Ethnic Humor: Evil or Innocent?

[G Fresh]

I have my own theory on jokes. . .but it's not important.

Personally, the issue I see here is one's ability to deal with stereotypes and cultural differences. I don't necessarily think it is wrong or evil to find those things humorous. They exist. Generalizations won't go away because humans, by their very nature, tend toward categorical analysis. We like to put things in groups.

Worry less about the stereotype and more about the intent of the person finding humor in it. If you don't like the jokes, man, I hate to say it, but LIGHTEN UP!

I'm distraught that the thread was hijacked by it, but oh well.

@ Jenn, being white trash myself, I would not be offended if I was asked to bring hot pockets and NASCAR to the picnic.

back to the point. . .

Are the jokes in poor taste? Well, that's relative. Should you be careful when using such humor? I think so. Did Ollie intend his joke in a biggoted manner? I don't belive he would behave that way.

I think that people being so damned uptight about things like this is what lends to it being a problem. At times, political correctness causes more harm than good because it contradicts itself by trying to force conformity by exploiting differences.

It's like germs and antibiotics in a way. If you constantly find yourself in a protected and sterile environment, you'll find yourself utterly unable to deal with even the slightest change in that situation. If you constantly hide and protect yourself from bad things, you never build up any resistance to them. That's why I don't wash my hands after taking a sh*t. Unless, of course, I sh*t on them. (thank you, George Carlin)

I think that the celebration of our differences (in humor or otherwise) is a healthy thing that is conducive to a stronger human condition. Trying to act like those differences don't exist is just f*#king stupid. Sorry about the cursing. I needed to exhibit some fury.

Bah.

^What he said. I had a long, well thought out argument to all of this (at least to what was there when I left work last night), but then I read what was written overnight and decided to scrap it because at this point it's pretty much just arguing for argument's sake.

Plus I agree with what Brad said as well...

If you feel the need to joke around with people in a friendly circle, cool, whatever... But on a public message board you're bound to find people who will get offended, especially by racially insensitive jokes.

Perhaps this topic was best left to a private discussion. I think the problem with that is that most people on these boards know each other in real life so we don't really think of it as this massive public message board where everyone is reading what we are saying.

Oh, and my apologies to Garr for contributing to the hijacking of this thread. It was unintentional I assure you, I just got caught up in the debate and couldn't hold myself back.

Legos and Eggos rule.

[zenmandan]

Here's my take on this whole PC thing. I can understand being offended by, say, Mickey Rooney playing a Chinese guy living upstairs with big buck teeth and wicked thick glasses who can't say his L's and R's.




That's offensive. Reading something like "I rike to biuld regos." Not so much. Here's why. My grandfather was German. Lived here for 50 some years, yet his accent was as strong as the day he moved here. He would tease us about the way we would try to say some German words because we couldn't get a certain inflection correct. Same thing when I was in France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, and Mexico. It doesn't matter where I've been, the local people find it humorous when we try to speak their native tongue. My best friend spent two weeks in Japan. He naturally tried to pick up some things, and he was consistently laughed at. He even worked with one of the guides on his tour on his L's and R's. Much hilarity insued.

On TV any given day, you will find someone mocking a British, Scottish, Irish, German, Russian, or almost any other accent. No one says anything. Society tells us that now a days it is incorrect to make fun of the Asian culture, so when someone says "regos", everyone is up in arms. PLEASE! I have a good friend who is British. He doesn't like the stereotypes on TV, but he doesn't whine and b*tch about it. Some he finds funny, others, not so much. No one complains when Conan O'Brian goes into some "German" rant, or about that little piece of Extra gum that talks in a "Scottish" accent. How many people get offended when somone tries to do an Australian accent? People on here mentioned that if making fun of yourself, fine. Can that logic extend to mean that we don't care about all these groups I stated because we are all white? But make fun of someone of a different skin color...heaven forbid. No, that doesn't work either. What about Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from the Simpsons? Ever heard ANYONE say anything about his accent. Doubtful. In fact, how many people complain at all about the way Indian accents are portrayed? None. Not on here anyway. So to those who think they are being all high and mighty by sticking up for the poor Asian and his oh so unfortunate inability to say L's and R's...get a life. Or better yet, how about sticking up for my right as a Scottish American to have my peoples accent not made fun of anymore. Boycott Extra gum. Call Conan and whine about him doing the Greman thing. Watch Craig Ferguson instead.

[WBOB]

..so to further derail and take a stab
at the rare half-Devito.

What group would be ticked off if
I said ..... R'OK RAGGY!

[Massage...Bored]

I have a good friend who is British. He doesn't like the stereotypes on TV, but he doesn't whine and b*tch about it.

