In a recent episode of The Jeff Dornik Show, legendary comedian
joined me for a candid conversation that cut right to the heart of what’s wrong with today’s entertainment industry—and why comedy stands alone as the last bastion of true free speech. Unlike the corporatized film and music sectors, where every word and scene must pass through layers of marketing and legal teams to avoid offending the easily triggered masses, comedy has remained gloriously untamed.Binder and I dove into how the woke culture has painted Hollywood into a corner, where edgy humor is no longer welcome, and the once-great studio comedies have been replaced with sterile, politically correct drivel. Stand-up comedy, however, is thriving because it’s the only place left where you can speak your mind without fear of cancellation.
We also explored the unifying power of laughter—how comedy has a unique ability to bring together people from all political stripes in a way that no other form of entertainment can. Whether you're a lefty, a conservative, or somewhere in between, there’s something deeply human about laughing together, something that transcends the divisive rhetoric being spewed from every other corner of society. But it’s not all fun and games.
Binder points out the hypocrisy of late-night hosts like Colbert and Kimmel, who have turned their platforms into soapboxes for their political agendas, shoving their views down viewers' throats instead of allowing the comedy to breathe. The reality is, comedy should be a place where nothing is off-limits, where we can laugh at the absurdities of all sides without worrying about being “right” or “wrong.”
In a world where everyone is quick to claim moral superiority, this episode serves as a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful act of rebellion is simply to laugh at it all. The conversation left me reflecting on my own journey—from being a hardcore Republican to embracing a more independent, libertarian perspective.
It’s a journey that requires stepping out of the echo chamber and challenging our own beliefs, something too few people are willing to do these days. But if we can learn to laugh at ourselves, maybe, just maybe, we can start to heal the deep divisions tearing this country apart.
Watch the full episode of The Jeff Dornik Show with Mike Binder here:
Comedian Mike Binder Explains Why Comedy Is Thriving While Hollywood Crumbles Under Woke Censorship