Are Racist and Sexist jokes ok if they are used purely in a joking manner?

[Swifteye]

I read from a joke book that jokes that can hurt people should only be done in the company of people who understand and will not be offended. Seeing as most places don't want you to say offensive things because of the wild variable of how random people might react (sure it's funny but a emotional scar is still none the less painful) it's always best not to do it unless your a shock jock comedian in which case. I guess make sure you come off intelligent less you be carlos mencia.

Was that book written by this guy?

People trying to teach comedy or go to school to learn punk rock. I swear, if we didn't have offensive comics, the suicide rate would be through the roof.

Hmm. Hard to say it was a long time ago that I had read that book. Still though certainly many funny jokes are at the expensive of someone somewhere but personally I'm more in favor of wholesome humor that isn't so intent on being offensive and is just suppose to be funny. I know people love george carlin and Richard pryor but I don't nesscarily respect them for being really crude comics cause to be honest nowadays there a dime a dozen.

But then again I was brought up in a house where if you cussed often it was just because you weren't clever enough to use more complex words creatively. Also I myself love puns and word play. I mean give me picture of naruto yelling the catchphrase believe it while holding the product "I can't believe it's not butter!" and you nail me. Nail me good.

But I'm not completely against offensive jokes I just prefer jokes that I can tell my friends and then tell my mom or even a stranger without them turning there nose at me and being upset that I said it.

 

[funguy2121]

I find it funny because there are people out there who actually believe it, for me I'm not laughing at the expense of the group that the joke is about, I'm laughing at the people who believe what the joke is about. Where does that fall? (honestly asking not trying to be an ass)

Wow, synchronicity. I just found these off Huffington Post when I couldn't sleep. Let me get to my bookmarks...

These are reactions of moron FB users who don't understand (even though, in some cases, it's been explained to them) what The Onion is. In case you aren't Amer-you know what? Forget that. From what you just said, I'm sure you can figure it out from the context.

You could generate an hour and a half of pure gold standup material from this.

http://literallyunbelievable.org/post/6141316330/so-when-will-people-learn-that-this-is-wrong

http://literallyunbelievable.org/post/6105921601/is-this-crap-for-real

http://literallyunbelievable.org/post/6039865832/i-dont-like-this-one-bit

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/27/literally-unbelievable-facebook-the-onion_n_868115.html#s284701

Sorry, I seem to have lost the reaction where the woman put's god's name in all caps but misspells it.

To answer your question, I don't think what you described is bigoted at all. Sarah Silverman discussed in her book (I forget what she called the phenomenon and I'm sleep deprived) when a joke is about racism and some asshole laughs at the actually racist part which isn't even intended to be funny. She also said that Journey's lead singer came up to her a few years ago and proclaimed "I love your ****** jokes! Hey Johnny, come meet this chick, she has the best ****** jokes!" Silverman said that after that, she stopped believin'.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well comedy always mocks and pushes the boundary of societal "laws", that is just what comedy is and people need to grasp that (looking at you mr Portal offended me).

But comedy is for a specific time and place, can't pull jokes off everywhere.

 

[funguy2121]

Honestly?

That's why when people tell me Duke Nukem Forever is a satire of sexism, I don't buy that. Nothing about how the game was marketted suggests that they are criticising the idea of sexism or using women as sex objects, and the character Duke himself never becomes someone we are expected to dislike or pity. It certainly isn't critizing Duke, if anything it's celebrating all the sexist imagery.
Especially with that whole 'Capture the babe' thing. The game that makes a woman into a human equivilant of the 'flag' in a CTF gametype. One who you have to clam down by slapping her on the arse.
If this was meant to represent some kind of deep and important criticism of sexism, I'm not seeing it. And if this is some sort of joke, I, and a lot of women's rights groups, are not laughing.

Duke Nukem is a satirical caricature of Rambo-esque testosterone-fueled action films. They are not "criticizing the idea of sexism" so much as they're blowing it out of proportion to laughably ridiculous levels, and the way it's marketed plays it straight because frankly the genre Duke Nukem is satirizing does this despite its inherent ridiculousness. The satire is not the elements of Duke Nukem that people find offensive. Rather, the elements of Duke Nukem that people find offensive are satirizing a genre. Is it tasteful? That's entirely subjective. I, for one, think it's clever and amusing. I don't really play Duke Nukem games, but they have a right to be made, and I appreciate the humor.

Not trying to turn this into a "Is Duke Nukem sexist?" thread, but I feel like a lot of people just aren't getting the joke with Duke.

Yeah, but the "Movie Movie" people (in other words, all of the Wayans brothers besides Damon and Keenan Ivory, the only 2 talented ones) do satire too; they just do it poorly. If you want to see satire of over-the-top adolescent-pandering violence and hypersexuality (in addition to a great many other things), done with wit and intellect, may I recommend No More Heroes. Instead of a hulking hypermasculine figure, the hero is (in addition to a badass killer) a nerd. Who doesn't get laid. And has transformer figurines all over his apartment.

 

[kayisking]

Honestly?

