Comedian Sunda Croonquist has made a career doing stand-up for appreciative audiences all over the country. One of her trademarks is her mixed ethnicity and religious history — she’s half-black, half-Swedish, grew up Roman Catholic and converted to Judaism. Obviously, this is fertile ground for comedy, and Croonquist has never shied from the subjects.
However, to promote an upcoming show, she invoked the ire of her in-laws by posting information on her website that they claim makes it easy to identify their identities. Furthermore, her mother-in-law in particular is incensed over what she feels are defamatory statements made in her act.
Now, obviously, it’s going to be difficult for the prosecution to make an argument against Croonquist. Comedians have traditionally used elements of their lives as fodder for material; this is part and parcel of their careers. And it’s difficult to imagine a person of mixed ethnicity taking seriously any charges of racial insensitivity. But the true tragedy of this story is how it’s going to affect the families involved.
Croonquist notes that since this whole business began, it’s estranged her husband from his family, who are responsible for instigating the suit, and seeking reparation for damages, as well as removal of offensive statements from Croonquist’s web site, routines, and recordings. This is something that should have remained between family members, as by bringing in outside influence, a rift has been created that may never heal. “This could have broken up my marriage,” notes Croonquist. Not to mention the fact that their children may not have the clearest idea why the two factions are angry with each other.
I’m of the opinion that nothing is sacred, and the inability to laugh at one’s own foibles is detrimental to overall health. And now it seems there’s a familial social component as well. Let’s hope for the sake of everyone involved that this gets settled quickly; preferably out of court.
Comments
No comments.