"Racist" Humor

[Alexanderofmacedon]

I don't understand.

My point is, any joke that relies on a stereotype is not funny because its making fun of something that isn't true, eg all Jewish people are mean or what have you. So if your gay joke depended on me thinking, yeah, that's funny because all gay guys are really into interior design and cooking quiches, its not going to be funny, because I'm going to be thinking, but what about all the other gay guys who don't act like that.

A joke that begins "This gay guy walks into a bar in Texas..." is predicated on the listener having assumptions about what gay guys (and Texans) do in bars. Which bear no resemblance to the real world, where gay guys drink pints and Texans do cross-stitch. So its not funny.

Oh, now I see what you mean.

[Weebeast]

My point is, any joke that relies on a stereotype is not funny because its making fun of something that isn't true, eg all Jewish people are mean or what have you. So if your gay joke depended on me thinking, yeah, that's funny because all gay guys are really into interior design and cooking quiches, its not going to be funny, because I'm going to be thinking, but what about all the other gay guys who don't act like that.

A joke that begins "This gay guy walks into a bar in Texas..." is predicated on the listener having assumptions about what gay guys (and Texans) do in bars. Which bear no resemblance to the real world, where gay guys drink pints and Texans do cross-stitch. So its not funny.

Well, in this case I think you need to relax a little bit. Not a single blond I know stares at juice cartons but when someone asks me, "why do blondes stare at juice cartons," and answers, "because it says concentrate" I would be laughing because ...well the punchline is funny. Of course, not all blondes are stupid or ditzy but it's out of the question already.

[yesdachi]

My point is, any joke that relies on a stereotype is not funny because its making fun of something that isn't true,

Almost all stereotypes are based in truth and reality. The percentage of the group that is being stereotyped that actually does whatever it is that is being stereotyped may be low but it is still significant or visible enough to have generated an across the board label or reputation for being a certain way. Not all two year olds are terrible but enough of them are to get a reputation for the way they act. Pick a stereotype and follow it thru, I cant think of a common stereotype that doesn’t have at least some truth to it.

[Don Corleone]

Jokes based on stereotypes aren't the same thing as 'racist' jokes.

There's an important distinction between being a bigot and being a racist that I think you should all consider.

A bigot is Archie Bunker. Benighted, rather crass and callous, ignorant, forms opinions based on stereotypes. At the end of the day though, he doesn't actually believe in keeping slaves and he wouldn't tolerate anybody mistreating Lamont (the Jeffersons' son).

A racist is David Duke. He actually puts the sheets on and works actively to put people, even people he knows in an inferior place and keep them there.

Bigotry comes from ignorance, and a large part fear of the unknown. Racism comes from hatred and an evil soul and the desire to subjugate others.

The point in all of this? The problem with white people using the "N" word isn't simply that it's offensive. (I'll use two of my own ethnicities, so as to not offend other target groups) It's not equivalent to calling somebody a mick or a guinnea. These terms are offensive and are guaranteed to get a reaction out of Irish and Italian people, respectively.

The "N" word is strictly speaking, not an ethnic insult. It's not the same as (forgive me Big John) calling somebody a spook. Because the "N" word was used for centuries, in a non-insulting way. People used it to describe property. You can go back to pre Civil War documents, such as wills, and see "Zechariah H. Hodgepodge bequeaths on his eldest son, Jeremiah: 3 mules, 2 acres of land, and 10 "N".) When non-black people use the N word, black people hear it as though you're referring to THEM as property. They use it among themselves in an effort to desensitive the word, but in reality, I think it's in poor form and Quincy Jones & Bill Cosby seem to agree with me.

That being said, what you described in your opening statement SFTS, I would describe as ethnic humor, or bigotry, not outright racism. Racism implies a goal of maintaining the superior status of one race over the others. If you told a bunch of hispanic jokes in your workplace, where everyone was white except for one Mexican, and you all looked at him and laughed at him while you told the jokes, that would be racist. If you're all redneckin it up, calling each other spic and gringo, hey, that's just being a guy.

[Tachikaze]

Any kind of joke can be funny, due to clever use of language, unexpected twists, etc. But I would rather find commonality in people, rather than reinforce their differences.

[Devastatin Dave]

This reminds me of my ebonics episode I played in the Backroom a couple of months ago. I got warnings not because I was speaking ebonics, but speaking ebonics and being white. Its a double standard, but its one that will continue as long as the overly sensitive pc drama queens continue to have way to much influence in our lives.

[Zalmoxis]

I'm more into stereotype jokes than anything else. If anyone's seen the Latin Kings of Comnedy stand up with one of them (can't remember the name) said he wouldn't mind if you would call a crayon "lazy brown" :can't hold a job black" or "can't drive for **** yellow", and yes, these can be very racist, but that's just humor.

[LeftEyeNine]

I'm against anything "just humor". They cause subconscious discrimination, believe it or not. And subconscious is to be revealed somehow.

Something interestingly related to how the West looks upon Muhammed charicatures.

[Fragony]

I'm against anything "just humor". They cause subconscious discrimination, believe it or not. And subconscious is to be revealed somehow.

