“I’m like the worst famous person ever”— Amy Schumer.
Wednesday night I saw Amy Schumer’s show at the Prudential Center, and she did not disappoint. The jokes were rolling and I was having the best time. Stories about drinking, sex, and being ”trash from Long Island” were plenty, as expected. But, I think the best part of the entire show was that Amy went where a lot of celebrities feel is taboo to go. What I’ve realized now reflecting on the show a couple days later is that Amy used her platform to be an advocate for progress in this country.
She told the story of how last summer, two women were killed by a gunman who open fired at a movie theater playing her film, Trainwreck. All jokes aside, you could tell that Amy seriously felt guilt over the deaths of these girls. But, she explained how that guilt pushed her to get educated and make a difference in the current gun culture present in America today. And the best part is that even though this was a comedy show, these jokes were subliminally informing the audience on a prevalent and serious issue present in our country.
Did you know that in the state of New Jersey someone who is BLIND can purchase a gun? I didn’t.
Until Amy Schumer told me…and told me in a way that had me quite literally “LOL”. But thinking about this now garners the question, why is that the case? How can it be a good sign for our society, that a law regarding something as huge as guns, is so comical because it blatantly goes against every part of common sense?
Alongside this joke there was the hick gun loving man that Amy imitates. Which of course is so ridiculous, (but painfully accurate), and this brought about another valid point. These gun advocates literally don’t listen to what you’re saying. All they hear is “take away guns” and then all of a sudden they’re attacking you for taking “away their constitutional rights”. Even if you have the soundest of arguments. Like, people who physically cannot see should probably not be able to legally own a gun.
Amy doesn’t only address this serious and controversial political issue in her show, she also dives into a conversation on gender. Most of her routine is about sex, but these jokes are blatant in their message; men aren’t the only ones who are supposed to enjoy sex. It is okay for women to be sexual beings and COMFORTABLE in their selves, regardless of how they look.
She’s the first one to say “I love men” and her routine is not created as an attempt to say men are awful. But she points out the clear inequalities in how girls and boys are raised today. Girls are taught to be embarrassed and shy about their sexuality, whereas boys are taught to be proud and assert theirs. What makes Amy so great is that she outwardly challenges this. Although she may do this in a crude albeit hilarious way, she’s still a great voice for this generation.
So Amy, even though you may claim to be the “worst famous person ever”— I think you’re doing a pretty kick ass job at it.