ODBALLTICKLEMAN
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This question might make me sound dumb but I'm genuinely curious. Does finding offensive humor funny make you a bad person or mean you're a bad person?
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I have a question about offensive humor.
- Thread starter ODBALLTICKLEMAN
- Start date
I think it depends on a lot but if you are going to tell offensive jokes, you can't police the response. Freedom of speech works both ways, so it's kind of a double standard to say whatever you want and then say someone else can't react the way they want.
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Don't you mean subjective?
I think it is a fair question with a very difficult answer. Humor is subjective, and what one person might find funny might offend another. South Park and Family Guy are just two examples of comedy shows that a lot of people could find offensive. Hell, take a look at The Office, another show which would never be made today in all likeliness, because it would offend too many people. But in general, I would say no, finding something that is intended to be funny and make you laugh funny doesn't mean you're a bad person by default.
Barbershopman
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There are things that I have read or seen that I have found funny. But because of their nature, I'd never repeat them as they would be inappropriate. Does that make me a bad person, no, because humor is subjective.
Case in point, Blazing Saddles. Could that movie get remade today, very unlikely. But I found it hilarious because at its core it was satire. Mel Brooks even stated in an interview, the best way to combat racism is to make fun of it, which it does beautifully.
Burton Gilliam (Lyle) had apprehension with his character calling Bart a n****r. Cleavon Little sat him down and said that yes, if he'd called him those names out on the street, then they might have come to blows. But because this movie was a satire, its context was written to be funny and not offensive, which set Gilliam's mind at ease knowing that the "offensive language" was written to be funny, not hateful and mean.
About the same time, there was a little Norman Lear show in the early 70s called "All in the Family" in which Archie Bunker, the main character, was an outright bigot. But it was written and acted so beautifully, that it was seen as funny and not offensive.
So yes, humor is subjective and finding the humor in shall we say, questionable material, depends on your opinion of what you personally find humorous. It is only offensive if you try and subject your brand of humor on someone who might have a different opinion (ie: definition) as to what is humor to them.
Barbershopman
Case in point, Blazing Saddles. Could that movie get remade today, very unlikely. But I found it hilarious because at its core it was satire. Mel Brooks even stated in an interview, the best way to combat racism is to make fun of it, which it does beautifully.
Burton Gilliam (Lyle) had apprehension with his character calling Bart a n****r. Cleavon Little sat him down and said that yes, if he'd called him those names out on the street, then they might have come to blows. But because this movie was a satire, its context was written to be funny and not offensive, which set Gilliam's mind at ease knowing that the "offensive language" was written to be funny, not hateful and mean.
About the same time, there was a little Norman Lear show in the early 70s called "All in the Family" in which Archie Bunker, the main character, was an outright bigot. But it was written and acted so beautifully, that it was seen as funny and not offensive.
So yes, humor is subjective and finding the humor in shall we say, questionable material, depends on your opinion of what you personally find humorous. It is only offensive if you try and subject your brand of humor on someone who might have a different opinion (ie: definition) as to what is humor to them.
Barbershopman
I mean, let's say you listen to a joke about homosexuals and you laugh. Then there are homosexuals, very different people. Maybe some of them will then find the joke offensive. That means for them, it's a joke that makes them feel hurt. Others will maybe find the joke funny too. Of course, they got sort of an "insider" perspective, but for them the joke may have been OK, for others not. Leaving legality aside, it's depending a lot on context I think. If someone is constantly only finding "offensive" topics and builds his career on that, it's cheap and probably he's not a very good comedian. But it can be made in very interesting ways, also taboo-and boundary-breaking humour, like Chappelle or South Park, I don't know. And I think there you feel that it's not malicious intent driving the jokes and the humour, but it's a conscious play with norms. So I think, in the end, you have to see where the joke comes from. If "offensive" humour comes from a real asshole, who just uses humour to get his views across, I think it shouldn't be thought of as funny.
I’m offended that you think that I’d be offended by something offensive! *pouts*
Well I’m offended that you find me to be offensive. Hmph!
MrMacphisto
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Whether it makes you a bad person or not is subjective, but the joke may get you cancelled either way, particularly if you're a straight white male.
People from the dawn of time have been offended by things.
but even in the last century. people were horrified by
Baggy zoot suits in the 40s.
Elvis’s crazy hips in the 50s.
Comic books in the 50s aswell.
Horror movies in the 70s and 80s
Violent video games in the 90s and into the 2000s.
Practically every possible area of popular culture has been shamed.
Hell, I gave my little cousin a bart simpson T-Shirt back in the early 90s.
He wasn’t allowed to wear it because the school BANNED it. The simpsons, A show that is pretty damn tame by today’s standards.
Id argue that what you can get away with now. Can be just as “Provocative” as what we had in the 70s and 80s, and at times. Be even more so.
Now with that out of the way. It’s a simple answer no it doesn’t. Obviously there is a difference between offensive humor with a sense of playfulness and offensive jokes meant to hurt someone. As long as it’s in good fun and you aren’t trying to hurt anybody. you are all set.
but even in the last century. people were horrified by
Baggy zoot suits in the 40s.
Elvis’s crazy hips in the 50s.
Comic books in the 50s aswell.
Horror movies in the 70s and 80s
Violent video games in the 90s and into the 2000s.
Practically every possible area of popular culture has been shamed.
Hell, I gave my little cousin a bart simpson T-Shirt back in the early 90s.
He wasn’t allowed to wear it because the school BANNED it. The simpsons, A show that is pretty damn tame by today’s standards.
Id argue that what you can get away with now. Can be just as “Provocative” as what we had in the 70s and 80s, and at times. Be even more so.
Now with that out of the way. It’s a simple answer no it doesn’t. Obviously there is a difference between offensive humor with a sense of playfulness and offensive jokes meant to hurt someone. As long as it’s in good fun and you aren’t trying to hurt anybody. you are all set.
BlasterMaster
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It all depends on your audience and the way you mold your style of telling jokes I feel.
