3 Malaysian comedians weigh in on whether comics can function as social critics

While both men believe the primary role of a comedian is to incite laughter, Shamaine sees her role as an avenue for representation as well. “There aren’t many female comedians, so I hope by doing comedy more women will come to watch comedy and more women would want to become comedians. I also believe it’s good to have diverse voices in the creative industry. I think I, a female, Malay, Muslim, doing comedy is social commentary in itself. I’m giving a voice to a segment of society that often gets overlooked in this sphere. Loud and outspoken women are often deemed difficult in Malaysian society,” shares Shamaine.

“I believe my main role is to entertain, and if at the end of it all I manage to highlight certain issues or create awareness, it’s a bonus,” says Lim.“Laughter unites people of various backgrounds; it’s a truly wonderful sight to see when you’re up on stage,” adds Gajen.

Of course, comedy can be more than just making people laugh. This was evident in the skits produced by Lim during the height of the pandemic, which left many Malaysians in stitches. In times of crisis, comedians provide a much-needed release through laughter, underscoring the value of resilience and adaptability.

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Comedy captures the spirit of the times, offering a historical record of societal attitudes and events.

“I think when we are faced with issues, be they social, economic, political, etc, there are generally three ways of dealing with them. The first is to be angry and fight back, the second is to grudgingly accept and be bitter about it, and the third is to make fun of it. So technically everyone can be a social critic, but I think comedians do it with the most entertainment value,” says Lim.

“I believe that comedians are truth-tellers—we reflect on what’s going on in society. Our audiences know that, and they come for the truth while the mainstream media has to present a heavily censored observation of society. Yes, our main objective is to entertain, but as artists, I think we also must push boundaries and speak the truth to power,” adds Shamaine.

“Stand-up comedians tend to look at topics from various angles, sometimes perspectives not recognised by society, which is good. Whether stand-up comedians make good social critics, I can’t generalise; it’s subjective. A good social critic needs to be neutral, logical and have critical thinking skills to provide a balanced view—like me!” laughs Gajen.

Speaking of censorship, we also consider how cautious comedians need to be when they’re performing. Lim tends to avoid naming names and uses extended metaphors in his material. Meanwhile, Shamaine rarely posts her material online and typically performs in ticketed shows, so her audiences know what they have signed up for. Gajen adapts his material based on the type of shows he’s performing.

“If it’s a corporate show, then the material needs to be clean, and I tend to avoid social topics that can provoke—these are usually ironed out with the host before my performance. If it’s a stand-up comedy show at a club or event space, then the boundaries are wider,” he shares.

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When asked if they had ever gotten in trouble for their material, the trio shared their stories. “I was doing a corporate show when, at the time, the trending topic was a politician and his dodgy deeds—which I naturally made a joke about. Unbeknownst to me, the VIPs at the head table were close friends with said politician, so one guy stood up and shouted at me, ‘No more jokes about [redacted]!’ I apologised and moved on to my other material, but the mood of the room had already changed,” Lim tells of his ordeal.

“A few years ago, I was on Comedy Central Asia’s Stand Up Asia show which aired on a local IPTV channel—my set was edited out of the first airing but remained in the repeats. I take pride that censors think I’m a danger to Malaysian audiences,” Shamaine says.

“The general answer is no, but looking back at some of my material from years ago, I wouldn’t perform it today. Most of it doesn’t live up to my current standards, and some of it was not socially right either. But hey, growth takes time, and I urge audiences to understand that most, if not all, comedians and people who perform at open mics stand in front of you with the positive intention to entertain, and that we also need time and space to grow and hone our craft,” Gajen shares.

Lim agrees, “Any humour is bound to alienate some people. But what I try my best to do is to avoid overt provocation. Because that’s not what I am. I’m a comedian. I want to make you laugh, not make you angry.”

“My job is to make my jokes so funny that audiences don’t see them as provocation and alienating,” Shamaine shares about her professional role.

At the end of the day, comedians as social commentators play a vital role in shaping public discourse and can, in some way, influence societal change. Their unique blend of humour and insight offers valuable lessons and stands as a mark of time at that point in history for society.

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