The scenario has reigned supreme for generations: Someone makes an “insensitive” joke and a “hypersensitive” recipient takes extreme offense to the contents of the comment. They can argue for hours, each party arguing they have the better moral perspective, maturity or sense of humor, but who really gets to decide where the line is drawn?

The very essence of comedy is defined by the broader commentary it invokes, whether that be direct or indirectly. In order to make profound commentary about controversial topics, you inevitably come across unavoidable hurdles, but when does a joke become so jarring, so distasteful that it’s deemed outright offensive?

Sacha Baren Cohen is a famous English comedian who has completely mastered the art of creating some of the most profound and insightful works of comedy all the while bordering the distinction of being “too offensive.”

He’s worked on a number of widely successful films portraying downright idiots like “Borat,” “Brüno” and “Ali G.” His fabricated personas with their outrageous personalities have interacted with numerous famous celebrities, politicians and robustly hateful people. Cohen’s unassuming demeanor and provocative questions immediately disarm his subjects, allowing them to reveal their own wretched characteristics with little to no fight.

Cohen has been the subject of numerous controversies, lawsuits and criticism for his brash approach to comedy. His genius ability to ruffle the feathers in wildly inappropriate settings has led many to deem his work as incredibly offensive, but that’s exactly why his comedy is so beautifully orchestrated and uniquely impactful. Aside from being funny, the bold actions Cohen takes invoke an incredibly profound dialogue, critiquing people and institutions in such an effortless manner. 

Despite individuals like Cohen and their pronounced ability to use the borders of offensiveness to their advantage, many more individuals really obviously take things too far within their comedy. A relatively new genre of internet humor had emerged within the past decade or so: dark humor. Dark humor is a style of comedy with subject matter containing taboo subject matter, typically topics that would normally be considered offensive. 

Advocates of so-called “dark humor” quite commonly claim that their style of joking is edgy and jarring on purpose, that people who think otherwise are far too sensitive. While I am a strong advocate of bordering the edges of offensiveness, there’s undoubtedly come a point where it becomes extremely distasteful. 

If a joke is downright hateful or obviously prejudiced, it should in no way be categorized as “quirky, dark humor;” it’s just plain offensive. In a perfect world, this distinction would be very clear, but unfortunately, it was never that simple. There will inevitably always be disagreement surrounding so many attempts at humor. One idea is very clear, however; next time you’re about to crack a witty joke, consider things like the right audience, the broader commentary and the people who might take offense to your joke.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Aida Karim at [email protected].