Aziz Ansari (of Parks and Rec fame) recently released a new comedy special on Netflix of a show he did in Madison Square Garden in 2014, and it is hilarious. He addresses issues such as the food industry, immigration, and how technology affects our lives with his expected comedic twist. His best section, though, is when he takes down sexism.
His takedown of misogyny is twofold, addressing “creepy dudes” online and in real life:
1. Creepy Dudes Online. The discrepancy between the treatment of women and men online is an issue that has been discussed time and time again. A huge issue is the anonymous (or practically anonymous) sexual harassment of celebrity women online. Aziz adds to the conversation by acknowledging his privilege as a man with a large fan base. For example, he knows that he will never have a woman make sexually inappropriate comments on any of his Tweets. However, if he were a woman, there would be hundreds, if not thousands, of guys making such comments on every online post. This bit not only addresses the relative safety of men online, but also the fact that men are the ones who perpetuate such behavior. Aziz makes a point of saying that, on the whole, women are not the ones doing the harassing; they are being harassed. This makes the Internet a dangerous place for women. It seems that Aziz wants to make men aware of their actions and make them see that they are wrong
2. Creepy Dudes In Real Life. To begin this part, Aziz asks the ladies in the venue to raise their hands if a creepy guy has ever followed them. The number of hands that were raised was astonishing. For such a behavior to become so commonplace points to a huge problem in the structure of society. He also tells the story of a woman who had to wait in the safety of a store for 45 minutes before a guy gave up on following her. The difference between a night out for a group of guys versus a group of girls is sad; women have to be on their guard the entire night to make sure they are not taken advantage of or attacked in any way. One thing that I particularly like about this segment is that Aziz acknowledges that not all guys are bad, thereby eliminating the potential complaint from men who feel attacked by his statements. He tells a story about a woman who asks a stranger for help when a guy is following her, and this man pretends to be her boyfriend in order to fend of the creeper. This is a great story because it shows the goodness in people, but it’s also sad because of the necessity for this woman to pretend she is already taken in order for the creepy guy to leave her alone. Regardless, it’s nice to remember that there are good guys out there.
I think addressing issues of misogyny and other societal problems through the medium of comedy has the potential to be very helpful. If done in the right way, it can make the issue more accessible to the masses, because the audience does not feel as though they are being lectured about the issue. Instead, they are being entertained and educated at the same time. It can be a slippery slope, though; if the issue isn’t handled properly, there can be negative repercussions for the movement as a whole. Aziz Ansari clearly took this into consideration and was very thoughtful with his presentation.
When you’re taking your next homework break, be sure to check out Aziz Ansari’s newest Netflix comedy special. You will appreciate his insightful commentary on sexism and other issues our society faces today. And, perhaps most importantly, you will laugh a lot.
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