by Anushka Kar
Often, the stigma with being a stand-up comedian is that one has had little to no formal education. However, studies show that comedians range from high school dropouts to those who hold a PhD. Bearing this in mind, I personally have actually learned a significant amount about current affairs and general knowledge from watching so many stand-up comedy shows.
Controversial, comedians such as Jimmy Carr, Katherine Ryan and Ricky Gervais touch upon and discuss a range of issues from racism to global warming through comedy. While it is obvious some may disagree with their views and blunt, dark humour, they spread general knowledge and awareness on current affairs to a large audience which is vastly respected because of their strong opinions. I particularly enjoy the show The Fix, hosted by Jimmy Carr, which features many other comedians who seek to solve current issues through both comedy and seriousness.
In fact, there are facts that I myself would not have come across without watching this show- for example, the fact that volcano eruptions cause the temperature of the earth to cool by as much as one degree or more. While this is not the most appropriate solution to global warming, the facts, data and statistics given by this show is actually worth knowing while certainly being entertaining.
Part of the show also shows its audience legitimate research presented by Mona Chalabi, which has been an eye opener for me since the data is also made relatable for comparison, such as the statistics shown on the gender pay gap. Furthermore, race was mixed into this just to illustrate the huge pay gap between different groups. For example, to earn two million dollars in a lifetime, a white man could retire at the age of sixty four, while a Hispanic woman would have to keep working until the age of one hundred and eighteen.
If watching the news does not attract you, I strongly recommend at least watching this show to give an insight to the bigger picture of current affairs and the world itself; while entertained, you will definitely gain some knowledge.
Controversial, comedians such as Jimmy Carr, Katherine Ryan and Ricky Gervais touch upon and discuss a range of issues from racism to global warming through comedy. While it is obvious some may disagree with their views and blunt, dark humour, they spread general knowledge and awareness on current affairs to a large audience which is vastly respected because of their strong opinions. I particularly enjoy the show The Fix, hosted by Jimmy Carr, which features many other comedians who seek to solve current issues through both comedy and seriousness.
In fact, there are facts that I myself would not have come across without watching this show- for example, the fact that volcano eruptions cause the temperature of the earth to cool by as much as one degree or more. While this is not the most appropriate solution to global warming, the facts, data and statistics given by this show is actually worth knowing while certainly being entertaining.
Part of the show also shows its audience legitimate research presented by Mona Chalabi, which has been an eye opener for me since the data is also made relatable for comparison, such as the statistics shown on the gender pay gap. Furthermore, race was mixed into this just to illustrate the huge pay gap between different groups. For example, to earn two million dollars in a lifetime, a white man could retire at the age of sixty four, while a Hispanic woman would have to keep working until the age of one hundred and eighteen.
If watching the news does not attract you, I strongly recommend at least watching this show to give an insight to the bigger picture of current affairs and the world itself; while entertained, you will definitely gain some knowledge.
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