Sarah Silverman has spoken about what she perceives as a change in what is and isn’t acceptable in comedy in post-Ferguson America.  Related: Sundance 2015 review: I Smile Back – Sarah Silverman grins and bares all  The comedian and actor took part in a live conversation at the Toronto film festival to promote her new drama I Smile Back and discussed how her material has been modified.  “Racial jokes that were just kind of being absurd have less charm in a world where we’re all very aware that white cops are killing black teenagers on a daily basis,” she said. “In the context of the world as it is now, it would be less absurdist. It’s important to change with the times.”  Silverman’s material has often caused offence. In 2001, she used the word “chink” in a TV interview with Conan O’Brien which Guy Aoki of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) publicly objected to.  “I learned early on not to defend my material because there were going to be people were would be offended by anything I say,” she said. “I have to just go with the guide of my own gut and heart and stomach.”  Silverman also discussed the role of women in comedy and how she believes that they are now the dominant force in the field.  “We live in such a different landscape in terms of women and comedy,” she said. “Women run comedy. I always get that question of, like, ‘is it hard being in such a boys’ club?’ And I say, well the only remnant of that boys’ club is that question everybody asks. Because comedy’s run by women.”  She took the chance to respond to the controversy over Vanity Fair’s recent photo shoot which brought together all of the current late-night chat show hosts in the US, all of whom were male.  “I know I’m supposed to feel something about this but I don’t,” she said. “Somebody put women’s faces on top of their faces as a “what if?” but I know for a fact that at least four of these women were asked to host these same shows.”  Silverman’s role in I Smile Back, a role which sees her play a suburban mother who is a drug addict, has already earned her positive notices and some Oscar buzz.
The comedian spoke about the change in what people find funny – and about women’s new dominance in comedy – during a live interview at the Toronto film festival