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Panama City, FL – Everywhere you turn, someone is making a joke that you probably can’t repeat depending on who’s around or where you are. There is no shortage of comics writing edgy, shocking, or controversial material in an attempt to fight back against the “pressure” of being politically correct. A large portion of comics and audiences across America feel that “true comedy” is being stifled by people’s feelings. “You can’t say anything anymore.” “Everyone is so soft nowadays.” “Nobody knows how to take a joke.” These sentiments have fostered a feeling amongst many that ‘clean comedy’ is ‘soft’. Its existence is simply a way to censor comics from being themselves and appeasing to an audience that can’t handle comedy in its rawest form.

“I notice that nobody ever complains that a show is too clean, as long as it is funny.” explains Jason Hedden, owner and producer for Panama City Comedy. Marketing to a diverse population in Panama City is one of Hedden’s first challenges. “Some people will ONLY come to a show if we advertise it as clean… and others WON’T come if we advertise it as clean because they think ‘clean’ means it won’t be funny.”

So what really separates clean comedy from traditional comedy? Is there a difference in the level of talent? Is either style better? Depends on who you ask. To many fans, comedy at its purest should be unfiltered, untethered, and without policing. To many comics, being told you can’t discuss risque topics feels like tying one’s hand behind their back. “Some people think writing clean is harder or takes more skill,” Hedden explains, “I’m not sure that’s true.”

But does that mean the best comedy features jokes about polarizing topics? Not necessarily. Comedy legends Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan have made careers out of working clean. In 2024 & 2025, Nate Bargatze was the top grossing comedian while using a family friendly style by being above all else, funny. As someone who produces both traditional and clean comedy shows, Jason laments that “to find comedians that work clean, I usually have to hire comics from out of town who are more experienced.” In doing so, he has had to explain to comics in the local scene that they are losing out on gigs by not being more versatile with their acts. “Having the ability to work clean is a valuable and lucrative skill.”

Panama City Comedy produces shows year round; with the clean ones selling out at a higher rate. This fact, coupled with an intent to foster more home grown clean talent, inspired Jason to start producing an annual clean comedy competition. A tournament style comedy show; so far open to locals only, where comics perform for 3 minutes per round for a cash prize and the Championship Belt. The second iteration of the competition concluded on March 1st of this year. Malcolm Xavier, a local military veteran, altered his style of cleverly timing the use of profanity to punctuate his punchlines. This showcase of flexibility led to the successful effort of bringing home the title, after having to face the previous year’s champion in the first round, and its runner-up in the finals. After the win, Xavier said, “I see clean comedy as a challenge, taking away cursing and certain topics makes me think outside the box. It tests my originality.” When asked about what makes clean comedy different, the competition’s 2025 inaugural winner, Scotty Jernigan, shared “I’m not inherently clean, but I like it because it makes me think, I have to get more creative with my wording. It’s just another part of this art form we can’t explain”

Clean Comedy is not lesser. Clean comedy is not for people with thin skin. Clean Comedy is COMEDY.

*All photos courtesy of Jason Hedden (Panama City Comedy)