Saturday, June 10, 2006

Without naming names

It's odd...

It wasn't until I started going to some blogs that I realized that people are still really upset by political correctness.

Now...I agree. It can go too far and everyone needs to chill out a bit. But we all realize why we use it, right? I mean, when we sort it all out at the end, it'll be a good thing, right? We agree on that, right?

...and I understand that the only way we're gonna sort it out (anything, really) is talking about it, airing our views and opinions, have a little back and forth, a little conflict...that sorta stuff...so shine on all you crazy diamonds.

However...has it ever occured to some of you that you're just not funny?

Really...if someone got offended because you used the n-word, or called a woman a slut, or made that joke about First Nations peoples, or continue to use the oh-so-tired phrase "Islamofascist"....maybe it's the delivery. Maybe you're not that funny. Maybe you're not catching on that those things are way behind the times and you are no longer cutting edge.

Assuming you were 'cutting edge' sometime in 1956.

And chances are you're not that funny if you're not able to sense comedic timing by using outdated material. And, for added measure (unless you're Stuart McLean or someone of his ilk, who is hilarious even if you spot the punchline 10 miles away) surprise is often a key element to comedy. If you look like you're going to make that same gay joke that everyone who looks like you makes, well...*yawn* and, 'maybe you shouldn't say that.'

Hell, I get offended when someone makes the joking reply, 'let's not go there' or some other catchphrase from a lame sitcom or reality show, because...Jesus...do you think I'm so inbred as to think you're clever retort is original? Or I have so little going on that I need to laugh at a joke I guessed you would make 10 minutes ago?

So...to conclude...if you're all fired up because no one laughed at your edgy and in-your-face comedy...maybe it's not political correctness you have to blame, maybe it's you.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Different people find different things funny, I'm assuming you didn't find something funny.

Wes

Himbly said...

Someone on a blog was complaining about others being offended when s/he though s/he was being funny.

But sometimes, you're just not funny.

Anonymous said...

I hear you. In this case, nobody thought she/he was funny.

Wes

Anonymous said...

If you're talking about who I think you're talking about, then I thought "his/her" jokes were funny.

Himbly said...

I don't know if I am talking about who you think I'm talking about.

Anonymous said...

Interesting. Himbly, what were the jokes you didn't think were funny? As I mentioned earlier, everybody finds different things funny, and everyone has various tolerances towards riske humour. But from your speech, it sounds like you didn't think anyone thought the jokes(?) were funny.


OT- Is Himbly your name? I came across this site looking for names I'm looking to call a business venture of mine. HIMBLYS was one of the many, many acronyms I came up with.

Wes

Himbly said...

No...himbly's not my name. It's a nickname that was made up by my cousin for her cat. Just kinda stuck in the family memory, I guess.

The reason I'm not mentioning who posted the jokes is to create some privacy for a friend who shared a blog. The person who posted the jokes...well, I didn't see the actual jokes (but I've been told what they were) and things this individual have said in the past to be funny, I just thought were plain dumb.

Anyway...I realize some people get tickled by some things that other's do not. However, I do sometimes get tired when someone does not consider the audience...tells a joke that they know to be tasteless...and then blame the audience for the lack of laughter.

...aaannnddd...I've done it myself. I at least make a joke about how I'm not funny sometime afterwards.

Himbly said...

If we're talking about the same person and the same jokes that were removed soon after...well, we disagree on the 'funny' factor of those jokes and would probably find it difficult to figure out what movie to see.

Anonymous said...

Off topic, but I once wondered how a "painting" consisting of three colours smudged together could be worth a million dollars. It wasn't long before someone gave me shit, saying that just because I didn't think it was great art, that doesn't mean no one else would. hmmm

Enough bullshit Himbly. You never saw the jokes and you quickly jumped to a conclusion (something I've come to expect from you) based on a previous bias you built up against me. Just another knee-jerk reaction without knowing the facts (and ignoring the facts once they were explained).

I thought it was spelled out clearly for you before your little rant here, but I'll go through the timeline of events again.

