The top comedians in the world are the ones who can make everyone laugh — from children to their parents and grandparents.
Nate Bargatze recently shared his theory as to why his clean comedy is such a hit.
“It’s the internet,” Bargatze said. “There are no restrictions anymore, so if you’re getting into comedy — or anything, really — there’s probably going to be a lot of cursing in the mix. Everybody can do whatever they want, but there aren’t many outlets where people can watch something and trust they won’t have a weird conversation with their kid later — or feel awkward watching it with their parents.”
So many shows are made for narrow audiences—for moms or dads, or just for children. But Bargatze mixes all of those.
“I want you to be able to sit there with your family and have fun and not be worried. I’m just trying to entertain you. I’m trying to give you a break. Everybody has stressful lives, and you really need an outlet — and I can be that for you,” he said.
Bargatze made it onto SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, keeping his act clean all the while, and likewise, Dustin Nickerson made it on the TONIGHT SHOW.
Every skit he does has to pass family approval.
Related: 5 Times Nate Bargatze Kept His Faith Front and Center
“My family has veto power,” Nickerson said. “If my daughter or wife says a bit’s not okay, it’s gone. I had a family before comedy, and I plan to have one after.”
Derrick Stroup, who has his own Netflix special, said, “I’m a Christian comedian that does clean comedy, and I think there’s a way that you can represent on stage in that way too.”
Stroup said clean comedy takes more work. It doesn’t include raunchy shock value, where the content itself may be the joke.
“When somebody’s clean, the writing — you have to finish your sentences,” he explained. “I can’t just end it with an emotional word. I’ve got to follow through and finish that joke.”
John Crist is another famously successful clean comedian who sells out shows.
“All my comedy is clean in the sense I just talk about my family, religion a little bit, get into my parents who just celebrated 50 years of marriage, so when my siblings went home to celebrate there were so many crazy things happening, I have lots of material to work with,” he joked.
He says the crowd lets him know if he takes a joke too far.
“You just need to listen to them — it’s like instant karma in that sense,” he said.
Bargatze just branched from the stage to the screen for his new movie, THE BREADWINNER. It’s also appropriate for the whole family.
To these guys, clean comedy isn’t all too complicated. It just means making everyone laugh.
Read Next: Clean Comedy Is on the Rise, and We’re Here for It
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