So many people going “Rape threat not cool BUT (always a but) "there are so many other things to joke about, why do comedians only go after religion/politics? They don’t. They joke about a lot of delightfully innocuous stuff, and get into trouble anyway. Quick refresher [Thread]

2020: In a fictional series by a comedian on Netflix, a fictional character refers to fictional lawyers as "thieves/scoundrels". This made lawyers(!) V ANGRY(!)they sent Netflix a legal notice for “causing disrepute to the profession”, demanded apology + the content be removed

In 2018, a Mumbai comic released a comedy special w/ a 4-min bit on why he hates DJs. DJs(!) got V ANGRY(!), showed up at a Gurgaon venue where he was performing to beat him up. His subsequent shows in Pune were cancelled for "security reasons"

2018: Chennai comic compared Telugu actor Mahesh Babu to Katrina Kaif (expressionless). Babu fans attacked him online & the Telugu Movie Artist Association(MAA) sent the Nadigar Sangam a notice, demanding action for "extremely derogatory comments”. He had to issue a video apology

2018: A contestant on Comicstaan was shamed for resorting too often to "vulgar humour" that had "too much boobs & dicks". Threats to file an official complaint followed. After the show wrapped, despite being one of the strongest contestants, the artist kept a low profile for ages

In 2017, a Delhi comic made a joke about the Royal Enfield Bullet ("it's like Harley Davidson had sex with Rajdoot") & a group of motorbike enthusiasts(!) got V ANGRY(!) and sped into him with incessant trolling online for weeks threatening physical harm if they ever saw him IRL

In 2016, a Mumbai-comic used Snapchat's face swap filter to create a sketch between "Sachin Tendulkar" and "Lata Mangeshkar" arguing. This made everyone V ANGRY(!) about “disrespecting legends”. The backlash included death threats, and he had to issue an official apology.

I don’t even know where to begin with the things the women in comedy are constantly subjected to. Theyre fat-shamed, slut-shamed, and threatened with rape long before they’ve even set up the joke - because how dare you talk about PMS, bras, sex, men.

Yesterday, a Mumbai comic in an interview with @fayedsouza said that a group of men showed up at her mother’s office(!) to say “dekho aapki beti kya bakwaas kar rahi hai”.

So the List of Banned Topics so far (and just off the top of my head): religion, politics, motorbikes, DJs, actors, sportspersons, lawyers, singers, undergarments, periods, sex, anything to do with the human body.

This is besides those offended by jokes about cows, doctors, dentists, sexuality, airhostesses - which stayed online but was at the receiving end of relentless outrage.

And I’m not even going to get into That Roast.

There is actually very little political comedy in India because artists are terrified of the consequences. Ditto for religion. The reason you hear so much more about this stuff is because it's a speed magnet for FIRs, which is when mainstream media picks it up & brings it to you