Friday morning - jokes posted, as they are every Friday (all different types of jokes - tame, racy, stupid, cute, all types), meant for laughs, as they all are.
Friday afternoon - "R" calls me, he's laughing as he reads jokes, as everyone else I've talked to laughed at them.
Friday night - "R" & myself receive emails from his political group blog buddies, saying that even though the jokes were clearly for humour and even though they themselves were not offended, other people might become offended and then use it against their political blog group, and it would be best if we removed the jokes, just in case.
Friday night, 30 minutes later - I get a message on my phone from "R" saying, "Yeah, I got some emails from some people saying the jokes might be offensive to some people, so I removed them. Sorry J."
Saturday morning - I read emails from "R"'s political blog buddies, thinking to myself it's a little ironic that these are the same people who were most vocal in their support of showing the Mohamed cartoons because of freedom of speech, no matter who's offended.
Saturday morning - I call "R", ready to rant about the irony, but instead get fed a bullshit story that contradicts his words from Friday. So then I get mad at being lied to. I post a sarcastic piece about politcal correctness, which you read.
Next - "R" posts something vague about no ethnic jokes on his blog, they're not funny, serve no purpose. You and "R" commnent back and forth about something you admitted you didn't know anything about. Then "R" went and said that I only posted the jokes to offend people, that no humour was intended. So now I've been lied to and lied about, by someone close to me. And you're eating it up, even though you missing most of the facts. After this was all explained to you, you changed your tune about the jokes, and took "R"'s side about his right for editorial control, even though I made it clear that I was pissed for being lied to and about.

The best part is when you said, "I apologise for asking. I didn't mean to stir things up...I thought the story attached to the last two posts would be quite different. Sorry". You thought wrong, and I guess you were so sorry that you then wrote this rant about it.

Now, about this rant of yours... "So...to conclude...if you're all fired up because no one laughed at your edgy and in-your-face comedy...maybe it's not political correctness you have to blame, maybe it's you."
Actually, all the people that I know read it found it funny, and political correctness has little to do with it, I was pissed at being lied about. One guy I know, who doesn't drink, swear, or miss church EVER, said that although a couple of the jokes made him cringe, he found many of them funny and knew they were obviously intended to be. As I said, "R" laughed, my coworkers laughed, my family laughed, as did my friends. I'm not out to make everyone in the world laugh, I never said that I was. The only people who said the jokes weren't funny were "R" (who did laugh, but was only trying to make a point on his blog) and you (who didn't even see the jokes). And now we see how a lie about someone can grow. How very smart/mature/funny of you.

Anonymous said...

One more thing...

When I get questions from readers wondering, "what's up Himbly's butt, does she think anything at all is funny?", instead of responding to them that Himbly can think whatever she wants is funny, what I really should have done is created a whole post about it describing how unfunny she is and what actually is funny, all because I alone didn't find her funny.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, didn't mean to stir things up.

Wes

Himbly said...

hahaha...Wes, don't worry. J gets upset at everything...and then he thinks the best course of action is to have an online tantrum...like that makes him right.

I'll read the whole freak out later, but dude, all I'm saying is that I don't find you funny. It's my blog, so I get to say that you're not funny at all. Wait..actually, that's not true. Once or twice I found you chuckle-worthy...but nothing to write home about.

You're wrong...R told me a couple of the jokes. I didn't think they were funny...I don't see who could 'cause they were lame. Therefore, I say they're not funny.

Okay..want to get those points out of the way. Think I'll try to read through the rest of your keyboard diarrhea and write another comment.

Sweet...my blog never sees this type of action.

Himbly said...

Okay...points A & B:

I stand by what I said about art. And what's wrong with arguing your opinions? Much like you're doing here (which I welcome, actually, 'cause like I said...my blog never sees action).

Yup...I did jump to a conclusion based upon my idea of what type of person you are based on your previous writings. Your brother never told me a thing about you... but you did. I guessed, based on those things, that you're a boorish man who relies on bravado more than fact or logic and is occassionally clever. I liked to check your posts because I could ~almost~ always find something deliciously contrary to my views. I enjoy that sort of thing. Another thing I guessed, based on previous "funnies" you've made is that the jokes that R took down would be lame and plainly racist. Seems like I was right. Now, if R laughed...and there's several reasons he may have laughed...but even if he laughed because he thought they were funny...that's fine. Between friends. But do you really think it was a good idea to post them to the public? Well..why am I asking? Clearly you did. That, to me, shows a lack of class and character. Then freaking out at him like you did showed even less.

