They’re more than comedians

Re “Cranky comedians,” Opinion, June 16

Nathan Rabin writes that in bemoaning political correctness, Bill Maher and Jerry Seinfeld “seem to think they are taking stands against oppressive touchiness” but strike him more as old men on a rant.

Really? Maher and Seinfeld are in rare company along with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, who are much more than comedians. In our current society, where college students need alerts for intellectual discomfort, these comedians remind us that the absurdities of life are still laughable and not punishable.

Rabin writes that “contemporary comedy often takes the form of conversation rather than a one-way expression of ideas and information.” I’d rather laugh my way down a oneway street of one-liners with the likes of Maher and Seinfeld than have a chat with the flat liners of “contemporary comedy.”

Linda Feldman

Playa del Rey

Rabin’s lack of insight into the concept of “ageism” is mind boggling.

By offhandedly comparing Seinfeld and Maher to “old men yelling at kids to get off their front lawns” (Seinfeld is 61, Maher is 59), Rabin plays into a normative pattern of dismissiveness that belittles persons because of their age. He evidently condones the same type of insensitivity he rails against.

What’s the deal, Mr. Rabin? I’m confused. Please provide us with a rundown of what we are allowed to make jokes about and what is off limits.

Richard Wight

West Hollywood

I too heard Maher complain about his audience during a recent program.

Maher is a liberal. He was arguing that he used to only get liberal audiences. Now that his audiences come from “everywhere,” he is having a lot more fun.

Maher used to have an audience that disagreed with him? It appears as though Rabin has never watched the show.

What’s wrong with bucking political correctness? Rabin should lighten up and watch Maher’s show.

Patti Benjamin

Los Angeles