Steve Martin and Martin Short are currently on a comedy tour together, and they have explained that they intentionally keep jokes on politics and President Donald Trump out of their acts.
Before the election, we did a lot of Trump material, a lot of political material, and it was fine, Martin told IndieWire. After the election, you started to hear comments from the audience, whether it was a yay or a boo, and we said, We dont want that. Were not here to preach.
So we started limiting the divisive political material from the act because you get that on late-night TV. Its not something you want to pay (for). Were just trying to be funny.
Short agreed with Martin, explaining to the Los Angeles Times that they have an audience that is filled with people of all political beliefs, and that they dont want anyone in their audience to feel bad for what or who they support.
Martin also added, I dont want to preach or teach or anything like that. I want to kind of humorously stimulate by turning a phrase or getting a laugh.
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Short and Maritn are trying not to show any political bias in their show, and try to switch it up even when Short plays fictional interviewer Jiminy Glick, as the Washington Examiner reported.
When it comes to politics, you dont want to make half the audience feel like theyre inappropriate, Short said. So even when were doing Jiminy Glick, we try to go back and forth.
The comedic duo both agree that the agenda of their show is not to offend those who watch it, and to push an envelope at this stage of our lives would seem so desperate.
For me, its not my forte, Martin said. Im not known as a political comedian for a reason I actually made a choice a long, long time ago. I just feel it takes the audience out of the show a little bit.
They were also asked about how other comedians have stated that political correctness, especially on college campuses, makes it hard for comedians to perform well.
I totally understand what theyre saying and I think there is oversensitivity and an overreaction a lot of the time, Short said.
But it doesnt play into our shows too much, because our agenda is more of a joyful thing as opposed to going after somebody. Were not social satirists. Were more clowns.
Martin added, You cant tell an audience how to respond. If 20 percent of the audience is offended by something that youre doing that you believe in, well, (you) really shouldnt be performing for that audience.
Martin and Shorts tour is called An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life and includes stand-up humor, music, fake ventriloquism, goofy childhood photos and a human bagpipe, according to the Los Angeles Times.