Offensive Material and The "Everything or Nothing" Rule

[Sniper_Zegai]

Hi everyone Sniper_Zegai here

I watch and enjoy many different programs on TV and I dont mind admiting that something that would offend most people; I would find very funny. Anyway two of these such shows are Comedy Central's "South Park" and "Drawn Together" both are cartoons that some may find offensive but are popular none the less.

My point is there is a certain "rule" which is stated. If your gonna make fun of something, make fun of everything! This way nobody is discrimanated against and everything will be fine. This topic is partially inspired by my Scientology thread.

I personally think this rule is fine. It stands to reason that if you want to make fun of something that is very sensitive to some people then it should'nt be exclusive.

What do you all think of this?
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[Yvl]

Let's put it this way...

The whole world is watching you. Make any one of them laugh. But if you offend even one of them, you will be executed.

Go on, do it.

You can't can you?

Comedy is about offense. It's ridiculous to try to censor it.
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[Fu Su Lu]

[Urn]

I agree witht he principle of making fun of everything. In this day and age, nothing should be considered taboo. If we are going to have the right to make fun of one thing, why not subject another topic to the same treatment. I think by making fun of the more sensitive issues will allow people to become less tense about such subjects.
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~ Humbly walk the path of death

KOOLUK SUPPORTS TINTO MINERS

[kuwaizair]

[Kalidor]

This is a very sticky bit of a subject. I value freedom of speech, and comedy in many cases falls under this. There are a lot of television shows, such as the ones that Sniper Zegai mentioned, that make a good run out of making fun of just about everything in a very offensive manner. However, other comedies have gotten by very well on making fun of many different issues without it being in an offensive way too.

Unlike Yvl, I don't think that comedy is necessarily about offense, and he might not have meant that either. There are several different types of comedy, from situational comedy to physical comedy. Comedy can be based on situations that we all know and understand, that gives us a common experience. Offense might be one of those things, but so can such things as first dates and babies. I don't think many people find much offensive about the awkwardness of a young man on a first date at a young age, or from a baby doing something silly and funny, but that can still be called comedy.

However, treating everything in an irreverent, comedic manner can be dangerous. Urn said that making fun of sensitive issues will allow people to become less tense about things, and this can be too to a degree. However, you have to remember that there are many things that are so important to people that if you make fun of them you will be gravely disrespecting them.

Comedy often has to walk a fine line between humour and disrespect. The best comedians can walk this line like a tight rope walker, but there are some that fall off. The case of...shoot I forget his name, but I believe he used to be on Seinfeld, is a good one to point out. I believe that he was doing stand up comedy and then began to make several racist jokes taht severely offended his audience?

That also brings up the question of what things really should be left out, even from comedy. Is it ok to make jokes about Hitler and killing Jews? Is it ok to make derogatory jokes about homosexuals? Is it ok to make jokes about women having to stay in the kitchen? My answer is no to all of those. Though we can write it off and say "it's just a joke" even a joke reflects something about ourselves, and our viewpoints. If we spread sexist jokes then we are, even if only to a minor degree, promoting sexism. It isn't just a joke because it is a situation that women had to struggle through and that they may still find offensive.

The greatest comedians know that they have to cater to their audience. If they do a show in Pakistan and make jokes about how all Muslims are fanatics, I don't think they'll have a very successful show. They have to know what is and what will not offend their audience and then play to the tastes of that particular audience, whatever they might be.

The reason that a show like South Park can be successful, even with its irreverence, is that it is designed to cater to an audience that holds irreverance in high esteem. I know that my Grandmother wouldn't find much to laugh about if she watched South Park. So, even though it might look like they are taking pot shots at everybody without regard, they are targetting a specific audience that appreciates that. If the youth of America as a vast movement suddenly developed a love of Christianity and South Park continued to make fun of Christianity at will, they'd lose their market and eventually go under. The creators and marketers of South Park know this, but I bet they feel blessed that their's a significant body of people out there that share their particular brand of irreverant humour.

[kuwaizair]

[Sniper_Zegai]

I guess what Im really asking is, can something go too far even when its just one of many.

I said this was inspired by my scientology thread. The South Park episode "Trapped in the Closet" was eventually taken off the air as a result of lawsiuts filed against comedy central.

There are many things on South Park that target specific groups however becuase its against many areas of society and not just the one people dont complain. However do you think that the "Everything or Nothing" Rule is a viable defense?
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[Amyral]

[Sniper_Zegai]

lol. I agree with with pretty much all of what you just said.

Except for the Daily Show. Other comedy shows kinda make fun of stereotypes and harmless things that we are familiar with. Where as the Daily Show usually target people who do Stupid things. Like that time Dick Cheney shot some old dude in the face, and that time all those hospitals were full of cockroachs, and the time Dick Cheney shot some guy in the face, that crazy astronaut lady who was going to kill her lover, and not forgetting that time vice president Dick Cheney sh...............

P.S. Trapped in the Closet has only been aired a few times in America and was'nt shown in the UK or Europe at all. Although its available on DVD its still sucks.
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[Luceit]

It depends. As far as pragmatic old me is concerned, I'll take any kind of humor unless it causes widespread harm or extreme annoyance. Not all humor is intentional after all.
Know what I consider really funny? It's our dear MPs chiding women for wearing short skirts and blaming them for the high amount of rapes.
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[Sniper_Zegai]

I stand up comedian I just watched put it in a ver simple yet effective way.

"A joke is'nt mean or offensive no matter what it is or what its about even if its sick. Its either funny or it is'nt"
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[Amyral]

[Luceit]

Intentions matter when dealing with issues of racism and sexism, even if it's meant to be funny. After all, isn't that why people like self-depreciations in comedy but not crticisms against themselves?
That's why people don't joke about disasters right after it happens. During that time, it's more likely to cause sensitivities than make people laugh.
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[Rune hunter]

Luckly here in the Philippines were generally more sensative to the feelings of others. The media here realizes there jokes could easily lead to quite abit of problems. I noticed that as a general rule here the media here only rarely makes funs of social groups here and with good reason. If the make fun of Christians they lose a majority of there viewers. If they make fun of muslims they get an angry minority at there back. And considering they are several popular gay actors here it would not be very wise to get on there bad side. Usually the comedy we have here are situational and sometime directed at politicians :*laugh*: