Hell no, says Nick Hornedo

‘Now that Trump is back in office, do you feel like you have more material? The jokes must write themselves.;

That’s a refrain I’ll hear every so often from non-comedians and people outside the United States. It’s well-meaning. And sure, from Trump’s falling out with degenerate ketamine-addict Elon Musk to JD Vance killing Pope Francis with his terrible personality, there’s been no shortage of material for Americans to laugh at between fits of hyperventilation.

But comedy as an art form, consisting of the community that creates it and the business that sustains it are under serious threat from the economic and social policies of the Trump administration.

Pursuing a career in comedy has never in history been a fiscally sound idea. Making it in the industry requires moving to cities with a high cost of living and performing for little income (do drink tickets count?). The Trump administration appears set on tariffs on foreign nations with the hope of boosting American manufacturing. It won’t work. Instead the price of foreign-made goods (which is everything) is going to soar, increasing the cost of living and making life more unaffordable for comics who were already scraping by in pursuit of their dreams. 

This impact gets exponentially worse if the tariffs throw the country into a recession. Right now, in the New York comedy scene, it feels like every day that I see another peer post on Instagram about getting laid off from their job. 

For those from wealthy families, that kind of news is just another obstacle. But for those without means, it’s potentially the end of their career. In the long-run, this will weed out poorer comics and homogenise the rising generation of comics.

While this impact is surely incidental (the President does not WANT to start a recession) the administration’s recent attacks on the rights of transgender people is in contrast much more sinister. 

In New York, there are multiple scenes and sub-scenes of comedians experimenting with style and refining their craft. Right now, some of the most distinctive and exciting comedy is coming from queer and trans comics. 

When the administration announced a series of executive orders limiting the rights of trans people, it sent a shockwave through that scene. Some comics scrambled to update their drivers licenses and passports. Others began stockpiling HRT for fear that it would no longer be covered under Medicaid, the government health insurance programme for low-income Americans. 

One day, I asked a trans comic at open mic how he was doing and he said: 'Oh you know. Just getting discriminated against by my government.’ It was said like a joke. But there was no exaggeration. It is hard for artists to develop their talents while their rights and access to critical healthcare is under attack. If this continues and if it gets worse, I wonder: How many comics will quit? How many will never start in the first place?

An optimist might say that now is the perfect time to embrace political satire, to speak truth to power. And while I’m sceptical about the actual impact of comedy on political consciousness, even that is under threat by the Trump administration’s attacks on freedom of speech. 

The administration has already used their power to unlawfully detain and deport legal residents who have expressed speech with which the administration disagrees. Most notably, Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent resident was detained by the US’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for his pro-Palestinian speech. While it’s not legal to expel someone from the country for exercising freedom of speech, Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that Khalil’s speech warrants deportation because it undermines foreign policy objectives. 

It doesn’t end with political activists. Ahead of a merger with Skydance, CBS cancelled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, despite its first place ranking among its late-night peers. While CBS claims the decision was made purely for financial reasons (the American late-night audience is shrinking), the timing is suspicious, as CBS's parent company Paramount will need approval of the federal government for its upcoming merger.

We don’t know if CBS is axing its most popular Trump critic to curry favour with the federal government, but that is the message this decision sends. It gives cover to any media corporation willing to scrap beloved cultural institutions to win points with the Trump administration.

If they can do this to political activists and successful late night shows,, why wouldn’t they do this to comics, writers, and anyone else’s opinions counter that of the state? The administration wants to silence dissenting opinions. This infringement on free speech creates a culture of fear that, if left unchecked, will silence and threaten the safety of any person who dares speak against the administration’s policy objectives or the Vice President’s husky face.

So, no. Four more years of Trump will not be a boon for comedy. The economic hardship and fear that the administration exacts on artists will make it much harder for comedians to make a living out of speaking freely.

And yet, this makes comedy more vital than ever. Not as a rhetorical weapon against a government with plenty of non-rhetorical weapons. But as a means of uniting people during what can feel like an isolating period in this country. 

Following his release from ICE detention this past June, Mahmoud Khalil made a surprise appearance at Ramy Youssef’s comedy show in New York. Khalil spoke on the importance of laughter, saying: ‘Our joy is an act of resistance.’

Comedy creates community. It joins people together in laughter, empathy, even cringe. In my own comedy bubble, I’ve witnessed my peers show up for each other during hard times, raising funds when cash is low and checking in when times are tough. I have no idea what the future of this industry looks like, let alone this nation. But I feel better knowing I’ll find out alongside my peers.

• Nick Hornedo: Watch This When You Get Home is on at Underbelly Bristo Square at 2.25pm during the Edinburgh Fringe.

Published: 2 Aug 2025