O'Brien: Trump Era Complicates Political Comedy

Conan O'Brien, the veteran late-night comedian, told an audience at the Oxford Union this week that the Donald Trump administration has complicated the craft of political comedy, urging fellow humorists to prioritize wit over unchecked anger in their critiques.

Speaking during a discussion on humor in turbulent times, O'Brien argued that Trump's unpredictable actions and statements have created an environment where satire struggles to find its footing. "Comedy needs a straight line to go off of, and we don't have a straight line right now," he said. "We have a very bendy, rubbery line. We have a Slinky. We have a fire hose that's whipping around, spewing water at 100 miles an hour." This chaotic backdrop, he explained, makes it challenging for comedians to exaggerate reality for laughs, likening the situation to his time at the Harvard Lampoon, where the staff avoided parodying the National Enquirer because its outlandish stories defied further absurdity. Trump sketches that once seemed inventive now mirror actual events, O'Brien noted, diminishing their comedic punch.

O'Brien reserved particular criticism for performers who have leaned heavily into anti-Trump rants as their...