Point C:

my 'little rant' here was actually written before you 'made clear the events'...which doesn't matter 'cause...yes, I read the events...I still think you're wrong.

Point D:

No..not sorry I wrote this post since I never linked to you and only told R that I wrote it. I never even mentioned the people involved. What I was sorry for was asking what the deal was and then you, again with the angry blah blah blah blah in the comments. Then R replied. I took R's side because I think R is right. My apology was because I honestly didn't think it was a sibling fight that I was getting int he middle of on their blog.

Jesus...you really take it hard when someone disagrees with you. R had every right to edit his own blog as he saw fit. You need to cool your head.

Himbly said...

I'm sorry..I may have missed it with the onslaught of anger that you just laid out on my blog...but where exactly were you lied to? And are you pointing to me as a person who 'made it worse'??

I'll have you know something...YOU decided to go public with this whole thing first. You invite people to comment and I honestly innocently did...I apologized once I realized I'd stepped into something bigger and, frankly, was a little shocked that you chose to take your tantrum public. R gets a few readers...strangers to him...and his blog is public viewing. So don't blame me for wandering in and putting my two cents worth when that's what the thing is for!

Himbly said...

Oh...another thing...

Filed under "you're so vain, you probably think this post is about you...":

The reason I wrote this post was, indeed, in response to the big fit you were having over at the other place. But, it just reminded me of times that I've seen other people do the same thing and blame the audience. As I've posted in a comment above, it's happened to me, too..though I try to make a joke out of my 'striking out'. ~Some people~ lose their shit instead. Which is even less smart/mature/funny than me.

Himbly said...

Whoa..I've got lots to say, hey?

You'll notice your name isn't on this blog? Nor was a link to the posts we're talking about...

...you notice that, right? It's because you're not the only person I'm talking about...though it was handy what happened to spark my thoughts on the matter.

Having said that...go ahead. All those readers who asked you what's up my butt...all the, what? thousands? hundreds? they deserve a response. So...I suggest you start a new blog and say whatever you want about me. As long as it's opinion and not lies....I don't trust you to not to say I kill kittens or something.

I fact, invite them all here to ask me in my comments if I find anything funny at all. I can tell them myself.

Anyway...write back. It's fun!

Anonymous said...

This is just my opinion..... I read the jokes originally, all of them, not just a couple of the *worst* ones..... I thought they were funny, same with the people I know saw them, they were nothing worse than other things J or R have written before. Basically, I saw it the way J said. I laughed when R said he removed them because J didn't put them there for comedy. Of course they were for comedy. Everybody that knows J knows that. I think J was mad at that, because then some people *like yourself* who didn't even see them would think J was just out to offend or what ever. I know of more than a few people *myself included* who go to that website just to see Js jokes and what he writes, because he's not a bad writer and has good timing, so maybe he has a point about when you claim he's not funny, because lots of people do thinks so.[but I don't think that was ever his point, because he said a few times that wasn't his point] I've also noticed that *you* go to that website a lot maybe just to argue with them.....you seem to not agree with most of their stuff and maybe you have a bad opinion of them anyways. [Sorry for my crappy writing]. Afetr seeing the comments there, and now here, I have to agree with J about the whole thing. I know J, and he doesn't care if people think he's funny or right or wrong.....he makes more cracks about himself than anything.....he just doesn't like it when something untrue is said about him, in my view. That's waht it looks like he was saying here, too. At least, thats what I see when I read it. Another person I know who read it said the same thing. But those are just our opinions.

Anonymous said...

Oops, I didn't mean to make that so long. And my spelling sucks.

Himbly said...

Don't worry, regbumfread (for short), my spelling blows, too.

Firstly, no...I don't have a low opinion of them. R is actually my real life friend and I quite like him. He and I, and I think he'd agree with me saying this, often differ in opinions and we argue over coffee just as we argue over the internet. I think it's healthy to argue...and sometimes it's fun.

