In this episode, Patricia Morency explores the multifaceted world of stand-up comedy, focusing on Kevin Hart's recent Netflix roast and the broader cultural implications of comedy as a social critique. Delving into her personal history with comedy, she examines how jokes can both reflect and influence societal norms, racism, capitalism, and identity.

Key topics:

• Patricia's lifelong relationship with comedy, from childhood to professional critique
• The significance of comedy specials and the oral tradition in Black communities
• The nuanced debate about “how far is too far” in comedy and the evolution of social norms
• Analysis of Kevin Hart’s roast: Capabilities, choices, and implications of offensive jokes
• The influence of capitalism and mainstream media on celebrity content and comedy ethics

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Introduction to Comedy and Personal Connection
• 2:19 The Roast of Kevin Hart: Context and Reactions
• 5:07 Comedy as a Healing Space for Communities
• 7:22 Oral Traditions in Comedy and Audience Engagement
• 10:14 Kevin Hart's Comedy Style and Influences
• 12:20 The Politics of Comedy and Capitalism
• 14:48 The Impact of Kevin Hart's Roast on Society
• 17:25 The Role of Race and Identity in Comedy
• 19:23 Kevin Hart, Capitalism, and the Drive to Keep Working
• 30:10 Exploring Kevin Hart's Sociopolitical Leanings
• 33:11 Traditional Values and Masculinity in Comedy
• 35:42 The Complexity of Cheating and Relationships
• 40:37 The Impact of Comedy on Social Issues
• 45:27 The Intersection of Comedy, Capitalism, and Responsibility

Resources & Links:

Top 4 jokes from Eddie Murphy’s “RAW” that have changed in meaning today: https://mediacritiquechic.com/2017/11/10/top-4-jokes-from-eddie-murphys-raw-that-have-changed-in-meaning-today/

Roy Wood Jr. “receipt joke”/example of call and response: https://www.tiktok.com/@lolnetwork/video/755973204250680043

Anti racist psychotherapy by David Archer: AfrocentricDimensions: https://www.traumaaiduk.org/workshop-reflections-rap-strategies/

White Supremacy Culture—Worship of the Written Word: https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/worship-of-written-word.html

@theconsciousleehttps://www.threads.com/@theconsciouslee/post/DYz9kz9AaTx/video-to-our-beloved-brother-kevin-hart

@londalejr (comedian)https://www.threads.com/@chescaleigh/post/DYTCa-VGXMN/easily-one-of-the-best-takes-ive-heard-on-the-kevin-hart-roast-from-a

Comedy isn't "dead" because people called out the racist jokes at the Kevin Hart roast: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYSv-lhu8yb/

Trevor Noah-Kevin Hart Scaffolding

https://youtu.be/LxWiLYHEdYI?si=XcGkjHFSrr_W1inf&t=2094

Feeling burned out? Internalized Capitalism may be to blame

Flavor Flav Roast (2007): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1037714/

Shane Gillis being fired days after being hired in2019: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/shane-gillis-saturday-night-live-fired-now-hosting-rcna137161

KEVIN HART IS AN ICONIC GUEST | ZIWE INTERVIEW

Kevin Hart doesn’t do things for money. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HFtEp6ptd7E

Phat Tuesdays (2022) ‧ Documentary ‧ 1 season: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16911310/

Hysterical (2021)-Documentary: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10773654/

Dark Humor Docuseries (2021): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD7nPL1U-R5ruEYap5-b2dNEiinwqK4T2

The Real-Life Experiences of Black Comedians - ComedyCentral x Color of Change - Dark Humor: https://youtu.be/tTWQE_Tey80?si=wwIVD7L2alrmXu2O

Drink Water & Mind Your Business: A Black Woman’s Guideto Unlearning the BS & Healing Self-Esteem: https://www.donnaoriowo.com/selfesteembook

Note:

This episode invites listeners to critically evaluate comedynot just as entertainment but as a social act that can influence societal norms, perceptions, and community healing.

Summary

In this conversation, Patricia Morency discusses key aspects of autism, including its criteria, the nature of autism as a disability, and the importance of understanding the experiences of Black autistic individuals. She debunks common myths, particularly the misconception that vaccines cause autism, and highlights the lack of intersectionality in autism research and diagnosis. The conversation also addresses the racial bias present in autism diagnosis and treatment, emphasizing the need for more inclusive research practices.

