When it comes to freedom of expression in humor, Mariana Mazza is categorical: you can’t talk about everything on stage. “You have to self-censor certain things because there are consequences that become widespread and attract a lot of juice.”
Mariana Mazza no longer has the desire to “go into battle” for fun. The 35-year-old comedian made the decision to preserve his mental health rather than insist on talking about the topic on stage.
“I don't have strong enough opinions on some subjects to defend them. It's too much energy for me,” she admits.
What's holding her back now is that “everything can be taken out of context,” she notes. “Anyone can make something, an improvisation, a joke that doesn’t work that gets posted on the Internet and I get chancellor. I can tear down everything I've built over the years. So for me, when I ask myself, ‘Should I go there?’ I don’t go there.”
We have to defend him on tour
Mariana doesn’t mind censoring herself, she assures. “I protect myself. If I want to say something, it comes to me, I need to protect it, and I'm willing to put energy into the consequences that come, I go there. But I'm older. I don't have time for that anymore.”
For your new show Foie grasthe comedian admits he had ideas for numbers on some controversial topics. But she quickly decided to let them go. “I told myself that if I went there, it would be the thing that would be discussed the most in interviews. I would have to defend it on tour. I didn't want to go there.”
“I would have ended up in jail”
A few days ago, many comedians like Louis C.K. Aziz Ansari, Bill Burr and Sugar Sammy came under fire for agreeing to perform at the controversial comedy festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. What did Mariana think?
“Everyone has the right to do what they want, but every public gesture we make in life has an impact,” she replies. If they are okay with the consequences of their actions, let's go.”
If she received such an invitation, would the comedian accept? “I love provocations too much. I would go there, earn a million, but end up in prison.” [les humoristes avaient certaines restrictions sur leurs blagues]! Because I still have it in me. When someone tells me not to do something, it burns me. I thought about it and told myself that if they offered me $450,000 for a 10-minute show, I'm sure I'd be making a king joke. Of course I insult him. No jail!
