This week Independent Lens asks if the Holocaust should be off-limits to comedians.
The Last Laugh is a 90-minute documentary that asks whether some subjects are just too sensitive to be funny. Should certain topics always be taboo for comedy?
Comedians and indeed humans in general often use humor to make light of things that are in fact very serious or tragic.
It’s a sort of coping mechanism perhaps, that gets people through difficult times and helps them come to terms with terrible events — whether it’s the dark humor of morticians or the jokes doctors often crack to relieve the tension of a stressful day.
But where is the line? Is there one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mwt0FAxwr0
This documentary includes a profile of Auschwitz survivor Renee Firestone and includes a fascinating discussion with her and fellow survivor Elly Gross.
They both have very different takes on how to move forward from the terrible events that took place during WWII.
Elly feels that she cannot truly enjoy the beautiful things in life with the memories of children screaming during the camp selection process and the other terrifying things that took place in those dark days.
Renee is more positive and says that you cannot live in the shadow of the past, saying: “I’m so happy that I have three great grandchildren. Could Hitler imagine that I will survive and have three great-grandchildren? That’s my revenge.”
There are also interviews with various comedians and some rare film of cabarets put on in the actual concentration camps, as well as some fascinating footage from a Jerry Lewis comedy called The Day the Clown Cried which was never released.
Independent Lens airs on Mondays at 10pm on PBS.