TRIGGERnometry | Dark Humour for Dark Times: Ben Bankas

Date: March 15, 2026
Guests: Ben Bankas
Hosts: Konstantin Kisin (Host 1), Francis Foster (Host 2)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the world of dark comedy and free speech with Canadian comic Ben Bankas. Known for pushing boundaries, Bankas discusses cancel culture, the role of offensive humor, and the state of free speech in comedy—especially in Canada. The discussion also covers societal shifts, political correctness, and the impact of "woke" culture on the arts and public discourse.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Comedy, Censorship, and Cancel Culture

• Censorship via Safety: Ben recounts having shows canceled in Canada due to claims of "unsafe" content, even when shows were sold out.
  • "This whole idea that you don't feel safe because somebody's making jokes is so dangerous for society." (Ben, 08:17)
• Who Gets Heard: Venues are more responsive to small, vocal left-wing complaints than to their own ticket-buying customers.
• Role of Free Speech:
  • "The left pushes back and goes, well, it is free speech, but it's not free of consequences... That is a violation of free speech. I'm sorry, in my eyes." (Ben, 11:31)
• Selective Protest: He emphasizes how activists channel energy into canceling comedians while ignoring larger societal issues.

2. Offending and Empowering Through Comedy

• Comedy as Catharsis: Ben argues that dark humor provides a release from the pressures of modern life and societal failures.
• Jokes as Social Glue or Wedge:
  • "The best way to get through hard times is to laugh. That's what soldiers do, that's what paramedics do, that's what doctors do." (Ben, 26:28)
• Chuckling at the Taboo:
  • "I say things that I think of and that's what the art form is." (Ben, 02:35)
  • Jokes often play with taboos, sometimes being exaggerated or over-the-top precisely to make a point.
  • He explains that some jokes are for the audience, not for social media, as there should be space for paid speech as well as free speech.

3. Institutional Wokeness in Canada

• Political and Institutional Forces:
  • "All the universities are infiltrated by China." (Ben, 01:38, 72:33)
  • Government-funded venues embrace cancel culture due to 'mission statements' written in response to progressive causes.
• Union & Organizational Pressure:
  • Teacher unions warning members not to attend his show (36:28).
  • The Canadian Anti-Hate Network is portrayed as a Liberal Party tactic against non-woke performers.

4. Comparison to Other Countries

• America's Tolerance: The US is perceived as less restrictive on free speech in comedy, largely crediting Trump for shifting boundaries.
  • "Thanks to Trump. I mean he's the guy openly saying retard." (Ben, 19:04)
• Britain vs. Canada: Both countries are described as lagging behind the US in terms of free speech and pushback against woke culture.
• European Perspective: Reference to comedians like Jerry Sadowitz, who is canceled for dark jokes, highlighting the universality of these issues.

5. Responses to Outrage and Controversy

• Handling Backlash:
  • Ben embraces the attention from cancellation attempts, believing controversy amplifies his reach.
  • "You're literally making me bigger. More people who haven't heard of me go, who are these people complaining about?" (Ben, 66:26)
• Misrepresentation by Media:
  • Mainstream outlets mischaracterize both events (like protests or jokes) and the targets of outrage.
  • "It's pure propaganda. They have a billion dollars behind them. And I'm an independent artist." (Ben, 28:47)

6. Generation and Motivations of Activists

• From Bullied to Bullies:
  • "Guess it's the payback we get for bullying the crap out of them in high school... then they got into politics." (Ben, 12:27)
• Focus on Failure:
  • Activism is framed as the outlet of people who "can't or won't" achieve economic success.
  • "If you're not waking up every day going, how do I become more successful?... Improving your own life will do more for the country than marching around with a sign trying to get a comedy show canceled." (Ben, 61:40)

7. Hypocrisy and Shifting Cultural Norms

• Cancel Culture’s Old Roots:
  • The panel notes the irony that restrictive forces now come from the left, whereas decades ago it was religious conservatives (39:32).
• Hollywood's Contradictions:
  • Comedians who did offensive acts (like blackface) now gatekeep against outsiders for being offensive.

8. Comedy’s Contract With the Audience

• Implied Consent:
  • "When you go into a comedy show, there's an unwritten contract: I'm going to tell the jokes. And if you don't like it, you don't have to laugh. If you really don't like it, you can leave." (Ben, 52:22)
• Jokes vs. Belief:
  • Some jokes are simply comedic, not endorsements of their literal content—a point demonstrated by referencing other comics’ boundary-pushing routines.

9. Politics, Culture, and National Identity

• Over-Empathy as a Problem:
  • Ben loathes "over empathy," linking it to cultural and civilizational decline.
• Solutions Proposed:
  • Need for "cool" people to re-enter politics, a return to risk-taking, honesty and focus on families and economic achievement.

10. Canada’s Future and Ben’s Role

• Hope for Change:
  • Despite shows being canceled, Ben’s continued success gives hope to his audience that there are still spaces for free speech.
  • "I have hope. I think that me doing my shows is helping. When those shows happen, people see it and they feel hope that the country is what it used to be." (Ben, 66:26)
• Leaving Canada:
  • Many entrepreneurial-minded Canadians are considering (or have already) left due to the suffocating atmosphere.

11. Society, Family, and Responsibility

• Benefit of Parenthood:
  • Ben advocates for parenthood as a path to maturity and personal healing.
  • "Once you have a kid... everything starts to make sense. You can't. It's healing." (Ben, 75:30)
• On Women, Work, and Family:
  • Stresses that societal pressure for dual incomes undermines family cohesion and that many women would prefer the option to stay home.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cancel Culture's Absurdity and Risk:
  • "How on a scale of 1-10, how insane do you have to be to protest a comedy show?" (Ben, 37:33)
• On Laughter as Survival:
  • "The best way to get through hard times is to laugh. That's what soldiers do, that's what paramedics do, that's what doctors do." (Ben, 26:28)
• On Free Speech Hypocrisy:
  • "I'm sick of hearing: 'I'm all in favor of freedom of speech, except this guy really pushed.' What are you talking about? That's what free speech is for." (Ben, 22:09)
• On Cultural Decline:
  • "The problem is over empathy and feeling bad for people that we shouldn't feel bad for..." (Ben, 55:10)
• On Political Responsibility:
  • "We need to make being in politics cool again for the cool people." (Ben, 56:54)

Important Timestamps

• 08:17: Ben outlines why safety claims for offense are a societal danger.
• 12:27: The panel explores how bullied outcasts now dominate political activism.
• 19:04: On Trump's effect on American comedy and speech boundaries.
• 26:28: The essential function of laughter during tough times.
• 36:28: Teacher's union warns educators not to attend Ben's show.
• 52:22: The unwritten social contract of standup comedy.
• 66:26: Ben describes how cancel attempts only broaden his audience and inspire hope.

Conclusion

Ben Bankas delivers a raw, unapologetic take on the dark side of modern comedy, cancel culture, and political correctness—especially from the embattled perspective of a Canadian comic. He insists laughter, even (or especially) at uncomfortable subjects, is vital for personal and societal health, and that attempts to control jokes only embolden those who value free speech. The episode balances heavy social critique with comedic banter, lampooning both overly "woke" activists and humorless conservatives, advocating for resilience, risk-taking, and the pursuit of genuine personal growth.