Ben Bankas is one of America’s fastest rising comic stars. Moving to Austin from Toronto, he quickly established himself as one of the new scene’s most popular voices, achieving a devoted following through his timely black comedy. He’s also one of the most prolific performers; while most comedians take years between specials, Ben has released no less than 6 in the last 3 years. Today, his YouTube channel, where he posts clips, specials and episodes of his podcast, boasts over 160,000 subscribers.
Why did we invite him on?
We love comedians. That’s no secret. Often, they represent a break from the heady, difficult conversations we have on this show. As rewarding and brilliant as they are, it can start to weigh on you, and inviting comics gives us and them a license to laugh. It’s therapeutic.
But that’s not why we invited Ben. Ben’s irrepressibly funny, but he’s also genuinely outspoken. The reason his work resonates with his audience is because of the unshakeable feeling that one gets when they see it - that he believes what he’s saying.
Hyperbole and shock are ingredients, but while many of his peers have made names for themselves pedalling in those things exclusively, Ben is unapologetic and unflinching about saying what he truly thinks. Like it or not, it makes him an ideal guest.
What did we talk about?
”In a way, the more angry people get at the joke, the better. These people have all their problems, and still they choose to be mad about my comedy. You’re welcome - I gave you a break from your own life.”
The role of the comic is an odd one. They’re tasked to distract us from ‘the real world’ as often as they are to hold a mirror up to it. It’s a role that requires tact, consideration, and an artful touch. At least, it does to most - not to Ben. To Ben, funny’s funny, and it’s no more complicated than that.
”A lot of comedy is about making people laugh, but also making them say ‘It’s not the right time!’. I don’t belive in that idea. I don’t believe in censoring myself. If it’s on a stage and people have paid for it, it is the right time.”
Some have accused Ben of going ‘too far’, of ‘punching down’. Looking at the comments of his videos, you don’t have to scroll far before you find someone wagging their finger. Ben finds it amusing; if these people saw his act in person, their hair would whiten.
”My [most shocking] jokes …. I don’t post those. Those are just for the audience. Those are for the people in the room.”
It’s hard to imagine Ben going much darker than what he lets see the light. Occasionally, it’s cost him.
Earlier this year, Ben was embroiled in controversy over his dicey ICE material. The ongoing raids are a sore spot for Americans. They horrify the left, embarrass the right, and alienate the middle ground. It’s not hard to understand why; whether you think the actions are just or not, the footage is disturbing, and there are enough scandalous stories to give the average person pause for thought.
To Ben, it’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.
”I’m Canadian, so I’m an immigrant. I think we need to get rid of these people. I don’t know what to say. It’s the same in Canada. There’s no deporting these people in Canada - they just get a notice and they’re supposed to self-deport. It’s not good for the country; Canada’s becoming a safe haven for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Is that healthy? I want to have a safe, healthy, beautiful country, wherever I am.”
Ben’s most abrasive material on the subject concerned the then-recent death of Renee Good - an American woman who was fatally shot after she attempted to block a convoy of agents with her car. The incident had a deeply polarising effect. To some, she was a peaceful protestor, to others (including White House officials), she was a domestic terrorist.
Comedy = tragedy + time. Ben has little regard for the ‘time’ element of that equation.
”I made a joke about it right when it happened. And it was very funny. At least to my audience. The people who got upset, they were always going to get upset. I don’t care.”
Unsurprisingly, there was a backlash. Shows weren’t cancelled, but Ben’s name was dragged through the mud. Today, he laments how one-sided the discussion has become.
”The venues only care about liberal complaints. They get 50 people who want it cancelled, and that matters more than the hundreds with tickets, the thousands more who wanted tickets and couldn’t get them, and the millions who want to see it online. They don’t care about complaints from the right, or even their customers. The left say ‘It’s free speech, not freedom from consequences.’ It’s a sold-out show! And it’s being cancelled… Is that a free country? Is that free speech?”
