Essay 1

An Inconvenient Comedy: 
Sarah Silverman’s Controversial, Absurd Character 

“The most difficult character in comedy is that of the fool, 

and he must be no simpleton that plays that part.” 

-Miguel de Cervantes

Born in 1970 in New Hampshire to a mother who started a theater company and a social worker/businessman father, Sarah Silverman’s comedic nature has familial roots dating back to her birth. A unique individual, Sarah’s father took pride in teaching his daughter how to swear at the age of 3. He would then encourage her to display her new vocabulary among company and in stores, so that she would elicit laughter from those nearby. Silverman describes the experiences as “addicting.” Since she had no repercussions for swearing, and even received laughter and approval, she wanted to continue the cursing. Incorporating ample amounts of swearing in her routines, Silverman’s entire comedic sketches are likely direct results of her childhood and upbringing. 

Suffering from lifelong clinical depression, Silverman traces the roots of her problem to the divorce of her parents when she was 6 years old. Describing this as a terrible event that changed her life, Sarah explains her feelings as “homesick even though I was at home.” Unable to find a way to cope with her emotions, her parents started sending her to a psychiatrist. At the age of 13, her first psychiatrist immediately began prescribing her Xanax. Soon, this psychiatrist hung himself before one of her appointments. Silverman recalls sitting in the office for the remainder of her appointment time, and never discussing the tragic event with her parents. Her next psychiatrist began upping her prescription, so much that she was eventually taking 16 pills a day for several of her teenage years. Worried about the effects of so many drugs, a new doctor then began weaning her off the pills, and by the age of 17 she had taken her last dose. 

Silverman’s depression likely allows her to see the world through a different lens.

Instead of seeing events as simply either good or bad, her outsider perspective helps her formulate her strong opinions and comedic style. When, in one routine, Silverman jokes that she believes blacks, had they been in Germany at the time, would have been killed instead of the Jews, she does so completely seriously and, ironically, almost in a childish manner. While most people know that racism and the Holocaust are atrocities of humanity, these people lack the same outsider/insider experiences of Silverman.  She sees that racism and the Holocaust are bad, but she takes it even further. Instead of simply making fun of Jewish and black groups, she assumes the role of a bigoted, naive person expressing her “views” of these groups of people. In a perfect depiction of her comedy, Silverman has described her approach as “taking something bad, then going with the complete opposite.” 

Further, her ironically childish character is as much an outsider from society as Silverman is herself. The outlandishness of her character is so unbelievable that the audience is able to laugh at otherwise very controversial statements. Part of Silverman’s comedy is the fact that the views she expresses are so outlandish and unlikely themselves. Removed from societal norms and expectations, her character can say more controversial without backlash from viewers. The audience knows, because of the absurdity of her statements, that Silverman does not believe that Jews driving German cars is “gay,” so they do not feel bad laughing about it. Had she lived a more pampered childhood, without depression or troubles, Silverman likely would not be as able to show her outsider’s flavor, and would likely not be as funny (at least in the same ways that she is now). 

Although Sarah was raised with no religion and proclaims to be agnostic, she describes herself as “very much Jewish,” with Jewish ancestry. Her comedy can easily be linked to her lifelong paradox of being essentially “Jewish but not Jewish.” Constantly in her comedy routines, Silverman references some stereotype or complaint about Jewish people. Discussing the irony of Jews buying German cars in light of the Holocaust, she proclaims that, “Jewish people who drive German cars, it’s just so gay.” Even in an early routine in 1992 talking about her sister getting married, Silverman says that her sister and brother-in-law took each other’s names so that she is now “Susan Silverman-Obromowich” and that “they might as well just shorten it to The Jews.” Being raised without religion, Silverman is able to see into the biases and stereotypes that surround certain religions without the religious bias itself. She is able to find the truths, the untruths, and the completely ridiculous ideas that some people share regarding certain religions. Sarah takes full advantage of her position by exemplifying the most absurd stance she can possibly find, such as in the previous example of Jews driving German cars being “so gay.” Most people in society would agree that it is ironic that some Jews drive German cars, but Silverman’s insider/outsider position allows her only an outsider could think of such an outlandish view as it being “gay.” 

However, Silverman is not simply an outsider to religion, she is also an insider. Describing her family and self as very Jewish (not spiritually, but in actions and lifestyle), she shows that she has had experience in the Jewish culture. This insight allows her to both craft religious jokes without as much criticism as others would likely face and to craft jokes that an outsider of the Jewish culture would likely not think of. In her video “The Great Schlep,” Silverman comedically urges Jews in America to go to Florida to see their grandparents and urge them to vote for Obama. Had Silverman not been raised in the Jewish culture, she would most likely not have made this video. Many Americans joke about the stereotype that grandparents go to Florida and then are not often seen by their grandchildren, but only someone raised in the Jewish culture would have both the idea and courage to make a video like “The Great Schlep.” Without a Jewish background, her video would likely have been rejected by the Jewish community as insensitive and offensive. Her religious outsider/insider perspective gives Silverman a unique point of view and opportunity as a comedian.

Sarah Silverman is an outsider with a distinctive history. Suffering from depression since her parents’ divorce at age 6, she developed an addiction to Xanax during her teenage years. Growing up without religion, she still maintained a culturally Jewish upbringing. These unique experiences combine to define her comedy routines of a very serious, bigoted ignoramus with absurd views on religion, racism, sexism, and Jews. With such a distinct, outsider’s routine, it is no doubt that in an interview with Silverman, reporter Katie Couric described her comedy as “demented.” 

Works Cited

1.  The Great Schlep. Perf. Sarah Silverman. YouTube. 25 Sept. 2008. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgHHX9R4Qtk>.
2. Jesus Is Magic. Perf. Sarah Silverman. 2005. YouTube. 13 Feb. 2009. Web. 07 Oct. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6E9sJ6B-u8>.
3. Sarah Silverman Early Standup. Perf. Sarah Silverman. YouTube. 8 Mar. 2009. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEb-sXmcMLE>.
4. "Sarah Silverman's Demented Comedy." Interview by Katie Couric. YouTube. 21 Oct. 2008. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZlND366m-c>.