"As president Donald Trump celebrates the cancelation of comedians Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert and says he hopes the same fate will befall others who have been similarly critical, a look at the comedians in the ancient world who faced serious penalties for making jokes about the powers that be and what lessons we can learn from their stories about the fate of free speech in this country."
"a look at the comedians in the ancient world who faced serious penalties for making jokes about the powers that be and what lessons we can learn from their stories about the fate of free speech in this country."
President Donald Trump celebrated the cancelation of Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert and expressed hope that other critical comedians would face similar consequences. The celebration of such cancelations raises questions about political influence on cultural gatekeepers and the vulnerability of satirists who target power. Ancient societies routinely punished jesters, performers, and satirists with fines, exile, imprisonment, or worse when their humor targeted rulers. Those historical precedents show that comedies and satire can become dangerous acts under authoritarian or intolerant regimes. The comparison underscores the fragility of free speech when leaders endorse punitive measures against critics.
Read at www.npr.org
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