is most humor put down?

 

A major part of our so called humor is hurtful.  As a child we told Moron jokes.  Then the same jokes were made over into Polish jokes.  Many of them were repackaged as Blond jokes. 

Oh yes, I forgot the "Mama Mama" jokes. 

But Mama mama I don't want to play third base. 

Shut up and lie there. 

 

But Mama Mama, I don't want to go to England. 

Shut up and keep swimming. 

 

Elephant jokes didn't put down anyone except elephants. 

 

But I've chortled at lawyer jokes, fat jokes, short jokes, old people with failing minds jokes, all of them poking fun at the differences between the butt of the joke and the real cool person telling the joke. 

Fortunately, sitting here trying to think of even one Gay joke, I can't.  And I can't think of any good Jewish jokes, either.  But I've got several about a Rabbi, a Priest and a Baptist minister. 

 

Many of our stand up comics use put down humor to amuse their audiences.  But my favorite three comedians are Jack Benny, Victor Borge and Bill Cosby.  

All three of them used themselves as the butt of their jokes.  And they did it in a way that endeared them to us. 

 

Carl Jarvis

----- Original Message -----

From: Miriam Vieni

To: 'Blind Democracy Discussion List'

Sent: Friday, July 20, 2012 7:25 PM

Subject: RE: Boy Scouts

Seems to me that it should have been obvious to you, and it should be
obvious to every intelligent person that when a joke is made about a
specifically defined group of people, or someone who is a member of that
group, the joke is saying something derogatory about the group. I suppose
that I always knew this having been Jewish. If non Jews tell a jewish joke,
it feels insulting. It's different if Jewish people do it. I imagine this is
true for all minority groups. If one is a member of a minority, one may see
insults or prejudice, even if none exist.

Miriam