Yes, I Can Say That

When They Come for the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble

By: Judy Gold

Narrated by: Judy Gold

""No one makes me laugh harder than Judy Gold. If I had to pick one comedian to write a book about free speech, it would be Judy."" – Amy Schumer

From award-winning comedian Judy Gold, an equal parts thoughtful and hilarious polemic on the current efforts to censor comedians, arguing that they undermine the art—and purpose—of comedy itself.

“You can say anything that comes to mind as long as it is funny.” — Richard Pryor

The fallout after Michelle Wolf’s roast at the 2018 White House Correspondent’s Dinner, Samantha Bee’s forced apology after calling Ivanka Trump a “feckless c*nt,” Kathy Griffin’s being “blacklisted” from Hollywood after posting a photo with what looked like the president’s severed head, all represent a dangerous and growing trend—to censor comedians.

In Yes I Can Say That, comedy veteran Judy Gold argues that ""no one has the right to tell comics what they can or cannot joke about…. Laughter is a unifier. It's the best medicine. It's also the most palatable way to bring up seditious, subversive topics.” For Gold, nothing is more insidious than enforcing silence and repressing jokes—the job of a comedian is to expose society's demons, and confront them head-on, no prisoners allowed. In ten impassioned polemics, she frames comedy as a tool of empowerment, a way to reclaim hateful rhetoric and battle the democracy-crushing plight of censorship.

Uninhibited and bold, Gold is as skilled at making readers laugh as she is at exposing uncomfortable truths about our culture and society. In this era of partisan politics and gaping inequalities, Yes I Can Say That is the refreshingly candid, wickedly funny and deliciously blunt manifesto we need.

Love love love it!

Thank G-d someone as intelligent and funny like Judy Gold tackled this topic. She is brilliant.

Smart, hilarious and thoughtful

This book is mainly about the paralyzing effects of political correctness and cancel culture but in exploring that she covers a lot of territory and touches on so many different aspects of comedy and discusses other great past and current comedians to make her point. I love her sense of humor and intelligence and humanity. Hearing her read it is a bonus.

Must read for any stand-up comic

Was rivetted! As a stand-up comic closing in on 4 years of performing, was inspired.

very good

she tells a great store. heard of some female comedians that have been lost in the past.
get this book

Required Reading

if I talk classes somewhere I would require this as part of the reading material