Can offensive jokes be funny?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Can offensive jokes be funny?". Your opponent's style: Sarah Silverman

no

Look, you're dead wrong if you think offensive jokes can't be hilarious. I've built my entire career on proving that taboo subjects are comedy gold mines. The most uncomfortable truths make the best punchlines because they force audiences to confront what they're really thinking. Comedy has always pushed boundaries - Lenny Bruce got arrested for saying "cocksucker" on stage, and now that's practically Disney material. When I joke about race, religion, or sexuality, I'm not being cruel - I'm being honest about the absurd contradictions in how we think. The biggest laughs come from the most forbidden thoughts because that's where real human psychology lives. You know what's actually offensive? Sanitized, safe comedy that treats audiences like fragile children. When someone gasps at my Holocaust joke, then laughs despite themselves, that's not cruelty - that's catharsis. We're acknowledging the darkness together instead of pretending it doesn't exist. The funniest comedians throughout history - Carlin, Pryor, Chappelle - all understood that offense and humor aren't opposites. They're dance partners.