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Jimmy Failla is the living definition of “only in America.” Ten years ago, he was just a funny guy driving a cab; today, he is the host of “Fox Across America,” he has a successful side gig in stand-up comedy, and he is the author of “Cancel Culture Dictionary: An A to Z Guide to Winning the War on Fun.” But a career in comedy, which was already tough enough, is even harder in a time when people are more sensitive and less willing to laugh at the foibles that make us human. Failla made an appearance on 710 WOR’s Len Berman and Michael Riedel in the Morning program to discuss, among other things, how hard it can be doing comedy in the cancel-culture era.
“It’s wonderful to know that I’m one wrong joke away from driving a taxi again,” Failla opined with Berman and Larry Mendte, sitting in for Riedel. “I’m enjoying this because you’ve got to think of the plus side. We all have a starring role in the series finale of America, you know. It’s kind of a cool thing. Like, you remember the last season of ‘The Sopranos,’ and if you were on the air, you were like, wow, you know, you were on ‘The Sopranos.’ We’re all in the Sopranos version of America. This is like our season six right now; I’m just trying not to order the onion rings at Holstein’s.”
Failla even offered to write a joke for Kamala Harris, who turned down a seat at the Al Smith Dinner next month. “You know what, I would love this assignment, because- and this is the reason she’s not going, really quick- it’s because she won’t lean into roast humor. Roast humor means sometimes you defend your opponent. What Kamala could say, and it would be a really endearing joke, is she could say, ‘You know, I will defend Donald one thing- Bill Clinton at the DNC endorsed me, and he said, ‘Donald Trump is the most vile thing we’ve ever had in the Oval Office.’’ And I said, close, but no cigar.’”
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