Seriously thoughtful When is HUMOR in "Bad" taste?

[Dr. Drib]

Ok, so this extremely dead thing wanders into a bar and says, "xdfkfsse - fuczzzk you," and the bartender replies, "Sorry, all the meat's back there, with the dead animals."

Ok, I had to think of something quick. I don't really like to join my serious nature with my humorous nature, due to a "dispute" about 3 weeks ago and an ideological disagreement with a group, but perhaps I can join my humorous side in a serious discussion in this thread as we try to explicate exactly what IS humor and what is humorous.

Some people read strange things into humor, and some people continue their "strange" efforts to hijack threads. This thread has been created with those people in mind.

Let's have a serious discussion about how we define humor. And, please, for Satan's sake, let's not fight. I'm no more right than you are. But I know what's funny to me.

Ok, about that dead thing: It's being served for breakfast. Come on down and have some grizzly meat. Careful as you walk, you just stepped on my carpet. Can you make out the facial features there on the carpet? That's me dear old Mom you almost stepped on!


Don

[Lady Blue]

My quick one-liner knee-jerk reaction to this question (without getting too deep) and my own personal opinion is:

I always find "bathroom" humor in bad taste. I've never found it the least bit funny or amusing (and I'm sure this is unpopular, but I can't stand the Simpsons, for instance.)

But that's just me.

[HarryT]

I'd say the definition is simple: it's in bad taste when the listener is offended or upset, and not amused.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd say the definition is simple: it's in bad taste when the listener is offended or upset, and not amused.

What if you find a joke in bad taste and I find it funny? Does that make it funny or in bad taste?

That's the problem. What some see as funny others can see as bad taste.

Take the movie Borat for example. I borrowed the DVD from the library and started to watch it. I got about 1/2 way through and stopped it because I thought it was awful. My wife also did not like it. But a lot of people did find it funny. So is it funny or is it in bad taste?

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

My quick one-liner knee-jerk reaction to this question (without getting too deep) and my own personal opinion is:

I always find "bathroom" humor in bad taste. I've never found it the least bit funny or amusing (and I'm sure this is unpopular, but I can't stand the Simpsons, for instance.)

But that's just me.

Me too ....

[DixieGal]

Bathroom humor? Did someone page me?

I love a good sick joke, preferably with potty jokes or rotten meat or jokes about death or just really awful puns. The gruesomer, the better.

I'm also partial to jokes about parrots. I keep a log of parrot jokes, it's over 100 pages long. Quite a few are duplicates, but it's my log and I don't care if it is untidy.

Uh-Oh, off topic. What was the question again?

[Lady Blue]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What if you find a joke in bad taste and I find it funny? Does that make it funny or in bad taste?

That's the problem. What some see as funny others can see as bad taste.

Take the movie Borat for example. I borrowed the DVD from the library and started to watch it. I got about 1/2 way through and stopped it because I thought it was awful. My wife also did not like it. But a lot of people did find it funny. So is it funny or is it in bad taste?

All I needed was to see clips of that movie on TV to judge (in my opinion) that it was awful, not funny and stupid.

But that's just me.

I also don't think practical jokes, at another person's expense, that can possibly cause embarrassment or humiliation, are the least bit funny. Just one reason I don't like Howie Mandel, for one.

Once again . . . just me.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

My quick one-liner knee-jerk reaction to this question (without getting too deep) and my own personal opinion is:

I always find "bathroom" humor in bad taste. I've never found it the least bit funny or amusing (and I'm sure this is unpopular, but I can't stand the Simpsons, for instance.)

But that's just me.

I believe (or feel?) where you're coming from. I respect your opinion because, after all, you're telling us how you feel about something - what you like and what you don't like, even if if you do perceive your thoughts to be unpopular.

I delight in hearing "bathroom humor," but that's just me. For some reason, however, I'm not very good in telling jokes involving that kind of humor.