That's why when people tell me Duke Nukem Forever is a satire of sexism, I don't buy that. Nothing about how the game was marketted suggests that they are criticising the idea of sexism or using women as sex objects, and the character Duke himself never becomes someone we are expected to dislike or pity. It certainly isn't critizing Duke, if anything it's celebrating all the sexist imagery.
Especially with that whole 'Capture the babe' thing. The game that makes a woman into a human equivilant of the 'flag' in a CTF gametype. One who you have to clam down by slapping her on the arse.
If this was meant to represent some kind of deep and important criticism of sexism, I'm not seeing it. And if this is some sort of joke, I, and a lot of women's rights groups, are not laughing.

Duke Nukem is a satirical caricature of Rambo-esque testosterone-fueled action films. They are not "criticizing the idea of sexism" so much as they're blowing it out of proportion to laughably ridiculous levels, and the way it's marketed plays it straight because frankly the genre Duke Nukem is satirizing does this despite its inherent ridiculousness. The satire is not the elements of Duke Nukem that people find offensive. Rather, the elements of Duke Nukem that people find offensive are satirizing a genre. Is it tasteful? That's entirely subjective. I, for one, think it's clever and amusing. I don't really play Duke Nukem games, but they have a right to be made, and I appreciate the humor.

Not trying to turn this into a "Is Duke Nukem sexist?" thread, but I feel like a lot of people just aren't getting the joke with Duke.

Yeah, but the "Movie Movie" people (in other words, all of the Wayans brothers besides Damon and Keenan Ivory, the only 2 talented ones) do satire too; they just do it poorly. If you want to see satire of over-the-top adolescent-pandering violence and hypersexuality (in addition to a great many other things), done with wit and intellect, may I recommend No More Heroes. Instead of a hulking hypermasculine figure, the hero is (in addition to a badass killer) a nerd. Who doesn't get laid. And has transformer figurines all over his apartment.

Your description makes me think of Scott Pilgrim.

 

[SwagLordYoloson]

As long as no one gets offended

People get offended by anything these days, I am not condoning insulting people, but if you say literally anything on the Internet/or IRL, you can get people claiming it was offensive.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Intention is everything in these situations. If you're doing it for the lulz, fine. If you're being actually racist, that's bad.

 

[funguy2121]

I read from a joke book that jokes that can hurt people should only be done in the company of people who understand and will not be offended. Seeing as most places don't want you to say offensive things because of the wild variable of how random people might react (sure it's funny but a emotional scar is still none the less painful) it's always best not to do it unless your a shock jock comedian in which case. I guess make sure you come off intelligent less you be carlos mencia.

Was that book written by this guy?

People trying to teach comedy or go to school to learn punk rock. I swear, if we didn't have offensive comics, the suicide rate would be through the roof.

Hmm. Hard to say it was a long time ago that I had read that book. Still though certainly many funny jokes are at the expensive of someone somewhere but personally I'm more in favor of wholesome humor that isn't so intent on being offensive and is just suppose to be funny. I know people love george carlin and Richard pryor but I don't nesscarily respect them for being really crude comics cause to be honest nowadays there a dime a dozen.

But then again I was brought up in a house where if you cussed often it was just because you weren't clever enough to use more complex words creatively. Also I myself love puns and word play. I mean give me picture of naruto yelling the catchphrase believe it while holding the product "I can't believe it's not butter!" and you nail me. Nail me good.

But I'm not completely against offensive jokes I just prefer jokes that I can tell my friends and then tell my mom or even a stranger without them turning there nose at me and being upset that I said it.

Mods: Is "Oh Jesus" too short?

Edit: I got it! I know how to escape mod wrath for a low content post!

...but I don't want to nail you good!

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

As long as no one gets offended

Someone will ALWAYS get offended by something.
As for the actual question, yes it's okay, but only if you make jokes about every single other kind of ethnicity. Even your own.
Everyone's equal and therefore it must be the same in jokes.
Just leave Jewish people out of it though. They've had enough.

 

[funguy2121]

Your description makes me think of Scott Pilgrim.

Sort of, I guess. I'm not qualified to make such a comparison, as I've never read the comics, downloaded the game or seen any of the movie (beyond the trailer). Look it up. They made 2 games for the Wii and ported the original to both PS3 and XBox. It satirizes anime, wrestling, 8-bit games, gaming in general, Star Wars, geek culture, western culture in general - and then it targets you. The game picks on you and fucks with you at one particular point. It laughs right at your face.

You're a nerd who one a light saber in an internet auction, and you agree kill off all of the world's best assassins...so you can hump a French tart named after a 70's softcore porn star. And when your lightsaber runs out of battery, you have to shake it to recharge. The animation looks and sounds, quite purposefully, like masturbation.

 

[Gigano]

Yeah, nothing wrong with it if it's clear to everyone who'll potentially hear it that it's made in jest, and that there's no actual malice behind it.

If it isn't, it's still well within anyone's right to use them, but it's hardly "ok", and they should of course expect some verbal counterattacks from those who disagree.

