Off Colour Jokes and Why You're a Plebe for Using them

Key · 10-15-2013, 01:29 PM

^If I am making jokes about things that others would find offensive, it's not because I think low of whatever the joke is about, i'm socially awkward, so I try to add a bit of humor to a more or less awkward situation. Perhaps I go over the line, but for my own sake, to get people to laugh is the only way I can feel comfortable in the situation be it at work or in public. If people don't like that, it's their problem and not mine. I don't think I should be made to feel like crap for making a joke about something that somebody else gets offended by, especially if I don't know that person well enough to know that they get offended by it. Also take into consideration that a lot of people do respond well to certain types of jokes, and that just makes it easier to make the jokes, regardless of if they're offensive. They're jokes, they're meant to be taken lightly, never to be taken in seriousness, otherwise they wouldn't be jokes. If that makes me a horrible person, so be it.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 10-15-2013, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

I think racist jokes are actually quite tasteless and not funny. Especially in this day and age when we are striving to become a more integrated, global society. Could be just me, though, but I think they're horribly inappropriate.

I also don't find jokes at the expense gay people, or trans* people, or women (or men) just to get some cheap laughs funny, for the same reasons. People are always going to make those jokes unfortunately, but it's better for me to ignore them.

The way I see it, we're all going to die, may as well have a laugh while we're still here.

~~butthead aka 216~~ · 10-15-2013, 01:41 PM

in real life youre usually around friends or similar ppl so they usually uderstand the context of your joke. i can make a racist or gay joke and ppl know im not racist or homphobic. if theres a black guy around or a gay guy who i dont know well like at a party or somethin i might put some jokes in my back pocket cause they dont know me and they might get offended

on the internet tho its like a hundred totally different ppl with few similarities all in the same room and im not gonna worry about who is offended by what because we dont know each other. humor is different on the internet because of it, anyone who disagrees is a plebe lmao

i tend to talk on the internet like i would in my buddies basement watchin a football gm and drinkin a few beers

~~Cuthbert~~ · 10-15-2013, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by butthead aka 216

on the internet tho its like a hundred totally different ppl with few similarities all in the same room and im not gonna worry about who is offended by what because we dont know each other. humor is different on the internet because of it, anyone who disagrees is a plebe lmao

Tbh I hold back usually but only because I can't be bothered to argue.

Engine · 10-15-2013, 02:04 PM

I think open discussions (like this one) of when/why/if/how people may be offended by jokes is a good thing. Fans of artful "off-color" humor probably already know this scene from Louie in which a bunch of plebe comedians ask their gay friend about how he feels about the word ***got in comedy.

I suggest the whole thing but it really gets going at about 4:25

Louis CK Poker scene from episode 2 of LOUIE on FX every TUESDAY at 11pm - YouTube

Burning Down · 10-15-2013, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian Benteke

The way I see it, we're all going to die, may as well have a laugh while we're still here.

I don't see how that justifies laughing at the expense of somebody else. You can have a laugh I guess but I still think it's in bad taste.

djchameleon · 10-15-2013, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ki

I don't think I should be made to feel like crap for making a joke about something that somebody else gets offended by, especially if I don't know that person well enough to know that they get offended by it.

You should be made to feel like crap but you could just not say it but you choose to say it because you don't give a fuck if it offends someone or not.

Key · 10-15-2013, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

You should be made to feel like crap but you could just not say it but you choose to say it because you don't give a fuck if it offends someone or not.

Because what's the point? If it offends somebody that I don't know very well, why should I feel obligated to feel bad about the joke that I said, especially when it's the type of humor that I say to my closer friends?

djchameleon · 10-15-2013, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ki

Because what's the point? If it offends somebody that I don't know very well, why should I feel obligated to feel bad about the joke that I said, especially when it's the type of humor that I say to my closer friends?

Why do you even have to say it to people you don't know just because you say it to closer friends?

Burning Down · 10-15-2013, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

Why do you even have to say it to people you don't know just because you say it to closer friends?

I was going to ask the same thing!

I really try to stay as PC as possible with people that I don't know and especially with people that I'm trying to get to know. If someone I don't know that well starts cracking offensive or off colour jokes, it leaves a bad impression on me.

10-15-2013, 02:04 PM	#135 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	I think open discussions (like this one) of when/why/if/how people may be offended by jokes is a good thing. Fans of artful "off-color" humor probably already know this scene from Louie in which a bunch of plebe comedians ask their gay friend about how he feels about the word ***got in comedy. I suggest the whole thing but it really gets going at about 4:25 Louis CK Poker scene from episode 2 of LOUIE on FX every TUESDAY at 11pm - YouTube __________________ Like an arrow, I was only passing through.

10-15-2013, 01:29 PM	#131 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	^If I am making jokes about things that others would find offensive, it's not because I think low of whatever the joke is about, i'm socially awkward, so I try to add a bit of humor to a more or less awkward situation. Perhaps I go over the line, but for my own sake, to get people to laugh is the only way I can feel comfortable in the situation be it at work or in public. If people don't like that, it's their problem and not mine. I don't think I should be made to feel like crap for making a joke about something that somebody else gets offended by, especially if I don't know that person well enough to know that they get offended by it. Also take into consideration that a lot of people do respond well to certain types of jokes, and that just makes it easier to make the jokes, regardless of if they're offensive. They're jokes, they're meant to be taken lightly, never to be taken in seriousness, otherwise they wouldn't be jokes. If that makes me a horrible person, so be it.

10-15-2013, 01:41 PM	#133 (permalink)
~~butthead aka 216~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: freely swimmin thru the waters of glory much like a majestic bald eagle soars thru the skies Posts: 1,463	in real life youre usually around friends or similar ppl so they usually uderstand the context of your joke. i can make a racist or gay joke and ppl know im not racist or homphobic. if theres a black guy around or a gay guy who i dont know well like at a party or somethin i might put some jokes in my back pocket cause they dont know me and they might get offended on the internet tho its like a hundred totally different ppl with few similarities all in the same room and im not gonna worry about who is offended by what because we dont know each other. humor is different on the internet because of it, anyone who disagrees is a plebe lmao i tend to talk on the internet like i would in my buddies basement watchin a football gm and drinkin a few beers