To understand the appeal of Donald J. Trump, shift your focus from political pundits (who have repeatedly underestimated him) to stand-up comics.
One reason Amy Schumer, Chris Rock and Louis C.K. are among the most trusted figures in popular culture is that they bluntly articulate the dark things people think but don’t say. Presidential front-runners have traditionally taken a more diplomatic approach, but Mr. Trump broke the mold, dispensing with scripted speeches while trafficking in insult humor and swaggering provocations. When critics get offended, he defends himself the way so many comics do, railing against political correctness.
Read Jason Zinoman's full article on NYTimes.com