I first became aware of bathroom humor (strangely enough), when I read "The Dark Light Years," by Brian Aldiss, about a group of aliens who (if I remember correctly) worshipped their feces. The story was scandalous at the time, which was about 1964, during the New Wave occurring in science fiction.

I think it's embarrassing (for me) to talk about one's habits in the bathroom. Writing and thinking about it right now is somewhat embarrassing. I feel that Bathroom Humor may be popular because of the very nature from which the humor originates which, if one thinks about it, is by its very nature a somewhat ridiculous concept.


Don

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Bathroom humor? Did someone page me?

I love a good sick joke, preferably with potty jokes or rotten meat or jokes about death or just really awful puns. The gruesomer, the better.

I'm also partial to jokes about parrots. I keep a log of parrot jokes, it's over 100 pages long. Quite a few are duplicates, but it's my log and I don't care if it is untidy.

Uh-Oh, off topic. What was the question again?

I have a feeling you'd enjoy the fart scene Peter Sellers did in one of the Pink Panther movies.

[Dr. Drib]

What was the name of that movie about teenagers carrying this dead person along with them and trying to pretend to everyone that he's still alive? It's classified as a comedy. Is it in bad taste? I certainly hope so.

I didn't think the movie was very good, but the PREMISE - for me - is hilarious. To cart a dead person around as if he's alive - prop him up, seat him at a bar, put him in bed, find him a prostitute, WHATEVER! The idea has me rolling around in my stitches.


Don

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

What was the name of that movie about teenagers carrying this dead person along with them and trying to pretend to everyone that he's still alive? It's classified as a comedy. Is it in bad taste? I certainly hope so.

I didn't think the movie was very good, but the PREMISE - for me - is hilarious. To cart a dead person around as if he's alive - prop him up, seat him at a bar, put him in bed, find him a prostitute, WHATEVER! The idea has me rolling around in my stitches.


Don

Weekend at Bernies

[Lady Blue]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

What was the name of that movie about teenagers carrying this dead person along with them and trying to pretend to everyone that he's still alive? It's classified as a comedy. Is it in bad taste? I certainly hope so.

I didn't think the movie was very good, but the PREMISE - for me - is hilarious. To cart a dead person around as if he's alive - prop him up, seat him at a bar, put him in bed, find him a prostitute, WHATEVER! The idea has me rolling around in my stitches.


Don

"Weekend at Bernie's" I believe. Thought that was entirely dumb. (Just me.)

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

What was the name of that movie about teenagers carrying this dead person along with them and trying to pretend to everyone that he's still alive? It's classified as a comedy. Is it in bad taste? I certainly hope so.

I didn't think the movie was very good, but the PREMISE - for me - is hilarious. To cart a dead person around as if he's alive - prop him up, seat him at a bar, put him in bed, find him a prostitute, WHATEVER! The idea has me rolling around in my stitches.


Don

That was Weekend at Bernies. Loved it!

So Don, let me ask you a personal question: Are you native to Peru? I ask because every Hispanic male I know is very squeamish about bodily functions, as you describe. I have an acquaintance from Guatemala in front of whom I make a point to pop in an insulin shot, just to watch him turn green and see his skin crawl. He told me it is considered bad manners to do such things in public where he comes from. So I, of course, poke his personal boundaries whenever possible. After all, what are friends for?

Is this your experience also, that discussing or witnessing bodily functions is taboo?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Take the movie Borat for example. I borrowed the DVD from the library and started to watch it. I got about 1/2 way through and stopped it because I thought it was awful. My wife also did not like it. But a lot of people did find it funny. So is it funny or is it in bad taste?

I think you're slightly missing the point with that one. You may never have seen him on American TV, but Saha Baron Cohen, the British comedian who stars in that film, has made his career out of being in bad taste. That's the way it's supposed to be.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

Weekend at Bernies

That I did enjoy. I thought it was in bad taste and that just helped to make it funny.