This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Dan Hickey is a Writer and Humorist based in Chicago, Illinois. He has published pieces on a variety of online satire sites and has been a member of the wikiHow team since 2022. A former teaching artist at a community music school, Dan enjoys helping people learn new skills they never thought they could master. He graduated with a BM in Clarinet Performance from DePauw University in 2015 and an MM from DePaul University in 2017.
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In comedy, “punching down” refers to making jokes about people who have a less privileged or powerful place in society than the comedian telling the joke (or the group or institutions they represent). While these jokes are generally frowned upon, some comics argue that they can be used subversively to advocate for a more just society. In this article, we’ll go over exactly what punching down means, where the phrase came from, and whether the advice “never punch down” is totally accurate.
“Punching Down” Quick Definition
“Punching down” means to make fun of marginalized people or groups who have less power, privilege, or social status than the person making the joke. This could include jokes that are racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, transphobic, xenophobic, or anything that promotes harmful stereotypes about groups of people.
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- ↑ https://thirdeyemalta.com/political-correctness-in-comedy-punching-up-vs-punching-down/
- ↑ https://scroll.in/article/995883/punching-down-the-profound-problem-with-comedy-routines-that-target-marginal-groups
- ↑ https://thirdeyemalta.com/political-correctness-in-comedy-punching-up-vs-punching-down/
- ↑ https://scroll.in/article/995883/punching-down-the-profound-problem-with-comedy-routines-that-target-marginal-groups
- ↑ https://lynmillerlachmann.com/punch-up-punch-down-punch-sideways/
- ↑ https://subtitlepod.com/when-did-comedians-start-saying-punching-up-and-punching-down/
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/11/arts/television/11keit.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/F8yV8xUorQ8?t=9
- ↑ https://youtu.be/F8yV8xUorQ8?t=1
- ↑ https://www.thecomedytribune.com/home/2019/10/10/punching-down-plutonium-in-a-comics-hands-by-hunter-collins
- ↑ https://thebaffler.com/salvos/knock-yourselves-out-schwartz
- ↑ https://thirdeyemalta.com/political-correctness-in-comedy-punching-up-vs-punching-down/
- ↑ https://thebaffler.com/salvos/knock-yourselves-out-schwartz
- ↑ https://thirdeyemalta.com/political-correctness-in-comedy-punching-up-vs-punching-down/