The pressure to self-censor in the American comedy industry is often driven by a desire for financial success rather than actual government censorship.

“it's more like a function of greed in a lot of ways I think so”

Comedians who want to avoid the legal risks of censorship must often compromise their creative output.

“I always start out doing the jokes that I want to do and then the show that comes after maybe I'll tone it down yeah I'm not gonna lie like any artist who comes in here with like a sense of like false bravado like no man I'm I'm [ __ ] yeah absolutely no because things like that affect more than jus”