Resources:

@blackspectrumscholar

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/lapestenoire

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Autism: Criteria and Characteristics

05:13 The Nature of Autism as a Disability

08:31 Debunking Myths: Vaccines and Autism

10:36 The Underrepresentation of Black Autistic Individuals

18:16 Intersectionality in Autism Research and Diagnosis

22:43 Racial Bias in Autism Diagnosis and Treatment

References

Baumgaertner Nunn, E., & Ghorayshi, A. (2025, September 25). What to know about painkillers, vaccines, genes, and autism. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/health/autism-tylenol-vaccines-explained.html

Diemer, M. C., Gerstein, E. D., & Regester, A. (2022). Autism presentation in female and Black populations: Examining the roles of identity, theory, and systemic inequalities. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 26(8), 1931–1946. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221113501

Henderson, D., Wayland, S., & White, J. (2023). Is this autism? A guide for clinicians and everyone else. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003242130

Ramclam, A. N., Truong, D. M., Mire, S. S., Smoots, K. D., McNeel, M. M., Sakyi, G. J., & Daniels, F. M. (2022). Autism disparities for Black children: Acknowledging and addressing the problem through culturally responsive and socially just assessment practices. Psychology in the Schools, 59, 1445–1453. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22646

Wiesner, M., Windle, M., Kanouse, D. E., Elliott, M. N., & Schuster, M. A. (2015). DISC predictive scales (DPS): Factor structure and uniform differential item functioning across gender and three racial/ethnic groups for ADHD, conduct disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms. Psychological assessment, 27(4), 1324–1336. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000101

The trailer for our new book, Simply Platonish, is here! Simply Platonish is now available on Amazon/Kindle. For more details: https://mediacritiquechic.com/simplyplatonish/

Spotify Video Podcast Version: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0L6MeCXGmi4MZRPyBrryXN?si=592a9e631196434c

YouTube Version: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSS9_9-NWWo⁠

Music: Town by BeCorbal from Pixabay

Graphics by Canva

Narrated by Patricia Morency

Social Critiques from a Comedy Freak Perspective. In this episode, Borderline Latina tackles the age-old question: "are humans truly good?" Using an example from a 2022 Netflix film and other classic fairy tales, she discusses how aiming for goodness can deter folks from having difficult conversations for social change. Through the journey, she gets us to wonder whether we should strive for goodness or aim to be simply human. 

The School for Good and Evil (2022, Netflix)

Opening quote: https://www.magicalquote.com/moviequotes/i-dont-believe-that-anyone-is-truly-good-or-truly-evil/ 

If you love Media Critique Chic's content, then you wanna read my novel, Simply Platonish. Order the new second edition now on Amazon: https://a.co/d/jlhHWea

Book info: Not quite love. Not quite friendship. Not quite sure.

Pia is a 30-something who appears to have it all: a basic job, a tiny apartment, and a lifelong subscription to student loans. But during a virtual college reunion, one notification wrecks her peace—her two closest college friends, Jacq and Ethan, are now married. The audacity! And maybe—just maybe—she had feelings for one of them. What kind of feelings? She’s not so sure—she’s never been so sure.

What follows is a sharp, awkward, and surprisingly tender rewind through her college years, where Pia, a first-gen student and a second-gen immigrant, tried to make sense of race, identity, and complicated interracial friendship dynamics… all while navigating a closeness that didn’t quite fit into the categories she’d been taught.

With biting humor and bittersweet nostalgia, Simply Platonish explores the blurry lines between platonic and romantic, the weight of belonging, and what it means to come of age—again—in retrospect.

More information: https://mediacritiquechic.com/simplyplatonish/

Social Critiques from a Comedy Freak Perspective. In this episode, Borderline Latina talks about her challenging, ongoing journey toward self-enlightenment within social justice education and how it’s shaped by the media. More specifically, she explores why it is unproductive for liberals and conservatives to talk s**t about each other and how progress should include taking a critical look at one's biases, including herself.

"When it comes to kid’s shows, Disney and Nickelodeon dominate the stage. These two networks together have produced some of the most memorable and greatest children’s shows of all time. Even though they are both in the children’s market, they are in many ways very different from one another. One of the most notable ways is in their depiction of romance and dating..." 

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://mediacritiquechic.com/2016/06/27/disney-vs-nickelodeon-the-kissing-rule/

Social Critiques from a Comedy Freak Perspective. In this episode, Borderline Latina Takes Over the concept of small talk and smashes it to the ground ‘cause she’s not about that mess. She challenges the necessity of social conventions that force people to behave in ways that may not align with their true feelings or inclinations. She also challenges the concept of niceness and its implied nature of always making others comfortable.