OPINION
In comments that must surely have female comics fuming, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has defended Louis CK's return to comedy and has regurgitated a tired line about 'meritocracy' in response to being queried about featuring more diverse comics at his new club.
In an interview with the , Kimmel - who is opening a new comedy club in Las Vegas next year - was asked: "You talk about curating your lineup but will you give thought to that curation with regard to having more female comics, for instance?"
This was his groan-worthy response: “Comedy is very democratic. The people who are great, rise to the top; the people who are good, rise to the middle; and the people who aren’t good, don’t make it. We want to get a lot of very funny people, and we want to give new comics an opportunity to work.”
“I don’t focus on their gender or their skin colour. I’d never want a woman to think that the reason she’s booked to be on stage at a club is because she’s a woman. The reason she’ll be booked to be on stage is because she’s funny,” Kimmel added.
As if that was not bad enough, he also defended , despite the fact the comedian to multiple allegations of sexual harassment against women.
"If we get into the business of sanitising every comedian and doing a thorough background check before they walk through the door, it’s going to be a very empty stage," Kimmel laughed. "I think people tend to focus on the one or two people who walk out of a situation like that. Ultimately, the audience decides whether someone is welcomed back."
These comments, from a so-called progressive "woke" celebrity, is proof that minority artists and women cannot depend on the whims and power of gatekeepers like Kimmel, who despite their liberal pretensions will ultimately and those like them.
What's more offensive about his "women will be booked if they're funny" line is the implication that any lack of women his line-up must be because women are simply not as good. The idea that those "who are good" just rise to the top is one of the great lies of the elite (see the 2016 US election as case in point).
Men like Louis CK get forgiven and given second, third and fourth chances by their mates. Minorities have to work twice as hard to get a platform to become known, and be twice as careful - knowing their mistakes will not be easily forgiven as those lucky enough to rely on the boys club to keep them in business. Meanwhile the toxic environment and culture created for female comedians is casually shrugged off.
The idea that success is solely dependent on the individual rather than also on a deep network of connections in highly networked industries is one of the great covers for the huge forces of racism, sexism and class that impede minority artists at every turn.
But the opening of the traditional gates with the internet and YouTube, and our changing political times sees a thirst for new voices that are slowly circumventing the Kimmels of the worlds. Hello , Mindy Kaling, Hari Kondabalu, Aamer Rahman, Nazeem Hussain.
Despite all the challenges and the steep climb, these new artists are creating capital from their difference and are an inspiration to those who want to follow.
The tide is turning against the establishment, who might have the power and networks but do not have their finger on the pulse of the times.
