Short Takes : Mean Isn’t Funny, Leno Says

Comedian Jay Leno is convinced the public doesn’t like mean humor.

“More and more people are telling me how much they dislike the mean-spirited material--the ethnic bashing, women bashing, gay bashing--that was big for a while,” Leno said in the Feb. 2 issue of TV Guide.

“There will always be a place for dirty in comedy. When it’s done right, funny is funny,” Leno said. “No one is ever bothered by George Carlin’s material. He’s never mean-spirited.

“Have you seen Andrew Dice Clay anywhere lately? That concert film of his that 20th Century-Fox has decided not to release . . . it probably wasn’t because of its dirt, but because it had no real jokes in it. As I say, funny’s funny.”