Drama is easy, but socially acceptable comedy is hard
I didn’t watch the Oscars, but these days you really don’t have to see an
awards show to inundated with reports on everything from what kind of underwear
celebrities are — or are not — wearing to oh, yeah, who won awards. So, all I
know about the Oscars is what I read in the papers, and saw on TV morning shows,
and heard on the radio, and popped up on Facebook and Twitter and everywhere
else on the Internet.
One of the things I heard about was Ellen DeGenere’s joke about Liza Minelli, who was sitting in the audience. Paraphrased, Ellen commented about how many female impersonators make themselves up as Liza Minelli, then pointing her out in the audience said, “Good job, sir.” Folks had a laugh, then Ellen went on to the next joke.
The next day, there were reports, actual news reports (or what passed for news), that Liza Minelli didn’t like the joke, but what bugged her most was that Ellen didn’t acknowledge that they’re friends. Then came complaints that the joke offended or might have offended crossdressers, which I think is a politically incorrect term for transgenders, or transvestites. I get confused — one is a person trapped in the body of the opposite gender while the other just likes dressing up like the other gender. And I’m not sure which group was offended; maybe both.
I thought, “Whaaatt? They got upset about a Liza Minelli joke? But, lately she does look like a drag queen.”
Anyway, that got me to thinking about how fine a line there is any more to what’s acceptable humor material and what’s not. (I suspect I may have crossed it today.) It’s getting so that even subsets of social groups apparently must be considered when attempting to be humorous. What was funny a few years ago may not be funny now.
For example, Foster Brooks’ drunk routine no longer is acceptable as humor because alcoholism is a disease, you don’t make light of disease and alcoholics might be offended. Stoner humor is acceptable, but not alcohol humor. While I thought his act was pretty much a one-trick pony, Foster Brooks was pretty funny. Not any more, or at least we’re not supposed to laugh about it.
“Blazing Saddles” is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, and still is funny, but I doubt Mel Brooks could get it made today with all its racial humor. I think the beans and campfire scene could still be used today, but I’m not sure about the rest.
I must admit I sometimes have a warped sense of humor. OK, a lot of time I have a warped sense of humor. I may laugh my head off at something that makes others just shrug. For example, I lost it the other morning when I saw a commercial for a restaurant/tavern with the tag line, “Home of live music ... and dead food.”
Warped humor is something that develops among us newspaper types, like the dark humor among police officers, EMTs, firefighters, soldiers, even lawyers I’ve known. It’s a way to cope with the absurdities and the tragedies of life when there’s more called for than a mere shake of the head, or you’re trying to not cry. Looking back at the drunk humor, I suspect in many cases for the comics it started as a coping mechanism that became a schtick.
Actually, a lot of humor is built around coping, making trying times a little less trying, easing pain, challenging society to think, exposing a truth. Sometimes it’s quite edgy, which can make you squirm or be offended.
Wow, talk about a downer. Sorry.
Some humor never goes out of style, such as knock-knock jokes and puns (one of my favorite forms of humor). A lot of it evolves with the times and is adapted to be more acceptable but still funny. Topical humor is only as good as its time; how many young folks today would look at “Laugh-In” and say, “Huh?” Blue humor will always be with us, although it’s gotten a lot bluer these days. Some comics who work blue are funny, but a lot of them are just boring, tired acts.
From our vantage point today, years ago there was a lot of humor, or what passed as humor, that was offensive socially, and some based on so many stereotypes that, in retrospect, was just mean spirited. Not satirical (like “Blazing Saddles”) or with a sharp edge that makes a point, but just plain, downright mean. I don’t like that kind of humor.
I think we as people can poke good natured fun at different heritages and backgrounds as we all find and share the humor in our own lives. The key word is good natured, and making sure we laugh with each other, not at each other.
I hope we just don’t get to the point where a joke is “How many people does it take to change a light bulb?” Or, “How do you keep a person busy?” printed on both sides of a card. Or, “Why did the creature cross the road?” Or, “I programmed the TV to record ‘The Biggest Loser’ but it just recorded a baseball team’s games.” Generic might work for medicine and food, but not humor.
As for the Liza Minelli joke, hey, lighten up. Or at least get a better makeup artist and hair stylist.
One of the things I heard about was Ellen DeGenere’s joke about Liza Minelli, who was sitting in the audience. Paraphrased, Ellen commented about how many female impersonators make themselves up as Liza Minelli, then pointing her out in the audience said, “Good job, sir.” Folks had a laugh, then Ellen went on to the next joke.
