Comedian Leslie Jones recently appeared on Vulture’s “Good One” podcast, where she didn’t mince words about the current state of comedy and certain comedians she believes represent everything wrong with sho ck humor.
When host Jesse David Fox asked Jones about “something that people think is comedy that you think is not comedy,” the SNL alum launched into an impassioned critique of sh ock-value comedy that has become increasingly prevalent in certain comedy circles.
“Oh, sho ck humor,” Jones declared emphatically. “I hate sh ock humor. I hate people that say things because they want to sh ock you into laughter. That’s not funny and it never lasts. It never lasts. Be creative and write material. Sh ock material is just dumb.”
But Jones wasn’t content to leave her criticism general. She specifically called out comedian Tony Hinchcliffe by name, delivering a blistering personal attack:
“Like the Tony Hinchcliffes — and I’ll say it, ’cause f*** that f***-ass motherfer. Your f***ing mustache makes you look like a Puerto Rican p*rn star. Go f*** yourself, you little antsy motherf***er. Hey, go get your herpes taken care of.”
After Fox acknowledged the comment, Jones doubled down on her broader critique of this comedy style:
“Those comics, I don’t like those. I don’t like ’em because it’s not comedy. It’s mean. You know what I mean? It’s mean. It’s mean stuff. Comedy’s not supposed to be mean. Comedy’s supposed to be relieving.”
Jones drew a clear distinction between mean-spirited sh ock humor and the work of legendary insult comedians like Don Rickles, noting that:
“Even when Don Rickles, in his hardest, was funny as f***.”
She concluded her thoughts by suggesting that comedians who rely on sh ock value need professional help:
“Every time I see them comics perform, I be like, ‘Go to fing therapy, motherfer.’ Like, you need help… It’s a difference between ‘take my wife, please’ and ‘f*** my wife, please.’ You know what I’m saying?”
The comments come as Jones promotes her new Peacock special “Life Part Two,” in which she continues to showcase her brand of honest, personal comedy that she believes uplifts rather than tears down.