| Fish Tank Clan :: Forums :: Fish Tank Side Forums :: Philosophy |
|
« Previous topic | Next topic » |
| Racism in Comedy. Here we go (No spam/flaming here) | ||
| Author | Post | ||
| NoSkill |
|
||
Sir
Registered Member #457
Joined: Tue Oct 10 2006, 01:13PMPosts: 2628 |
But I ask you here. What makes something racist in today's comedy jokes? You're looking for a black and white answer to a very gray question. Racism (making general statements or assumptions based on one's ethnic background, usually negative or deragotory "white people are ignorant preppy hicks" but can also be unduely positive "the aryan race is superior") is an unfortunate part of life. People... as a whole, tend to like people like themselves. People who share their interests and ideas and beliefs. Naturally they don't like those who don't share their ideas, interests and beliefs. Some are able to accept the differences among us others are not and develop a hate for those different than oneself. I don't know what kind of answer you're looking for. But something is "racist" in a joke when it singles out a particular race or group of races and then uses that undeniable unchangeable god given fact as a punchline to a joke. Still that doesn't make it funny, being "edgey" or "provacative" doesn't make a joke funny. What make's a joke funny are primarily TWO things and two things only. Originality and delivery. That's it. If you make a joke everyone has heard of 10 times and deliver it poorly, no one is going to laugh and if it's racist, it will offend alot of people. However if you tell a well thought out, original joke and say it with the right tonality, at the right time, to the right group of people, it'll create an uproar. Even if it's racist. Also it's important if you're delivering racist jokes that you display NO CONVICTION WHATSOEVER. As if the joke isn't even yours, you don't believe in it and the only reason you told it was because it was funny. A retraction after a particularly "racey" joke is a good way to get maximum effect. "Why is there so many (insert ethnicity) here tonight?" "Must be the first of the month...*pause* haha I'm kidding don't laugh at that." OR "I'm going to hell for that joke... *pause* and you're all coming with me." - Denis Leary |
||
| Back to top |
|
||
| bleek |
|
||
#woo
Registered Member #23
Joined: Fri Nov 25 2005, 11:39PMPosts: 665 |
No no. I'm not asking about the "funny factor" of it. But whether saying these jokes is racist. Becouse if a comedian expects laughter from a joke that is racist, he must to some degree belive that what he is saying is something people think is true, or widely belived. I am asking the question of whether the comic/audiance should be considered racist for that reason, or if it is even racist when meant as a joke. | ||
| Back to top |
|
||
| NoSkill |
|
||
|
Sir
Registered Member #457
Joined: Tue Oct 10 2006, 01:13PM Posts: 2628 |
... I can't get into this with you. Besides your god awful typing skills and even worse sentence structure, the question you're asking is pointless. I interpreted as "Is there anyway you guy's won't consider me racist for my crappy joke?" Also you say the comic must believe the joke to be true or widely believed in order to expect laughter. This is false reasoning... he's mostly hoping (not expecting) that the general public will agree with HIS personal sense of humor. There is no way to tell whether a comic is actually racist or just makes racist remarks. Does he believe in them? Does he tell them with conviction? Does he retract his statements? What is his intent? None of this can be discerned. You are left to make an educated decision based on the information available. He made a joke at the expense of black people. He is therefore racist until proven otherwise. Those who laughed at the expense of the others are also in some way... racist. In that they can associate themselves with that mindset long enough to laugh. Do they believe it? How the fuck do I know? Or have anyway of figuring out? I can only judge your character by the actions you take. I can't read your mind and figure out if your racist remarks are jokes or hate speech. My advice, avoid it altogether and don't put make jokes at the expense of others. Especially if you don't know the first thing about them. |
||
| Back to top |
|
||
| bleek |
|
||
|
#woo
Registered Member #23
Joined: Fri Nov 25 2005, 11:39PM Posts: 665 |