You are only made a fool off when you think you are one yourselve.

[LeftEyeNine]

You are only made a fool off when you think you are one yourselve.

Equal points with whom I accused of making such jokes.

By the way, very creative way of finding excuses. Great talent.

[Goofball]

This reminds me of my ebonics episode I played in the Backroom a couple of months ago. I got warnings not because I was speaking ebonics, but speaking ebonics and being white. Its a double standard, but its one that will continue as long as the overly sensitive pc drama queens continue to have way to much influence in our lives.

But surely Dave, we can find some middle ground between "sensitive PC drama queens" and guys who think jokes that start with "two ni***rs walk into a bar..." are the pinacle of good comedy?

I agree with what was said earlier. Racist jokes, by their very nature, are hateful and not funny.

Ethnic humor, on the other hand, can be very funny.

[Devastatin Dave]

But surely Dave, we can find some middle ground between "sensitive PC drama queens" and guys who think jokes that start with "two ni***rs walk into a bar..." are the pinacle of good comedy?

.

I don't use the n-word, thank you very much. Besides its a Rabbi and a preist that walks into a bar, get it right drama queen!!!

[Goofball]

I don't use the n-word, thank you very much. Besides its a Rabbi and a preist that walks into a bar, get it right drama queen!!!

We drama queens never get anything right. We're far to busy trying to keep left...

[Fragony]

By the way, very creative way of finding excuses. Great talent.

It's a superior thing

[Avicenna]

I would basically agree. For someone with any aesthetic sense, this humor is only funny when the deliverer is speaking from a rostrum of social equality. In more ancient times a disrespectful deliverer could be as entertaining as those "chimp-parodies" of the 50's, but those times are long gone. Even someone who does not believe in the equality mentioned above must agree with this.

The fifties hardly count as ancient do they? In ancient times they probably wouldn't have been that racist as well, seeing how people went all over the place and Alexander wanting to create an empire where there was no racial difference, completely contrasting Hitler's ideas.

[Faust|]

The fifties hardly count as ancient do they? In ancient times they probably wouldn't have been that racist as well, seeing how people went all over the place and Alexander wanting to create an empire where there was no racial difference, completely contrasting Hitler's ideas.

It has nothing to do with the 50's except that that is when the chimp parodies occurred. In other words, I'm speculating that "racist" humor in the ancient world would have been similar to, or had the same cultural purpose as, our mocking of chimps violation of "normal" behavior.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I think observational ethnic humour is very funny, harsh offensive racist humour isn't.

[InsaneApache]

I think observational ethnic humour is very funny, harsh offensive racist humour isn't.

Pray tell me, what is the differrence? Show some examples.

[Strike For The South]

Pray tell me, what is the differrence? Show some examples.

I understand what hes saying. Something along the lines as asians cant drive or whitey cant jump are acceptble while there are some that go to far and are extremely offensive.

[InsaneApache]

Why can't Asians drive, or whitey jump?

[Strike For The South]

Why can't Asians drive, or whitey jump?

They are stereotypes which usually not condsidered very offensive (note the saying themselves arent the joke) I beleive he was talking about honest racial offensive humor

[InsaneApache]

Honest racial humour! Sorry I don't get the joke.

[BigTex]

Pray tell me, what is the differrence? Show some examples.

A black guy and a mexican are both riding in a car, who's driving?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The cop.

[Strike For The South]

I meant offensive horrible type as in 'honest to god offensive racil humor" There are much worse sterotypes and jokes out there that could hurt some feelings or promote rage. Whitey cant jump and asians cant drive are just 2 "tame" examples.

[John86]

We have a jewish guy at our school. We call him Jew and its funny. In 7th grade IIRC there was a rather ugly incdent with a mormon child but I wasnt really part of that.

I feel bad for the two black kids in our school. One is called "Carlton" and the other "Bubba" (I admit, I started the Carlton one, but it was by mistake :p)


But yes, I use racist jokes all the time.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

I feel bad for the two black kids in our school. One is called "Carlton" and the other "Bubba" (I admit, I started the Carlton one, but it was by mistake :p)


But yes, I use racist jokes all the time.

You only have two black kids at your school? We only had two before Catrina, but now we have about ten. Not being rascist, just stating a fact

[John86]

You only have two black kids at your school? We only had two before Catrina, but now we have about ten. Not being rascist, just stating a fact

Yes only two, at least in my grade.

By the way, if anyone was wondering:
Carlton was a character on the show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He was black, but acted extremely white.

[yesdachi]

I feel bad for the two black kids in our school.

There were only 2 black kids in my high school at the time of my graduation. But I did go to a very small school in the middle of the country.

Hummm, both were good at basketball too. Like I said before, stereotypes with roots in reality.

[Shawn_MacDonald]

Meh at times I find humor like that funny but I usually try not to go too far cause I tend to respect other peoples cultures highly (unless they disrespect me in that case Iignore them). Ethenic steriotype humor can be funny at times though.

[Devastatin Dave]

A black guy and a mexican are both riding in a car, who's driving?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The cop.

Unfortunately it not only funny but 9 times out of 10, the truth...