If I were to be honest -and I wouldn't say this over there, but J came here and started with his ranting (which he is welcome to do)- I find J to have a sledghammer wit...and I find his jokes are stale. That's my opinion and that's why I wrote the post.

...let me put in an aside here. I've been writing a lot this year, not only for this blog but at school, too. When I write papers, or letters of intent to apply for grad studies, I write as though what I"m saying is what is. Unless I'm unsure about a topic, I generally write this way. You see, there's no point in writing 'in my opinion' or 'I believe' or 'the way I see it' too often because, well, ~you're~ writing it, so it's pretty obvious that ~you~ believe it. Maybe this tone is what's getting me in trouble...

So, having just said that...when I think someone's not funny, I'll say someone's not funny without stepping all over myself to say that it's just my opinion. You know it's my opinion. I wrote it. You can, are welcome to, and have written to disagree with me...and that's great. I actually appreciate the dialogue and, frankly, the activity at my site.

Anyway...(sorry, this seems to be long, too)...my point about the jokes, aside from 'when someone's not being funny, don't blame the audience'...which, honestly, was triggered by J, but I meant it for many more people...

where was I? oh yes..the point (well, another point) is that it's R's blog and R's being mindful of his reputation and J seems to not respect that, but I think that R has every right to reserve the right to edit. J can, and did, rebutt...but, I don't think it makes J look any better.

Yes, I argue with J. I often disagree with him and I think that's what opinion blogs are for, so I comment. You need dialogue and you need variety. If J wants to lose his mind everytime someone says that he's not completely right, well...too bad for him and more entertainment for the rest of us.

Himbly said...

I would like to add.

R did not say that J did not intend the jokes for humour. He said the ~jokes~ were not intended so much for humour as they were for shock. Shock often makes people laugh..in fact, that's what a lot of humour these days is built on. I don't think that R was intending to insult J directly, but just the quality of the jokes that J was posting and I think J was failing to understand the difference in the reactions that can still cause laughter.

I think J really did think that he was being funny....but also failed to recognize that perhaps these jokes should be kept in a more private realm.

Anonymous said...

himbly.... I just reread what they said and R said,,,,, *They were not satire nor farce. They were meant to insult entire ethnic groups and races for shock value and shock value alone*.... those were his words, and that's what made J mad, I'm sure. Of all 14 or 16 of those jokes, maybe 2 or 3 of them were a liitle too risky to put on, but the jokes made fun of every type of religion and many many countries, mostly european. The heading he used said something along the lines of *making fun of every body*, not picking on just one group, and for the most part they were quite tame jokes, some were too tame, like the one about a cross between a Jew and gay guy is a *He-blew*.... I'm not sure that can be offensive unless you don't like hearing about oral sex. To me and another guy I talked to it sounds like R sort of lied a little for why he removed them and it made J look worse than he really was. I guess it did make him look worse... in your opinion. I'd probably act the same way if I was lied about.

[wow...this is the most I've ever commented on a blog..... I think I'm getting tired] And I think J was just having a little fun with you because you seem to get worked up easily.

Himbly said...

hehe...okay, I think you should look back at J's comment to me and my comments to him. Though I had a lot to say, I was most certainly calm and inviting him to comment here as often as he wanted. He, on the other hand, was having the typed version of a stroke. Something I've seen him do quite often.

I argue easily, that's true, but because one argues doesn't mean that one's getting emotional.

Ugh. I read what R said, too...and I obviously interpreted it differently than you. I don't think he lied to, or about J. Why is it that J seems to think he's the only one who can get upset? Do you think calling out his brother in public was a kind, brotherly thing to do? I don't know myself, but I'm guessing that R worded it a bit strongly because he was upset, too.

J never looked 'worse' to me after the jokes...I never thought he looked good. I may have assumed some things about him, but he hasn't done anything to change my mind. In fact, his reaction to R was not that surprising and served to solidify my opinion.

Again, love the 'having fun with you' thing....it's what people say after somone's behaved badly to make them seem as though they had the upper hand. It is typical of a certain type of person and it's typical of him. Please...if you're going to defend J to me, show me one thing that I can say, 'wow...okay...I misjudged him'.

