Gina Yashere on comedy in the era of Trump

Gina Yashere fears her jokes could get her kicked out of America, in the age of Donald Trump.

The British comic, who now lives in Brooklyn, says that the President has been proven to use his powers vindictively – and could end up deporting her for speaking out.

‘I feel that I could catch his eye and have ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] turn up at my door and say "your green card has been revoked,"’ she said.

Yashere added that she did not see herself as a political comic, ‘but as a black female lesbian immigrant I’m a political statement just walking down the street.’

Her comments came during a panel discussion about political comedy at Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival today – where she also claimed that ‘England is better at racism than America, we’re just more polite and more quiet about it.

‘The only reason less black people are dying in England is because the cops don’t carry guns.’

While Trump dominates the news cycle, and by extension the political comedy scene, the panel agreed that America’s problems don’t start and end with him.

Anthony Atamanuik, who portrays POTUS on Comedy Central’s The President Show, said: ‘In a heist, he’s the distraction while they are robbing the bank.

He added that ‘when he’s gone everyone will say "thank god things are back to normal"’ – while ignoring all the fundamental problems in America from corporate greed, to inequality, to lack of healthcare provision.

None of the panel thought Trump’s rise was good for comedy, despite that being the prevailing opinion.

Comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff quoted Norm Macdonald who said: ‘Trump makes things easier for bad comedians, but harder for good ones.’

Comic and 30 Rock star Judah Friedlander agreed, saying: ‘It’s very easy to do weak comedy about the President instead of examining the whole Trump regime and how both main parties are at fault for where we are today. If everyone was given a fair shake of the stick, we wouldn’t be where we are.’

Published: 28 Jul 2018