Minnesota’s outrage machine kicked into high gear this week after a downtown St. Paul bar canceled six sold-out comedy shows by Canadian comedian Ben Bankas. It’s a decision that, while rooted in safety concerns, has sparked wider concerns over what many residents say isn’t edgy humor, but outright hate.
Camp Bar and its Laugh Camp comedy club pulled the plug on Bankas’ weekend run after clips of his stand-up went viral, featuring grotesque remarks about Renee Good, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer earlier this month in Minneapolis. The material, recorded just days after her death, included slurs, mockery of Good’s sexuality, and comments suggesting she “should have been shot” sooner. The transcript reads:
““Now for a moment of silence for Renee Good. Really hope that dog’s OK … and her pet. Her last name was Good. That’s what I said after they shot her in the face.’…