Oh..and I say again. This is not so much about the actual content of the jokes as it is about R's right to edit whatever he wants on his blog. It is also the red ensign's right to request that R edit something if he is going to post their icon and be a member of their group.

Okay..maybe I've given the wrong impression that I thought that the jokes were scathingly racist. No, R told me a couple of them and they weren't...they were just dumb. The 'He-blew' joke was not funny...it's stupid. Personally, I wouldn't want to put it on my blog because I wouldn't want anyone to think that I thought that was funny.

Ugh...okay...blah blah blah. What else can I say? To me, it was obvious why R would take those jokes off his blog, and he reserves the right to and R didn't lie to J. J is acting like he's a reporter with a big scoop who's editor is too afraid to publish the article...when all he did was regurgitate stupid old jokes. If he's so upset, he can start his own blog and build up his own readership like R did.

Anonymous said...

Boy do I ever see it different than you. Not just me, either. I've been rereading the original comments.... and your post and these comments.... and I see it the way J said more than ever. I even had my wife read everything from the start and she said it looked like R got caught in his lie, especially with the timeline and red ensign emails. And I have to disagree with you when you said... *was having the typed version of a stroke. Something I've seen him do quite often*.... J was telling us the whole story...point by point, and he wasn't going nuts about it, and I cant remember seeing him go overboard *quite often* the way you say, and I'm guessing that I know him way better than you. In fact, you seem to be the one going a little crazy with your comments. [I don't mean that in a mean way]. I don't see how you think J thinks he is the only one allowed to get upset... you keep saying that.... where does he say that? To me, it was R that publicly made J look bad, saying J only said those jokes to offend, which even I knew was not true..... Everyone else seems to think so too... except R, who didn't tell us the real truth.... and you, who never saw the jokes and really hate him anyways.

>*'wow...okay...I misjudged him'* >I can only tell you from what I know of him, as a long time aquaintence, that you are totaly off base about someone you don't even know at all. You talk like you know exactly what he;s like, but have you ever even met him? Maybe you should have a good talk with R before you continue to wipe your butt with his brother's name. Maybe you should meet J's wife, who is probably the last person that would marry a jerk or asshole. He houses foreign students and drives them to the mountains on weekends...., he'll be the first to offer his help when people are moving or building a basement...... he does art paintings.... Sorry, but I will keep defending him as long as you keep talking nonsense about him... and it is nonsense if your only opinion of him is from the stuff he writes for laughs at the website. If you actually read all the comments in order, it would be obvious to you what really happened, and that R was lying to you as well about his reasons. When you say this...*his reaction to R was not that surprising and served to solidify my opinion*... his *reaction* was to tell the truth of what happened, R was not telling you the truth.... yet you think J is the wrong one. When R said ...*They were not satire nor farce. They were meant to insult entire ethnic groups and races for shock value and shock value alone*... that was a lie... J knew it, even I knew it, so did others in my own office who read it. That's obviously when J got upset... because that lie made J look like he only wanted to be racist or something...... Not a cool thing to do to anybody. You keep mentioniong R's right to remove the jokes, but you're the only one that still thinks that's the reason why J was upset.

*'having fun with you' thing....it's what people say after somone's behaved badly to make them seem as though they had the upper hand. It is typical of a certain type of person and it's typical of him*..... actually, I said it.... not J, so now you're insulting J for something he didn't say.

OK now i'm really tired.... and i dont think it matters what really happened because you're going to hate J no matter what. I just know for a fact that you're wrong about the type of guy he is.

Himbly said...

I don't hate J. Honestly. People I hate, I spend time thinking about. J is just a guy who's got more bravado than brains, I think.

I"m sure he does all those things...I don't think he spends his evenings killing puppies. I, at no time, didn't think he wasn't a decent human being...he's just someone that hasn't shown me his 'fair and logical' side. And, as of yet, I'm not sure he doesn't have a side where he doesn't flip out and try to be funny if someone disagrees with him.

Anyway...he came to my blog and freaked out. So, I replied in the way I felt. You and he repeated the same tired argument and I still think that he sold out his brother for a few stupid jokes. I can't possibly see how you don't think that R doesn't have the right to include or not include whatever he wants on HIS blog...for whatever reason.

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