As 2026 unfolds against a backdrop of international conflict, political upheaval, and technological anxiety, a surprising but potent line of defence is being championed: comedy. With Donald Trump launching attacks on Venezuela, artificial intelligence advancing, and devastating wars continuing in Ukraine and the Middle East, the world feels particularly bleak. Yet, experts and cultural commentators argue that humour is a weapon that must be protected and championed at all costs.
Truth-Telling in a World of Spin
While comedy offers joyous escapism—a valuable commodity in grim times—its core power lies in speaking truth. The most effective comedy, from surreal clowning to direct satire, reveals something fundamentally human. A stark example from 2025 involved broadcaster ABC's decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel's long-running talk show indefinitely following pressure from the White House. This came after Kimmel poked fun at the Republican MAGA agenda in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The move was seen as a terrifying benchmark for political censorship, though a vocal public outcry eventually led to Kimmel's reinstatement.
This incident highlighted the vulnerability of comedy to political sway and underscored its necessity. On stage, the truth-telling power of comedy was equally evident. At the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, performer Rosa Garland in Primal Bog used a naked, grotesque clown persona to expose shared human taboos, creating a wave of knowing, cathartic laughter. Meanwhile, the straightforward logic of satire, like Jim Jeffries' famed 2015 gun control routine, can dismantle flawed arguments with devastating clarity. In an era where truth is manipulated, comedy becomes not just important, but vital.
Bridging Divides in a Disillusioned Nation
Humour possesses a unique ability to bridge widening political chasms. It acts as a mediator in intensifying culture wars, from social media mobs to the rise of the far-right in the UK. Comedy serves as an accessible gateway to discuss complex political issues, engaging the politically disengaged. A concerning ONS survey found that 44% of UK adults have little or no confidence in their ability to participate in politics. Satire can invite them back into the conversation.
However, the national platform for such reactive comedy is arguably dwindling. While panel shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats and Mock The Week once dominated, their presence has faded. Mock The Week is being relaunched on TLC, a channel unlikely to command the same national conversation as the BBC or Channel 4. Social media has filled some of this void, with skits and commentary gaining traction—the viral lettuce that outlasted Liz Truss in 2022 being a prime, if silly, example of nationwide political ridicule. Yet, online algorithms often create echo chambers, making a unified, national comedic voice more crucial than ever.
The Ethics of the Punchline: Up, Not Down
The protection of free speech is paramount in comedy as in all democracy. Comedians like Jimmy Kimmel should never be silenced for criticising power, regardless of the joke's quality. Punching up—targeting those in authority—should never be a cancellable offence. Conversely, punching down at relatively powerless communities is a shameful waste of a platform that could be used to challenge the powerful and effect positive change.
And for those fearing AI's creative takeover, comedy appears safe for now. Asking a chatbot to generate genuinely good jokes typically results in bland, formulaic responses. Comedy's essence is too human, too tied to shared experience and nuanced truth. As we navigate the likely madness of 2026, protecting and amplifying our sharpest human comedic voices is not a luxury, but a necessity for perspective, unity, and a much-needed national belly laugh.
