The ever lovely Vegangelica said:
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For example, a very good question for people to ask is why they may think whites are only allowed to make fun of other whites, like you mention. In a truly non-racist society, the ethnicity of the comedian shouldn't matter, should it? And yet humor viewed as "too" racist starts to make many people feel uncomfortable because they tend to believe that those who are in a position of power shouldn't be cruel to those who are perceived as having less (even though an individual white person shouldn't be viewed as representative of all white people or as having more power than any other person).
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You are a very intellectual person and I greatly appreciate your thoughts on this subject. You said so many great things and I hate to be stuck on this topic, but its one of the most serious in comedy and just every day life. You have to ask the question 'What is the line between non-PC comedy, jokes, true racism and cruelty, and finally getting your ass kicked'?
I think the most public of these situations was a couple years ago with Michael Richards. He tried to make a comeback as a stand up comedian and had a melt down on stage. His poor comeback went down in flames so fast. Nobody but Jerry Seinfeld will even speak to him now. But that's the point where you realize 'Uh oh, I just stepped over that line!' This white guy gonna stand up there and shout 'He's a N*** everybody. Look at the N***!!!' Yeah white guy you just found the line and you just crossed it. But that was the point of that comment that 'white people can only make fun of other white people'. It was half sarcastic, but in some cases brutally true.
If you are offended by the N-word don't look!
Michael Richards Spews Racial Hate -- Kramer Racist Rant - YouTube
Edit: After watching this sad video of a very talented comedian having a breakdown I suddenly realized. This wasn't comedy or even part of his set. He got mad that people were talking and went on an actual racists rant. Poor guy. But I side with the folks in the audience, that was completely uncalled for and not neccessary. He is an old man that's been in the business a long time, he should have been armed with a million mature alternatives to handle that situation.
Edit: Damn I can't stop thinking about what you said. Because you are right, in a true non-racists society anyone could make jokes about anyone and everything would be cool. I guess that is the point. We are not in a true non-racist society right now. Which is obvious, everyone knows that. But I like to think we're moving toward that?