Leftist journalists are extremely upset about MTV Video Music Award host comedian Sebastian Maniscalco’s jokes about people who get upset about jokes.
A quick search of Maniscalco’s name brings up dozens of articles that are outraged about his bit where he took shots at outrage culture.
Maniscalco, who had previously vowed that he wouldn’t make the show political, opened the show with a bit about safe spaces and participation trophy’s — telling nominees that they won’t be getting a ribbon if they lose and that they should just work harder next year. The observational comedian also took aim at influencers and trigger warnings.
“Now, just a couple of announcements before we get started. This is happening for the first time: MTV, what they’re doing is, they noticed that we’re living in ultra-sensitive time, right? So if you feel ‘triggered,” or you feel offended by anything I’m saying up here, or anything the musical artists are doing, they’re providing a safe space backstage where you’ll get some stress balls and a blankie. And also Little Nas X brought his horse, which will—yeah, horses backstage—which will double as an emotional support animal. So if you want to talk to your ushers, they will send you back to where that’s happening. Personally, I would remove you from the arena, put you in your car, and send you home, but they opted with the safe space,” Maniscalco said.
“While we’re talking about feelings not getting hurt, I just want to let you know that MTV is doing this old school tonight. They’re giving out one trophy per category, all right? Not everybody’s walking away with a moon person or a participation ribbon. This is not Little League. So if you don’t win tonight, I do have a little advice for you: Next year, work harder. Are we ready to get this thing started or what?”
In response, the aptly named Cosmopolitan magazine published a piece asserting that he “chose to make his foray into the public’s lexicon by making fun of the need for marginalized people to feel safe in this day and age. He basically reduced that need and compared it to people just being overly sensitive. In short: It was rude, ignorant, and uncalled for.”
Mashable published a post complaining that he “opened the show with a series of jokes punching directly down at the crowd in front of him, and not in a particularly clever way.”
In an exceptionally angry post, Refinery 29 claimed that the network “by hiring Maniscalco, MTV is definitely aligning itself with a certain audience — just not the people watching the VMAs.”
The blue-checked cancel brigade was also out in full force over on Twitter.
So much of Maniscalco’s humor is old man “get off my lawn” type jokes so he’s an … interesting choice for VMA host
— Adam Serwer 🍝 (@AdamSerwer) August 27, 2019
went from not knowing who Sebastian Maniscalco is to thinking he’s a hack and a prick in about 5 minutes, so good job #VMAs
— Sam Adams (@SamuelAAdams) August 27, 2019
The creepy/resentful/out-of-touch uncle vibe of Sebastian Maniscalco… DISCUSS! #VMAs
— Tony Bravo (@TonyBravoSF) August 27, 2019
Someone get Sebastian Maniscalco’s tired ass middle age rhetoric off the stage immediately
— steven :) (@smtv_97) August 27, 2019
sebastian maniscalco is trash. are safe spaces and participation trophies really the only things you could think to joke about, dude? to quote you: “WORK HARDER.”
— alana (@alanagail) August 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/kayleerosebud/status/1166143887808897024?s=20
The anger about Maniscalco’s light jokes proves his point pretty well, if you ask us.
Great example of filter bubbles is media people tweeting 'Who is this guy?!?!' about Sebastian Maniscalco, who grossed $21.5 million in ticket sales last year – third only to Kevin Hart and Jeff Dunham among comics – and sold out Madison Square Garden four times over in January
— Eric Renner Brown (@ericrennerbrown) August 27, 2019
Sometimes it's not your night. But the good news is the 22,000 paying customers planning to see Sebastian Maniscalco at the United Center in November won't be swayed by Gen Z Twitter.
— Pat Tomasulo (@pattomasulo) August 27, 2019
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter prior to the event, Maniscalco said “my jokes are absent of politics. They’re basically jokes about the most mundane things, whether it be about the subway or flying or talking about my immigrant father. I’m not touching any hot buttons in my comedy, and that won’t change for the VMAs.”
