MovieChat Forums > Can We Take a Joke? (2016) Discussion > The question is should we have to take a...

The question is should we have to take a joke?

posted 8 years ago by ivannano
21 replies | jump to latest

If you are the target of this 'humour', such jokes are not funny.

Trying to justify hate as some type of freedom of speech is a ridiculous justification.

Sure, it's easy to pick on the fat kid, or the effeminate one, or the ... well fill in the blank. But it is not humour, it's laziness.

What the people in this film seem to miss is that some of the greatest comedians never made a joke at someone's expense. They could/should take a lesson from them.

[–] Mamabadger56 8 years ago

...some of the greatest comedians never made a joke at someone's expense.

Did Lenny Bruce make jokes at anyone's expense? He's presented as a martyr to intolerance, but I'm not sure he works as a role model in this case. While I'm not familiar with all his material, I don't recall him ridiculing anyone except bigots. He got in trouble for talking openly about sex, and some of his material was controversial because he talked about racism. Present-day comics often go beyond controversial material and into verbal attacks, something which the movie didn't really deal with.

"Moving in for the obligatory hug."

[–] RhoDaZZ 8 years ago

Bullying is human evil manifested, it preys on undefined "otherness" inside group-thought.

Jokes are meant to tear down the sacred, the hypocritical and the profoundly stupid.

That difference of intent means everything.

Your apparent want for a bubble without criticism will, should it succeed, also eventually become a tyranny alike that which it sought to destroy.

The only real equalizer is freedom - not politeness or even respect (though those have value, they aren't things you can enforce on people). Oh and money of course, but intelligently coming up with better systems than money and capitalism is much harder to do.

[–] KorreltjeZout 8 years ago

Here in Europe (Netherlands, Germany) and in Turkey, comedians have been arrested for satire directed at religious persons and heads-of-state. I wonder what you think about that.

[–] Mamabadger56 8 years ago

That seems like genuine suppression of free speech, particularly of political criticism, and a dangerous thing the establish. However, it's not really what the film was protesting. They were objecting to "outrage" by members of the public, and not usually about politically sensitive material but about offensive or insulting material.

"Moving in for the obligatory hug."

[–] timlin-4 8 years ago

Then it's OK to murder an entire newspaper over a cartoon since that's not politics. Of course this stuff really is politics, Muslims can't tolerate insults because they want to establish a theocracy, blacks and women are off limits because they want power through affirmative action law, etc. Even rules against Lenny Bruce swearing were a test of obedience, people think society has gotten more "liberal" but it's more that the government's control is more solid

[–] mickon-65353 8 years ago

Its a bit biased but a fascinating subject. Using Lenny to justify some of todays easy pickin bullyin style comedy was a bit disrespectful. Lenny cut his own path in his own time and context. Bit different to crudely mimicking asian mums. Just sayin like ...

[–] HarryShoulder (279) 2 years ago

Anyone of the talking heads in this film or the “anti-woke” comedians who complain about cancel culture and censorship (Rogan, Carrolla, etc) are idiots with delusions of persecution. Lenny actually faced persecution and censorship.

It’s funny in the documentary that one of em said “shouting someone down isn’t free speech”
Yes it is. It’s just louder.

[–] xprotimusx 8 years ago

You're not an authority on what is or isn't humor. You also do not represent everyone 'targeted' by jokes, not everyone is a snowflake.

[–] Cinaet 7 years ago

They're an authority on what's funny to them. "Snowflake" is a cheap lazy shot, about as lazy as most of the garbage that passes for comedy.

[–] xprotimusx 7 years ago

Cry me a river, then drown in it.

[–] hovercraftfullofeels 8 years ago

If a comedian makes a joke about men, or tall people, or white people, or heterosexual people I don't get upset about it because I'm happy with being who I am. If the joke is about coloured people or gays then they shouldn't feel offended either...unless of course they are unhappy within themselves. That's really the crux of the matter.

[–] Mamabadger56 8 years ago

That's a very handy rationalization. Especially if you don't happen to belong to a race whose image has been maligned by "jokes" for centuries.

"Moving in for the obligatory hug."

[–] hovercraftfullofeels 8 years ago

It's not only handy, it's also very rational. A joke can only work if it totally contradicts the truth or if it exaggerates it. Maybe the 'target' group should change from being the stereotype it has become? If I told you I parked my car in Detroit and a gang of youths stole it, what image springs to mind? A good comedian doesn't have to tell you how it is, he merely plants the idea in your head. A lesser comedian (and audience) has to have things spelt out - maybe therein lies the problem as some would see it. But I digress, the problem really lies with the target group who cannot accept their situation.

I'm glad I'm male; I'm relieved to be a native English speaker; I love being tall; I'm happy to be Caucasian; I love wine, women and song. By all means make fun of any of those things (most categories are a minority from a global perspective) and I really won't mind at all.

Some people just take offence for the sake of it, whilst others do as a form of self-loathing. They need to get over it.

[–] seaninboise 8 years ago

You're the person they are talking about. Go jump off the nearest bridge. Please.

[–] ivannano 8 years ago

That's you witty response?

Sad on so many levels.

[–] Vic_Hitler 8 years ago

You're the person they are talking about. Go jump off the nearest bridge. Please.

Exactly.
Dickhead OP is part of the problem and doesn't get it.

Probably a college student in wimmins studies or somepin.

[–] xPhenomenusx 7 years ago

If you are the target of this 'humour', such jokes are not funny.

Speak for yourself.

As someone who has spent the bulk of my life obese, I enjoy a good fat joke even if it is directed at myself. It's part of being a mature adult. I've never been offended by a joke but I have been offended by SJWs. Should they be banned, fired, or silenced because I don't like that?

Which comedians are you speaking of? Because for every one you name I guarantee I can list a joke of theirs that does come at their expense, or name many more renowned comics who do makes jokes at someone's "expense."

We live in a day and age that virtually anything can be researched in a matter of minutes. Naturally, few take advantage of this. People have no argument to stand on if they show up to an adult-rated comic and are seriously bothered by their material. If you show up to a Bob Saget routine just because he was in Full House and don't bother to research his comic style, that's on you, not him.