Comedians are either funny or not. There have been great stand up comedians that did not use vulgarity as their only source of laughs, Jerry Clower comes to mind instantly. Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, and Bill Engvall are all hilarious with out profanity, while Ron White is just damn funny.

....i liked GEORGE CARLIN
i feel drowsy around Adam Sandler/Jerry Sienfeld.
So for me yes; Another interesting fact is we remove
and add words(language is a changing aspect if culture)
hence what is vulgar ? My parents time;my nieces
time. It will change.
THANKS,good post

Professional comedians have the terms "working blue" and "working clean" to designate when they are performing for an adult audience that is expecting and ok with some vulgarity, while the other term applies to performing for an audience that is more restricted in what they will accept, like a Christian, conservative, or underage audience of kids, or for a broadcast TV audience where censorship standards don't allow vulgarity.

I prefer my comedians to be vulgar. If you don't like profanity listen to Christian comedy.

As far as I could remember, sneaking listening to Moms Mabley, Red Foxx, Dolemite, Richard Pryor, George Carlin there was a bit of risque in their antics. They said things that others were afraid to say, and addressed uncomfortable topics....The comedians today can't hold a flame to the legends...so I listen selectively...

I think its a comedians job to make you squirm a little.....poke fun at things that are considered off limits for the most part. Having said that - vulgarity may be appropriate at times - but I've watched a number of the comedy shows on HBO channels and sometimes it seems as though they use (and over use) vulgarity in totally inappropriate ways. People like Bill Maher seems to have figured out how to zigzag in and around that line to keep you laughing without feeling embarrassed.

There's just only so much goody two shoes comedy before it gets boring. Comedy is funniest when it comes close to crossing the line and least funny when it is crossed. Comedians are therefore obligated to push limits but should be careful.
There are a few things that are just wrong. Racism, necrophilia, violence and many other subjects that are only funny to you if you agree or if the humor is mocking it. Therefore defence of racist jokes is telling more about the defender than teller of the joke.

It is a comedians job to push the boundaries and mock the ridiculous nature of our existence ( which doesn't sound very funny, but i'm not a comedian ?). Vulgarity for the sake of vulgarity is cheap humour.

Sure

Their job is to be funny, by whatever means they see fit. Often times comedians are the only ones that can speak offensive truths. Anytime you start asking questions other then was it funny or not you are losing the whole point.

Of course.

I think it depends on who they are attempting to entertain. Sadly, there are always people who only find humor in vulgarity.

NO! Certainly NOT unless they have an age restricted audience (18+)! I have no idea whatsoever who these people are that you all keep citing, so I presume they are just your local `entertainers'. But to my mind, if you have to resort to bad language to get a laugh, -you're NO comedian! Anyone can eff-and-blind, there is nothing whatsoever clever, or skilled about it. We all perform toilet functions as a daily neccessity, laughing hilariously about it is an embarrassing but normal stage of developement, for pre-pubescent children, but normally fades out during adolescence. If it doesn't, the child is quite probably anally-retentive, or suffering from a delayed-maturity syndrome. Such children, and immature adults, often do get over-excited with their latest discovery, and want to show-off to the World how clever they are, to have discovered this thing, that we all do, everyday!

[vimeo.com]

Comedians walk a fine line. They're supposed to. And sometimes they step over it.

I think that humor can be found in any situation. I think that the gallows humor I partook in while in the army is a good personal testament to that. Check out Doug Stanhope talking about his mothers assisted suicide. On the surface the topic could seem too serious to joke about, but give it a listen...its hilarious!

Depending on the audience. Stand up comics more so starting with Lenny Bruce and George Carlin started it all.

Yes sometimes

I think part of a comedians job is to make us a little bit uncomfortable sometimes and to point out some of our hypocrisy

Comedy is just that. If you are funny you may make a job or source of income out of it, great.
And if you fill a room of fans with your material , so be it. Do not listen if it is offending. No problem.

Vulgarity, up until a certain extent, is highly effective in comedy for illiciting laughs.

When you're at the level of vulgarity of someone like Denis Leary, then it's not funny, but anything below that is fine.

Extreme graphic humor about blood, gore and bodily functions are also by definition not funny.

Comedy isn't comedy if it offends no one.

Yes, and I enjoy it!

It is vulgarity job to be funny at times?

Yes