To answer this question, one must realize the difference between these two eras depends on several factors: the type of humor, the time period in question, and the medium. Yesterdays comedians were dominated by canned laughter, and starchy hook lines, and dubious timing. Much of today’s comedians tend to be sophomoric and unfunny. The two comedy eras are basically the same, but with different brands of humor. Yesterday’s comedy tended to be drier, more precise, while today’s comedy is more punchy and broad.

Earlier comedians came on the heels of war and strife, and the ability to make people laugh was a far simpler task. It helped people to be able to handle grievous memories filled with horror and much sorrow. It allowed people to feel good again. People who had experienced harsh times made some of the best comedians.

Then traditional comedians changed; there was the lack of taste, decency and moral standards. These attributes were replaced by the vulgar, the foul mouth, and a multitude of curse words. Governments are attacked, people, no matter who you are, are ridiculed, morals, religions, standards, race, cultures, I could go on, are made fun of in the name of comedy. No one and nothing is safe from today’s comedian.

A lot of people prefer today’s comedian because he/she says things that people are thinking, but are afraid to say themselves. Today’s comedian tells the truth, no matter how brutally honest it is. Most of today’s comedians do not observe any sanctity. If it exists, it is a target of ridicule. Some people find this funny.

Today’s comedians rely on swearing like a drunken sailor as way of getting laughs, and the majority of their routines are crammed with vulgar, course words, as if dirty words are the routine. A lot of today’s comedians are too crude, too base and much too reliant on toilet humor, and after awhile, it becomes tedious. It is like they know nothing funny to say, so they fill the void with vulgarity.

Today’s comedians should take lessons from yesterday’s comedians. Yesterday’s comedians employed slapstick, shock, funny anecdotes, goofiness to create laughter, whereas today’s comedians employ vulgarity. Not only should the comedians take lessons from yesterday’s comedians, but the people who think today’s comedians are funny should step back and take a serious look at themselves.

I love to laugh, and good clean humor, to me, is funnier than listening to a comedian you cannot understand because he/she is constantly being bleeped. I do not believe in censorship, I do believe in freedom of speech, but I also believe in decency.