No, I'm suggesting that comedians SHOULDN'T be given a free pass -- due to their status as comedians per se -- to use "comedy" as a crutch to avoid being held accountable for their speech.

Yes, the person who is criticizing them needs to be nuanced and intellectually honest. But comedians don't get to be held to a lower standard just because they desire to be worshipped by the general public based on their iconism.

Comedians may CLAIM they are just offering social commentary on the absurdities of life -- but "the joker doth protests too much methinks" based on how damn seriously many of them take themselves.