With Laughter, ‘Climate Change’ Could Factor Into November Elections

Earlier we learned about Hotcoldwetdry support being inconsequential to the French elections. What about for the American?

Will climate change factor in the November elections? Maybe if we laugh about it

On a spring evening at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado, veteran comedian Chuck Nice welcomes several hundred people to the “Stand Up for Climate Comedy” show. The event, created by the University of Colorado Boulder and now in its ninth year, is described as “good-natured comedy”—meaning it’s good for nature, by having an environmental focus.

Nice, who regularly performs in New York City comedy clubs, says the show’s aim is to communicate about the climate crisis in a way where people can receive the message without “doom and gloom,” making them more apt to act.

Nice, who is a regular contributor to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s podcast, Startalk, says he thinks comedy can get people information they need without forcing them into their tribal corners. He thinks people are more willing to accept social commentary from comedians instead of pundits, who are trying to get audiences to see issues from their point of view.

In contrast, Nice said, “I just want you to laugh. I think this is funny. I think you should think it’s funny. And even if you don’t agree with what they’re saying, if you laugh, you’re listening.”

Does anyone in the climate cult have a sense of humor? I guess I’d have to hear this, because they all seem like humorless scolds, King Karens, unhinged tools, always propagating doom and gloom

The three professional comedians—each of whom work in the worlds of science and comedy—held a workshop with the students prior to the event where they shared their best tips. Before tonight’s show begins and while Osnes leads about 20 students on stage in warm-up exercises, Boykoff explained that the idea for the comedy event was to offer a way for students to express their concerns and fears around climate change, as well as their hopes and aspirations about their futures. The class has been very popular, and Boykoff says that there is a budding community across the U.S. and the world where more and more people are experimenting with comedy as a vehicle, not to trivialize important issues but to overcome differences among the political divides we face through the appeal of laughing together and finding some emotional relief through humor.

I just can’t seeing it being funny, and all they’re doing is preaching to the choir

According to the report, of the 28 issues they asked people about, global warming isn’t even in the top ten—it’s 19th on the most highly ranked concerns among voters. Still, Ballew adds that Americans understand that climate change is happening and that it’s human caused. Their new report shows that 62 percent of registered voters would prefer to vote for a candidate for public office who supports action on global warming.

According to Ballew, many other issues are higher policy priorities in the eyes of Americans compared to climate change, such as the economy, health care, and terrorism. It suggests that people have a finite pool of worry and can’t worry about everything. But he says: “That is unfortunate because we know that climate change and the impacts that it’s going to have intersects with a lot of these other issues.”

Ballew focuses on environmental and social psychology and believes that communicating through humor can be valuable.

“One thing I find very beautiful about comedy is that it allows for people to make connections between things that they might not normally think about,” he said.

Well, good luck. BTW, how are y’all traveling around? Are your own lives carbon neutral? And, let’s face it, global boiling has never been a top drawer issue, because it’s barely real and doesn’t stack up to the other issues.

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