Verbally acknowledging one on their race, religion, gender and ethnicity is a bad thing; Or is it? Racism has constantly been a reoccurring issue in all cultures. Racism by definition is the criticism or hatred of one due to their differences. A common example of one of these differences is skin color. Throughout time, racism has become more of an unacceptable topic of discussion due to the offensive behavior of the topic itself. The fear of offending others has led to an avoidance of the topic altogether. Avoiding the topic of racism and prejudiced behaviors inevitably creates an even more tense atmosphere throughout society and cultures once the topic arises. The more sensitive the topic, the higher the risk for offense. This is why racist humor is commonly looked down upon. Has society’s sensitivity morphed this topic into something that it is not? Is this sensitivity a good thing? Racist humor can positively impact society and change contemporary perspective from hurtful to acceptable. Although many people may find it offensive, racist humor impacts society positively by providing the possibility of being a conversation starter, the sharing of alternate perspectives on differences and the gathering of groups.

Racist humor may be a very difficult topic to support, and there are many reasons as to why that may be. Many comedians and humor enthusiasts use racism as a way to ridicule and verbally abuse audience members. One example of this is when Tanny addresses how relationships between certain races are negatively perceived in the media. He states that, “Nowhere is this clearer than in the convoluted relationship between Jews and blacks –

and between Jewishness and blackness, particularly in the entertainment industry” (Tanny 106). He is addressing how in media, most of the time, races are only discussed and portrayed as being against each other, even in humorous media. Negative media is one of the main causes of racism and the acceptance of inappropriate racism. In order to change the perception of the treatment of races, there needs to be an opening to this conversation; this is where positive racist humor comes to play. Negative humor and media, regardless if the audience members are offended or not, ruin the reputation of racist humor. It degrades the reputation of humor dramatically from society’s viewpoint and those who are more sensitive to this topic. The offensive form of racist humor is not the form of humor that will create a positive impact. What society and cultures have yet to accept is that each person is a mix of different cultures, races, ethnicities and religions passed down from his or her ancestors. This creates a reason to not be as close-minded towards the topic of racist humor, and instead to be more open to the idea that this may create a positive conclusion. People want a resolution to this conflict of the races, and incorporating humor is the direct fix.

No one ever wants to discuss indifferences and cause an unnecessary disturbance of peace. There is rarely a good way to bring up a controversial topic without instantly offending an audience; this is with the exemption of strategically incorporating comedy. Adding humor into a tense situation seemingly diffuses tension instantly. This way, racism and stereotypes can be discussed among a multitude of peoples without becoming offensive, while also openly sharing opinions. As explained by Pérez, “…people often avoid public race talk, people are generally uncomfortable with public racial discourse…” (Pérez). When a conversation begins to become uncomfortable, the participants usually back off of the subject. This is when people become scared, when in actuality, this is when opinions should be shared. There truly is no perfect time to discuss racism and stereotypes due to the societal unacceptance of this topic. It is a very difficult and sensitive topic to be discussed openly, which is why incorporating a form of comedic relief allows for this conversation to occur and continue instead of being stopped. A more playful version of these conversations could make the difference in tearing cultures apart and bringing them together. If comedians, public speakers and people of societies begin to socially accept this form of communication, racism will become a less tense topic, up until the topic is no longer offensive whatsoever. 

Now, this does not qualify offensive racist comedy as being acceptable. The idea that racist humor is tolerable is dependent on the form of humor and what is contained and discussed in the material. For instance, only bringing up hurtful racist stereotypes will not allow any positive outcomes. This would actually only create a negative response to this technique. The believed idea that this form of humor will aid in the mending of societal indifferences between races is all dependent upon these factors: tone, meaning, timing, connotation and response. The degrading, humiliating, negative form of racist humor is the misuse of the above listed factors. This is also an explanation behind the many common misconceptions of racist humor and its purposes. Whitfield states that, “Humor has become one of the enduring features of communal life…” (Whitfield 34). It has. The concept of humor being a part of everyday life is one that is commonly known. So why not make this common aspect of cultures into a positive change? By creating lighthearted, racist jokes, the conversation of racial differences will become standard and regular instead of shocking and offensive. 

After creating the possibility of a productive conversation, alternative opinions on this topic may arise with little to no offense from participants. This conversation created could potentially permanently transform negative and judgmental opinions into positive, accepting opinions. For example, a person could have been raised to treat a particular racial or ethnic group a certain way, but after discussing opinions and feelings on a topic, these taught behaviors can be overcome. Considering racism is the discrimination of specific racial groups, the discussion of this issue will create an understanding between the groups. As an example, Dalton discusses the differences between how each race drives a car differently in his book, A Practical Guide to Racism. There are pictures to even further his point to the reader. This is not offensive whatsoever simply because he is giving an example that is completely inoffensive whatsoever: driving skills. The joke allows for races and racism to be discussed while being playful considering no one is born driving a certain way due to their skin color. This is an extremely accurate representation of how Dalton utilizes pathos and manipulates the reader’s emotions. Instead of using realistic and hurtful examples to discuss racism, he uses an amusing, lighthearted joke to get an opinion across to an audience. 

A common belief is the idea that racist humor separates racial groups further than they already are. This statement is false. Conversation between different races about conflicts, and offering different opinions and emotions to each other will only create a healthier atmosphere. Humor that discusses races and differences allows for the coercion of groups. Hyman states how, “‘We have enough reminders of what divides us,’ he said. ‘There’s no one else aggressively trying to bring people together.’” (Hyman). Not all jokes are meant to be ignorant and offensive. This comedian’s viewpoint of racism is a prime example of what needs to be the moral of each joke. This is exactly the attitude needed for successful humor dealing with race and racial conflicts. Although the correct attitude and motivator is needed, this form of humor also has to use appeals to be effective. When trying to discuss racism in humor, kairos and pathos have to be incorporated seamlessly. Without the perfect timing and emotional ties, a joke can instantly turn from being effective to terribly offensive. These appeals, when used correctly, can be the main reason as to why this humor is successful. Comedians are gifted with the knowledge of how and when to incorporate jokes. Chelsea Handler stars in a Netflix series, called Chelsea Does..., where she is filmed asking strangers about uncomfortable topics to get true reactions. On one of her episodes, Chelsea Does Racism, she travels around the country asking strangers about their ancestors, race, and ethnicity in ways that would ordinarily cause disputes. She proves that with the effective use of kairos, sensitive topics will no longer be offensive. She discusses slavery with all races: black people, white people, and Native Americans alike without censoring any words or personal opinions. Her strategic use of the appeals allows for her to not offend any of the strangers being questioned. 

Along with bringing racial differences into conversation, racial humor also provides an opportunity to share differing perspectives and bring races together. With the effective uses of pathos and kairos, racist humor will not be offensive, but instead be productive in ending long-term conflicts and offensive racism. The more humorists, comedians and everyday civilians that start incorporating racist humor into daily conversations, the faster contemporary racial disputes end. There is a way to end the indifferences between cultures and races; there is a way to end discrimination; there is a way to create a more peaceful way of living. Racist humor can create a positive impact to contemporary society and this can all become a problem of the past. 