Stand-up comedy routine mixes profanity, racial jabs to keep laughs rolling, address serious political issues
“My comedy’s a little ‘dangerous,’” comedian Ralphie May warned the several hundred students seated in the Russell House Ballroom.
May, Comedy Central’s overweight and politically incorrect Southern comedian came to USC Tuesday night, performing a stand-up routine courtesy of Carolina Productions.
May’s style of comedy, which he describes as “racially insensitive, politically incorrect and culturally controversial,” doesn’t shy away from touchy topics such as race, religion and sexuality. Rather, May attacks them, using his regularly profane and politically poignant comedy to point out society’s pretense and take his audience members so far past their comfort zones that they can’t help but surrender to his humor.
He’s an equal-opportunity comedian, making fun of everyone regardless of race or sexuality — blacks, whites, Asians, Latinos, gays, etc. No one is safe from his cutting wit. Even his own obesity is sometimes the brunt of his jokes. As he walked onto the stage, May chuckled, asking the audience, “Is anybody else nervous about this stage besides me?” joking that his weight might bring it down.
May spent the night pointing out the social hypocrisies and racism in an assortment of topics, such as flesh-colored Band-Aids (“They should come with a brown marker” for black people), “Dora the Explorer” (“Every episode, she’s always crossing a river”) and Arizona immigration laws (“What would we do without Mexicans? Who’s gonna pick our fruit? Blacks? Good luck with that”).
Through all of the profanity, racial stereotyping and jokes, May spread a message of unity and American spirit. He brought up real issues, simplified them to make jokes but also touched on the serious problems in American society.
Among his political fodder was the widely held belief that President Barack Obama is a Muslim, the Patriot Act and the U.S. Military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
He also spent time making fun of homophobes of the Westboro Baptist Church.
“‘God hates fags?’ Then why’s He keep making so many? Is he trying to redecorate the earth?” May joked. “Let’s make those mountains purple! Yes!”
His no-nonsense approach especially came through in his monologue deconstructing the DADT policy.
“Any of you ever been to a war zone? It isn’t ‘Call of Duty.’ It’s hot. There’s a lot of bombs, guns, explosions ... You know what there’s not a lot of? F***ing. You can’t f*** and not have a shower for a week and a half,” May joked.
Then he related it back to the audience, saying, “Though I’m sure some of you frat guys have tried.”
He performed his “Open Water” routine from his “Just Correct” album, saying that he didn’t like to reuse material but that he had received tweets asking him to do it.
May said he enjoyed performing at USC and that he appreciates the youthful and progressive attitudes, especially in the South, where ignorance tends to be more apparent.
“You know what I loved about it was that there’s a lot of divisiveness amongst the older generation here in South Carolina, the rebel flag ... but you guys don’t give a fat baby’s d***. We’re students. ‘What’s your color?’ ‘We’re Gamecocks.’ It’s a really nice environment,” May said.
May’s points hit home, and he made his impact by alternating sexual and racial humor and profanity with pop cultural references, with serious points about racism, ignorance and American values of freedom and equality.
The audience ate up his comedy, laughing at every joke and giving him an immediate standing ovation when he finished.
“You are the best,” May emphasized at the end of his show. “You have the hope. Stay mad.”