Count Basie right to deny Wanda Sykes refunds to Trump fans who left (Opinion)

When you go see a comedian, just like when you go see a singer, you're paying for their opinion.

Just as singers express their feelings on love and what's all around them in their songs, comedians do it with the spoken word and in their jokes. If you're a fan of that particular singer or comic, you should know what to expect. That's why the Count Basie Theatre is right not to grant refunds to those people who walked out on Wanda Sykes when she started joking about President Trump. What did you think she was going to do?

Sykes makes her feelings about the president well-known and uses them in her act. Unlike Amy Schumer, who simply went off on Trump supporters in a Tampa show... that got ugly. Comedy, like music, is all about opinion and it's that opinion that draws you to that person. It should be no surprise that those opinions should make their way into the act.

The people who went to see Wanda Sykes knew what they were getting, and if that offends you, then don't go. If however she steps down like Schumer did to admonish and argue with the audience in Tampa, that's not what you're paying for. But in this case, the Count Basie Theatre is in no way responsible to refund money. If they want to do it as a good will gesture hoping those refunded will come to a future show, that's up to them.

There are many forms of comedians. There are those who tell jokes, those who are family friendly and talk about that, those who make you think, and those who are opinionated. When it comes to choosing to see one who's opinionated, it's best to make sure your opinions match up!

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