The next day, there were reports, actual news reports (or what passed for news), that Liza Minelli didn’t like the joke, but what bugged her most was that Ellen didn’t acknowledge that they’re friends. Then came complaints that the joke offended or might have offended crossdressers, which I think is a politically incorrect term for transgenders, or transvestites. I get confused — one is a person trapped in the body of the opposite gender while the other just likes dressing up like the other gender. And I’m not sure which group was offended; maybe both.
I thought, “Whaaatt? They got upset about a Liza Minelli joke? But, lately she does look like a drag queen.”
Anyway, that got me to thinking about how fine a line there is any more to what’s acceptable humor material and what’s not. (I suspect I may have crossed it today.) It’s getting so that even subsets of social groups apparently must be considered when attempting to be humorous. What was funny a few years ago may not be funny now.
For example, Foster Brooks’ drunk routine no longer is acceptable as humor because alcoholism is a disease, you don’t make light of disease and alcoholics might be offended. Stoner humor is acceptable, but not alcohol humor. While I thought his act was pretty much a one-trick pony, Foster Brooks was pretty funny. Not any more, or at least we’re not supposed to laugh about it.
“Blazing Saddles” is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, and still is funny, but I doubt Mel Brooks could get it made today with all its racial humor. I think the beans and campfire scene could still be used today, but I’m not sure about the rest.
I must admit I sometimes have a warped sense of humor. OK, a lot of time I have a warped sense of humor. I may laugh my head off at something that makes others just shrug. For example, I lost it the other morning when I saw a commercial for a restaurant/tavern with the tag line, “Home of live music ... and dead food.”
Warped humor is something that develops among us newspaper types, like the dark humor among police officers, EMTs, firefighters, soldiers, even lawyers I’ve known. It’s a way to cope with the absurdities and the tragedies of life when there’s more called for than a mere shake of the head, or you’re trying to not cry. Looking back at the drunk humor, I suspect in many cases for the comics it started as a coping mechanism that became a schtick.
Actually, a lot of humor is built around coping, making trying times a little less trying, easing pain, challenging society to think, exposing a truth. Sometimes it’s quite edgy, which can make you squirm or be offended.
Wow, talk about a downer. Sorry.
Some humor never goes out of style, such as knock-knock jokes and puns (one of my favorite forms of humor). A lot of it evolves with the times and is adapted to be more acceptable but still funny. Topical humor is only as good as its time; how many young folks today would look at “Laugh-In” and say, “Huh?” Blue humor will always be with us, although it’s gotten a lot bluer these days. Some comics who work blue are funny, but a lot of them are just boring, tired acts.
From our vantage point today, years ago there was a lot of humor, or what passed as humor, that was offensive socially, and some based on so many stereotypes that, in retrospect, was just mean spirited. Not satirical (like “Blazing Saddles”) or with a sharp edge that makes a point, but just plain, downright mean. I don’t like that kind of humor.
I think we as people can poke good natured fun at different heritages and backgrounds as we all find and share the humor in our own lives. The key word is good natured, and making sure we laugh with each other, not at each other.
I hope we just don’t get to the point where a joke is “How many people does it take to change a light bulb?” Or, “How do you keep a person busy?” printed on both sides of a card. Or, “Why did the creature cross the road?” Or, “I programmed the TV to record ‘The Biggest Loser’ but it just recorded a baseball team’s games.” Generic might work for medicine and food, but not humor.
As for the Liza Minelli joke, hey, lighten up. Or at least get a better makeup artist and hair stylist.
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Too bad so many things are socially unacceptable now. Seems there must be a group somewhere making up the rules as they go along. I’m an old retired guy so I can still get away with saying and doing a few things that some people don’t like. And unlike the younger generation, who believe we must pick sides, I can laugh at political things that are too liberal and things that are too conservative.
ReplyDeleteI read not long ago that Freddie the Freeloader was offensive in today’s world.
I love a good laugh, but like the Supreme Court that can’t define pornography but know it when they see it, I can’t define what I think is funny but when I hear it I know it. I still think Tim Allen and Robin Williams are funny and I like their new shows. I also laugh during Duck Dynasty and at Sonic commercials and most of the time still think Letterman and Conan are funny.
Sorry for the long winded reply, I just found your post interesting.