The British have no right to complain, they have been one of the greatest oppressors of human rights ever. I believe the fear of the white man began with their blood thirst and hard-on for territories.

But make fun of someone of a different skin color...heaven forbid.

F*ck yeah, heaven forbid, its ignorant and in complete awful taste.

C'mon dude....if there was a known Asian American on these boards, the original joke probably wouldn't have been made. Just like there are known African Americans circulating the boards so I've never seen a joke about "fried chicken and watermelon" like Jen mentioned. If there was an Asian American on the boards and they cried foul, most of you guys defending your piss-poor stance would be scrambling to kiss and make up. Here's a sample:

Granted this would be well after you all defended the slur:

"Hey guys, I'm Japanese and I find that really offensive."

"Oh, sorry, I din't mean anything by that, (nervous laughter)."

"Yeah, we didn't mean it, sorry."

I garauntee you'd turn tail on your postion. The hypocrisy is thick arond these parts.

[bassjones]

My only point of disagreement is that the "fried chicken/watermelon" joke probably wouldn't be made at all, regardless of whether anyone knew there were African-Americans on the board or not. That's my point, and I'm sure Sankofa's as well. We ALL now know that's offensive and no one on here would tolerate it. In fact, they'd likely get banned for it.

This is only slightly less offensive and only because not everybody is aware of the offensiveness of it.

[Massage...Bored]

We ALL now know that's offensive and no one on here would tolerate it.

I'm sure a few will tolerate it.

This is only slightly less offensive and only because not everybody is aware of the offensiveness of it.

Are you serious?

[zenmandan]

The British have no right to complain, they have been one of the greatest oppressors of human rights ever. I believe the fear of the white man began with their blood thirst and hard-on for territories.

OK genius, by that logic, we SHOULD be able to make fun of the Chinese because of they're tyranical oppression of the Tibetan people. Give ME a forking break. The only reason I threw the race thing in there, as I apparently didn't clarify, was to point out all of the different people we DO make fun of on a daily basis and NO ONE SAYS ANYTHING! The race card was played in sarcasm to bring up us making fun of Indians. Damn dude.

The British have no right to complain...you can't be serious.

[Oliver's Army]

Of the people who are sincerely offended...

Isn't enjoying "South Park" "The Simpson's" and shows of that ilk a bit hypocritical?

[zenmandan]

^
Exactly!

[bassjones]

We ALL now know that's offensive and no one on here would tolerate it.

I'm sure a few will tolerate it.

This is only slightly less offensive and only because not everybody is aware of the offensiveness of it.

Are you serious?

It is readily apparent that not everybody is aware that making fun of the speech of Asian Pacific descendents is offensive. If they were aware of it, they certainly aren't acting like they are.

[Massage...Bored]

OK genius, by that logic, we SHOULD be able to make fun of the Chinese because of they're tyranical oppression of the Tibetan people. Give ME a f*#king break. The only reason I threw the race thing in there, as I apparently didn't clarify, was to point out all of the different people we DO make fun of on a daily basis and NO ONE SAYS ANYTHING! The race card was played in sarcasm to bring up us making fun of Indians. Damn dude.

The British have no right to complain...you can't be serious.

Who said anything about the Chinese, I'm talking about all Oriental Asians, including Tibet.

Why do you insist on making fun of other races on a daily basis? I'm sure plenty of people say plenty of things about it, but when it lands in your lap you can't swallow the pride and admit you were wrong for doing it.

Don't get me going on why I believe the white race has no room to talk when it comes to these sort of issues. We have had it coming for so long its not even funny. We need to take our lumps now.

[Oliver's Army]

Of the people who are sincerely offended...

Isn't enjoying "South Park" "The Simpson's" and shows of that ilk a bit hypocritical?

How about Borat too?

[bassjones]

Don't get me going on why I believe the white race has no room to talk when it comes to these sort of issues. We have had it coming for so long its not even funny. We need to take our lumps now.

I'll have to disagree with you there. It's not about taking lumps, it's about civility. "Taking Lumps" led to a bunch of white people justifying the ownership of Africans because at one point in history, Africans had held another race (Jews) as slaves.

We need civility and respect, not "taking our lumps".

That's why I feel Dave Chapelle is as big of an asshat as Andrew Dice Clay.

[Massage...Bored]

It is readily apparent that not everybody is aware that making fun of the speech of Asian Pacific descendents is offensive. If they were aware of it, they certainly aren't acting like they are.

I just find it to be utterly shocking at how true this is. It doesn't make it any more correct that they are doing it.[/i]

[Massage...Bored]

"Taking Lumps" led to a bunch of white people justifying the ownership of Africans because at one point in history, Africans had held another race (Jews) as slaves.

Yeah, thats reeeeeaaaaaaaallllll thin, there.