There is No Such Thing as "Punching Down"

"Comedians should punch up, not down" is a "rule" that fundamentally misunderstands what a joke is and what comedy can be.

“Comedians should punch up, not down"

This is a comment I see frequently on social media, written by people who do not understand comedy.
For some reason, people who rarely (if at all) enjoy comedy or buy tickets to stand up will often lecture those who perform it and deride those who laugh at it.

Often used to reprimand a comedian for the crime of tellin…