Comedy: is politics that funny?

Comedy: is politics that funny?

From Academy of Ideas by academyofideas

June 11, 2026 · 1h 35m · Episode 321

About this episode

The episode explores the intersection of comedy and politics, questioning the current state of political satire in a climate of identity politics and cultural sensitivities.

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 on Saturday 18 October at Church House and the Abbey Centre, Westminster. ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION From Yes Minister to The Thick of It, the political class has always been a go-to topic for comedians and satirists. But in a world in which political developments have become so extreme and self-satirising, is it still so easy to find laughs in the corridors of power? Regardless, politics seems to impact on how we assess comedy too. When British comedian Sam Nicoresti became the first transgender person to win the £10,000 award for Best Comedy Show at the Edinburgh Fringe, some questioned if this was more political virtue-signalling than an assessment of comedic brilliance. Nicoresti’s statement added fuel to this disquiet: ‘I did this for the queers making weird art, and it’s a privilege to share this moment with the first all-female line-up of award winners.’ Mixing comedy and politics can be a double-edged sword. In an era of identity politics and offence culture, irreverence about political orthodoxies often collides with everything from hate-speech laws to cultural taboos, leading to cancelled shows, boycotts or social media storms…

Topics covered

  • comedy
  • politics
  • satire
  • identity politics
  • cultural taboos

Keywords

  • comedy
  • politics
  • satire
  • identity politics
  • cultural taboos
  • Ricky Gervais
  • Sam Nicoresti

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Battle of Ideas festival

Books & works: Yes Minister, The Thick of It

Places: Westminster

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