Adam Carolla torches comedy industry for becoming 'popularity contest'

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Adam Carolla slams the comedy industry for failing to make people think

The comedian tells 'Watters' World' that comedy has become a popularity contest

Comedian Adam Carolla criticized the comedy industry Saturday night on "Watters World," saying comics used to be a part of counter-culture, but now play a popularity game. 

"For some reason, comedy used to be a counter-culture thing, used to push back against the man. … At some point comedy turned into a popularity contest when it used to be a contest of who can make the most people think, agitate the most people and get the most conversations started," he said. 

Carolla noted that comics traditionally came after all establishment figures but now they seem fixated on Donald Trump. 

"The man is not Donald Trump. The man is Gavin Newsom, Eric Garcetti, the man is the mayor of LA and nobody wants to push back against the actual man who is running your life." 

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"Trump is somewhere in Florida golfing right now, and he's not in charge of you, mask mandates, or anything else," Carolla continued. 

Host Jesse Watters also noted that conservatives are outnumbered in the world of comedy, and asked Carolla whether he thinks he's marginalized because of his political beliefs. 

"Well, if you live in Hollywood and you are going to be conservative then you shall be punished," Carolla said. "The question is, to what extent can they punish you?" 

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Carolla also noted that he has various platforms for communicating with the public, which makes it difficult to punish him, but he has felt the effects of the liberal bent of California. 

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"I have my own podcast, I write books, I make documentaries, I go on tour, I play clubs and theaters so it’s a little tough to pull the plug for me," he said. 

"If I just worked for the Disney corporation then I would absolutely be punished," he continued. "Now, none of my documentaries make it into Sundance, which is the biggest film festival in the world, so I’m punished that way but it’s a small price to pay for speaking your mind."