Punching at the right angle

The White Lotus star, Aimee Lou Wood, this week crticised SNL for a sketch in which Sarah Sherman appeared in prosthetic teeth to mock her appearance as  “mean and unfunny”.

The ensuing furore once again raised the question of what is appropriate humour, and the concept of punching up and down. It comes hot on the heels of a similar debate following Ryanair’s clapback to a bald passenger.

There’s no point trying to define the rules of comedy here, but it’s probably worth saying Wood didn’t deserve such treatment (although the painfully dull third season of The White Lotus surely did).

It’s a difficult time for making people laugh. 

Award-winning Australian comedian, Alice Fraser, cancelled a trip to the US over fears she could be stopped at the border due to previous jokes about the Trump administration.

At the other end of the spectrum, Chris Lilley is attempting a comeback via a subscription podcast, although unsurprisingly they’ll be no Jonah from Tonga or Ja'mie King.

The idea of punching up has obvious merit, but when the perpetrators often have thinner skin than victims (looking at a certain US President) the rules are upended, or at least ignored.

Calculating exactly what angle to punch at to be funny and relevant, while avoiding being cancelled or ridiculed (or deported, we guess) is both tougher and more important than ever.

When the world seems so consistently dark, a little lightness is essential. Just not about teeth. Or baldness. Or the leader of the free world. 

We just hope Katy Perry isn't on that list.