapon against power. But if you’re just screaming, you’re just angry, you’ve lost the best tool in your toolbox.”
O’Brien found himself at the center of the Trump controversy last year when he attended the Mark Twain Award for American Humor at the Kennedy Center. The event was held after Donald Trump was elected to the Kennedy Center board and took over the center. President Trump then added his name to the building in a controversial move.
“Obviously there have been some controversial things going on with the Kennedy Center over the last few months since we took over,” O’Brien said on an August episode of the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast several months after the ceremony. “There were questions like, ‘Should I go or not?'” And I felt it was important to show up. ”
Mr O’Brien explained that his award was given to him by the “old regime” and that he “thought I should respect their decision”. The event was the first national event at the Kennedy Center since Chairman David Rubenstein and President Deborah Rutter were replaced by Trump last February.
O’Brien currently hosts the popular podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” and is scheduled to return to host the Oscars in March. Watch his full discussion with the Oxford Union in the video below.
