When Do Jokes Cross the Line?
The other day the correspondents dinner took place for white house staff and the news outlets connected with them and like always comedians are brought to make jokes and roast people in the room. The dinner itself is a sort of relationship building dinner to show the strength between the media and the white house as a symbol of transparency and freedom of expression in our country. The comedian they brough up Michelle Wolf did what the norm was and roasted many people across the board but some are saying she took it too far, so how far is too far when it comes to crossing a line?
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Honestly in my opinion the job of comedians is to push the line of what is unacceptable, if you cant joke or criticize something people never move past it. Even in horrible situations where people make jokes about terrible things, it is part of the grieving process. Joking is a coping mechanism that is not only effective, but completely normal. Gilbert Gottfreid notoriously once made a joke about 9/11 a week after it happened and was booed by some but many needed the comic relief he brought because it was a dark time. If you cant joke about something for many people its hard to move past.
If you listen to the speech Michelle Wolf made, much of what she says isnt really that controversial compared to jokes other comedians would have made. The whole point of bringing a comedian there is to roast people and thats exactly what she did. Many of her jokes were funny regardless of what side of politics you are on. She probably could have gone a lot worse than she did and even probably ditched some jokes that were too far but I think many of the people who are complaining just want to be upset about something. There is a reason why most real comedians wont even do shows at colleges anymore and its because the crowd cant handle jokes.
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Our society is become oversensitive to everything and its very scary for what the future holds for us if this continues to happen. Speaking out and bringing opinions to the table is a right we have in the public and there seem to be groups that want to shut people up. You arent protected from backlash for what you say, but people dont realize that forcing people to shut up either physically or by suppressing their opinions sets a terrible precedent that we have seen many times over in history . In almost all those cases it doesnt lead to a good or healthy society.
You have the right to be offended, but if something offends you just turn it off and dont watch it. You dont need to go on a rampage and hold a vendetta because you dont like a joke someone made. At the end of the day its a joke and it was made to make people laugh. Dont waste your time letting something like that bother you and furthermore dont waste your time attacking someone. I believe that the line in comedy must always be pushed and even crossed or else we will delve further into a more hyper sensitized society than we already are.
-Calaber24p
Some people take things so personally sometimes. They get offended very soon. When someone doesn't understand a deep joke, Its really frustrating!
I agree, comedy is in a way supposed to be offensive because it challenges social norms.
I witnessed a joke gone wrong once. The roasted person could not hold it any longer and sent his cool to the air, only then did the joke become even more jokey. Lol. Seriously if one can just turn that offense off, it will get better faster. Getting offended really is a waste of time
I agree getting offended is a waste of your emotions. I also advocate not getting into fights you will never win. Theres no reason wasting your time and effort trying to make a point to someone who will never understand it. If you get offended, just get up and walk away.
This is so me haha, and all it takes is just that one moment of rethinking, only then you will realise its not worth it
How do you manage your rage or you just silence it cuz its pointless? Do you ever get to that point?
Any lines in comedy should be immediately jumped across, and rubbed out...
you might like my post earlier concerning PC mentality, snowflakes, and idiocy.
https://steemit.com/blog/@lucylin/political-correctness-and-vaseline-my-night-in-bed-with-a-gay-guy
I read it and while some jokes were too personal for my liking, there is nothing really offensive.
Quite contrary, except in a few instances even I - a German - could understand her references. She was not making jokes on people's cost, she was just holding up the reality.
Which, of course, as far worse then being joked on by a clown, if reality jokes on you.
btw. Historically this was the job of the court jester. He was the only one who could openly criticize the king with his jokes.
Yeah lennstar I totally agree with you, her point of being there was to roast the king and his cabinet, which is exactly what she did.
I think comedians are our "canaries in a coal mine" for free speech.
We can see that free speech is already dead or dying on college campuses.
I like the analogy, I think its definitely a warning sign for how PC the world has become.
Watched somewhat of a motivation video the ther day and what caught my attention when was the motiivator said and I quote
You just have to sit and watch and say sorry at the end, cause really they are just mere words and they don't harm us in anyway unless they probably are commands directed to a military personnel to beat you up lol.
Well its only a joke do have a nice day
yeah I think that quote goes back to people just wanting to be upset about something because of other things in their lives.
That's a great news, I appreciate your blog.
Thanks for sharing my friend.
It will be dangerous ..Anything extra is not good ..@calaber24p
Joking or fun give us pleasure and enjoyment but if become extra and cross the limit , It will be so terrible ...So we should be conscious , when we jokes our friend ..
every comedian that is already in the word will be attacked by the public, because most likely comedians are not aware when making jokes to entertain fans can spoil the group and end up into chaos.
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