NoSkill wrote ... ... I can't get into this with you. Besides your god awful typing skills and even worse sentence structure, the question you're asking is pointless. I interpreted as "Is there anyway you guy's won't consider me racist for my crappy joke?" Excuse me for being Polish. You're interpretation is wrong too. How many times, do I have to say this before you listen to me noskill? THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE APRIL FOOLS DAY "JOKE". I am not looking for any excuses, but rather a better understanding of what makes comics racist, as I have seen it alot in this community, as well as around the real world. What I am trying to say, is people often say what they think. Comics cannot go in making up their own personal flasehoods, that people can't relate to, or else they wont get it. So what I am asking is, does it make a comic racist for ASSUMING that people will laugh at something, he must to some degree belive is true, or else he wouldn't say it at all. Or is it jsut the opposite? Does he say it just for the laughter, without much thought going into it subconsciously. I ask, that you also read the topic title, and stop taking cheap shots at things irrelevant to this thread. |
||
| Back to top |
|
||
| nostie |
|
||
Registered Member #185
Joined: Thu Mar 30 2006, 10:42PMPosts: 3167 |
I disagree that one should make it seem like the joke was not theirs. I agree in the absolute opposite of that. I hate when people deliver jokes - people take it the wrong way - and then they say "oh, well it wasn't my joke"... I rather think that people should take responsibility for what they say, and think better of it the next time. | ||
| Back to top |
|
||
| NoSkill |
|
||
|
Sir
Registered Member #457
Joined: Tue Oct 10 2006, 01:13PM Posts: 2628 |
I already answered your question "So what I am asking is, does it make a comic racist for ASSUMING that people will laugh at something" Yes it does. Here I'll copy and paste my exact answer. "There is no way to tell whether a comic is actually racist or just makes racist remarks. Does he believe in them? Does he tell them with conviction? Does he retract his statements? What is his intent? None of this can be discerned. You are left to make an educated decision based on the information available. He made a joke at the expense of black people. He is therefore racist until proven otherwise. Those who laughed at the expense of the others are also in some way... racist. In that they can associate themselves with that mindset long enough to laugh. Do they believe it? How the fuck do I know? Or have anyway of figuring out? I can only judge your character by the actions you take. I can't read your mind and figure out if your racist remarks are jokes or hate speech." DId you read my whole post? Or just the first 3 sentences? |
||
| Back to top |
|
||
| bleek |
|
||
|
#woo
Registered Member #23
Joined: Fri Nov 25 2005, 11:39PM Posts: 665 |
I read the whole post, decided to comment something that I felt was wrong. Never said you didn't give me an answer. EDIT: Reading over, everyone's replies, and thinking about it, I came to a conclusion myself. I wont reveal my final opinion on the matter, to avoid taking sides of the different ones that were presented, but I truly hope this thread was beneficial to some, and that you came, or still will come to a conclusion yourselves, if you have not yet done so. I wanna thank everyone (for the most part) for taking this matter seriously, and discussing it maturely. i will not be closing this thread, becouse some still might have some answers they are seeking. I will be moderating it, so that at any point, if flaming/spam does occour, the thread will be locked. Edited Thu Apr 05 2007, 06:59PM |
||
| Back to top |
|
||
| Jesus[tzahal] |
|
||
![Jesus[tzahal]](/media/avatar/100x0/upload/mango_kiwi.1172003384.jpg)
Registered Member #530
Joined: Wed Jan 03 2007, 10:56PMPosts: 807 |
Ermm ok, NoSkill stole the thread, lol  but anyways, yeah it is basically what NoSkill said.It is a joke, and the person telling the joke has to believe in the joke only as a joke, not to be serious. If he does not believe in the joke, then it will not be funny. If he believes it to be serious, then it is not a joke; rather it is a serious topic, and if it was supposed to be a racist "joke" then it is just a racist statement. |
||
| Back to top |
|
||
Powered by e107 Forum System
|
|