Although I generally think that those who are offended by mere words coming from people who they have no personal relation with, and who have no ability or power to influence their lives, are petty and pathetic. And insofar as they're trying to outlaw others offending them, then they are a worthless blight upon any civil rights democracy and the freedom of speech it is founded on, a far greater threat to civil rights than any mere racist could ever be these days.

Thus the offended may well be the true enemy of civil rights. And as that guy who was offended by Portal 2 proved, some people have much too delicate sensibilities that certainly shouldn't be grovelled before anyway.

 

[Tim Mazzola]

Honestly?

That's why when people tell me Duke Nukem Forever is a satire of sexism, I don't buy that. Nothing about how the game was marketted suggests that they are criticising the idea of sexism or using women as sex objects, and the character Duke himself never becomes someone we are expected to dislike or pity. It certainly isn't critizing Duke, if anything it's celebrating all the sexist imagery.
Especially with that whole 'Capture the babe' thing. The game that makes a woman into a human equivilant of the 'flag' in a CTF gametype. One who you have to clam down by slapping her on the arse.
If this was meant to represent some kind of deep and important criticism of sexism, I'm not seeing it. And if this is some sort of joke, I, and a lot of women's rights groups, are not laughing.

Duke Nukem is a satirical caricature of Rambo-esque testosterone-fueled action films. They are not "criticizing the idea of sexism" so much as they're blowing it out of proportion to laughably ridiculous levels, and the way it's marketed plays it straight because frankly the genre Duke Nukem is satirizing does this despite its inherent ridiculousness. The satire is not the elements of Duke Nukem that people find offensive. Rather, the elements of Duke Nukem that people find offensive are satirizing a genre. Is it tasteful? That's entirely subjective. I, for one, think it's clever and amusing. I don't really play Duke Nukem games, but they have a right to be made, and I appreciate the humor.

Not trying to turn this into a "Is Duke Nukem sexist?" thread, but I feel like a lot of people just aren't getting the joke with Duke.

Yeah, but the "Movie Movie" people (in other words, all of the Wayans brothers besides Damon and Keenan Ivory, the only 2 talented ones) do satire too; they just do it poorly. If you want to see satire of over-the-top adolescent-pandering violence and hypersexuality (in addition to a great many other things), done with wit and intellect, may I recommend No More Heroes. Instead of a hulking hypermasculine figure, the hero is (in addition to a badass killer) a nerd. Who doesn't get laid. And has transformer figurines all over his apartment.

Frankly, I a) never said I wanted to see anything, b) never mentioned satire of "over-the-top adolescent-pandering violence and hypersexuality". My entire post was basically trying to point out that that is NOT what Duke Nukem is. If Duke Nukem wasn't a hulking hypermasculine figure, he wouldn't be something that poked fun at Rambo and James Bond and other hypermasculine dudes like those guys. He's supposed to be a classic stupid action movie turned up to 10,000. I honestly don't see how your post responds to mine in any way. Just because the "Movie Movie" people do satire badly has absolutely nothing to do with a discussion about Duke Nukem and adds nothing to your point, so I'm just confused about where you were going with that.

I don't know. Honestly, like I said, I don't really like Duke Nukem that much. I just get annoyed that people don't get the joke of it at all and try and actually take it seriously or think it's what you said it was.

 

[Discon]

Words have the meaning we chose to give to them. When words are used in a joking fashion, they are therefore not INTENTIONALLY offensive. People may become offended at what ever they like.

 

[SSoSFAGTiaCaGwaP]

EDIT: Dumb 13 year old me wrote dumb 13 year old stuff on the internet. So it goes.

 

[Secret world leader (shhh)]

I'm not rascist/sexist/homophobic and i despise any ignorant retard who is. However, when i want to make a rascist/sexist/homophobic joke, I will make a rascist/sexist/homophobic joke.

It's all about the person using it, if a black person uses the word "******" you know they aren't rascist. If a member of the KKK uses the word "******" then that's completely different.

While i think there's absolutely nothing wrong with making rascist jokes i think actual rascism/sexism/homophobia is absolutely disgusting and should be a crime if it isn't already. And besides, everyone knows crime is for niggers.

 

[smithy_2045]

Only if they're funny.

Example in OP was not funny.

 

[Dfskelleton]

They're jokes. If they weren't jokes, they'd be insults. Now, sometimes it's difficult to tell which is which, but it's all in the context I suppose.
Personally, Sexist/Racist jokes can be funny to me, but only if they're moderately clever. I'll make a few myself sometimes, it's no big deal.

 

[Orcboyphil]

Depends on the joke, depends on the compnay and depends on the person telling it.

 

[Byere]

As George Carlin always said, there is no such thing as "dirty" or racist words or so. It all depends on the racist/sexist bastard who is using them. It's all about context.

BanthaFodder got here first, I know, but it needs to be said.

As long as everyone knows it's in jest and in fun and nothing is meant by it, I never see anything wrong.

 

[rokkolpo]

Ofcourse.

As long as you know when to stop.
People should stop whining about getting offended.

I can easily call a black man ******.
If I put ''be trippin!'' behind it.
At least in The Netherlands where everyone doesn't give as much of a fuck as anywhere else.