Follow-up videos: Comedians join activists at Occupy Wall Street

As the Occupy Wall Street movement enters its fourth week and expands to activist protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere around America, it’s becoming more difficult to dismiss this as an unorganized, unmotivated lark. In 2008, the disenchanted masses turned their minds and hearts to Barack Obama, because he told them, “Yes, we can.” Three years later, as the global economy teeters on the brink of crisis and as more and more Americans are out of work and out of luck, people are finally reaching that Network point where they have to step outside in pubic and yell, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

On Sunday, The New York Times published an editorial supporting the movement.

Even before then, comedians have been getting involved on the front lines and in social media.

Martha Plimpton, who stars on the FOX sitcom Raising Hope, shared a chart with her Twitter followers on Friday that showed the ridiculous disparity between the pay of American CEOs and that of their average workers — 475: 1. The rich really are getting richer, while the poor have no way out of poverty.

I chatted with stand-up comedian Ted Alexandro 10 days ago about his decision to join Occupy Wall Street. Fellow comedian Jim Tews filmed Alexandro last Wednesday to get an update from the streets. Roll it.

But Alexandro isn’t the only one.

Actor, comedian and former SNL star Mike Myers decided to walk with protestors on Day 18, and offered a few of his thoughts as “a new American.”

And politically-minded comedians have found Occupy Wall Street activists to be a ready-made audience for their stand-up routines.

Jamie Kilstein stopped by last week with Talib Kweli, and if you can just stop drumming for a second, you’ll hear what they had to say.

Lee Camp also performed down at Zuccotti Park.

If you think this is too much ado about nothing still, then sit back and watch this 60 Minutes report from last night which profiled Obama’s “Jobs Czar,” GE CEO Jeff Immelt. It’s not funny, but it’s important viewing.

In Los Angeles, comedians such as Neal Brennan and Tim Heidecker have lent their support to #OccupyLA.

What are you doing to make sure your voice is heard?

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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