How 9/11 changed comedy
Life changed for most Americans after 9/11, but comedians faced a very specific dilemma: when and how to make people laugh again. Comedic television programs like “Saturday Night Live” and “The Daily Show” struggled with this question as they began their fall seasons in late September of 2001, and comedians like Gilbert Gottfried faced decisions on whether it was appropriate to joke about 9/11 when performing live. WNYC’s Jim O’Grady spoke with several comedians, including Gottfried, about how being funny changed after 9/11.
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