Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4
#48365 11/21/01 08:05 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
M
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409

#48366 11/21/01 09:41 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
I see your point, Max. That Aussie joke is pretty tough! I guess the question is, "where does mean-spiritedness take over and cross the line?" But, in the same vein, I know there are some state rivalries here that spawn a particularly cutting humor...Texas/Oklahoma for one, and Mississippi/Arkansas (though, actually a few states in the Southeast like to dump on ole Miss--any of our Southern folk have more specifics on these, or even some jokes maybe? and, of course, New jersey/New york, though New Jersey usually gets the worst of it with the power of the NY media to falsely perpetuate NJ's image as one big toxic, factory-ridden, swampy garbage dump (GET OFF THE TURNPIKE!! ); and I'm sure there are others I missed, I'm thinkin' something up Minnesota way...how 'bout it tsuwm? You and the Dakotas, or is it North and South Dakota?


#48367 11/21/01 09:46 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
How do you know when your staying in a Kentucky hotel?
When you call the front desk and say, "I've gotta leak in my sink, and the person at the front desk says, "Go ahead."


That so, Jackie?
Or, how 'bout it CapK, you've been out that way? Encounter any fawcet-adorned urinals?


#48368 11/21/01 10:22 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
actually Max, i heard your joke years ago--only the butt of the joke was a Pole.. polish jokes were very savage..
a man walks into a bar, orders a drink, and announces excitedly, "i just heard the funniest joke and i want to share it.. So there was this Pole, " and right then the bartender says-"stop, i want you to know, i am polish, and that good looking barmaid, she's polish, and look around at all these guys, iron workers, all of them, and all of them polish.. and i want you to think about this before you tell your joke."

so the man looks about at all the patrons, big burly men, and at the barkeep, and the bar maid, and he continues. "Okay, i'll tell it real slow..."


and whitman is right.. NJ is the butt of most NY jokes.. they only place NJ fares well is when compared to lawyers.. Why does NJ have more toxic waste site than anywhere else in US and California have more lawyers?-- NJ had first pick..

if you want to generally insult someone--(especially someone driving,) just call them Jersey driver!.

and the JAP jokes-- (jewish american priness's) jokes can get pretty savage, too. lately these have been replaced with Blonde jokes.. Wow sent me a set today...

typical JAP joke
how does a JAP call the family to dinner?
A.--Everyone in the car!

what is the only thing a JAP knows how to make for dinner?
A- A reservation

What is a JAP's favorite wine? whine
A--I want to go to Boca for the winter..

What is a JAP's idea of natural childbirth?
A--Absolutley No makeup!

How can you tell when a JAP has an orgasim?
A--She drops her nail file..

Ethnic humor of alll stripes is rife in NY-- and the butt of the humor changes every couple of years as new groups move in.. (But NJ, bless it, alway is around to make fun of! )

and not to leave the irish out..
what is an irish seven course dinner?
A- a potato and six pack

what is the difference between an irish wedding and an irish wake?
A-One less drunk at the wake.

who ever your academic was, he might be right.. but i suspect all you ozzie joke had Poles there first..




#48369 11/21/01 11:05 PM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Max:

This may be YART, but it seems to me I waxed prolix here on my theory of humor some months ago.

In a nutshell: EVERY joke at which you laugh or want to laugh is at the expense of something or someone. Usually a someone. Not most jokes. EVERY joke. Blonde jokes, black jokes, Jewish jokes, whatever, they all put someone down. If a joke doesn't put someone down it's not funny. It's a simple matter of holier than thou.

Puns, though, are not jokes. Some people will say there's nothing funny about a pun; in a way they are correct. What there is about puns is an innate cleverness.

I tell jokes all the time, but I understand that they can be hurtful, so I am almost always extremely cognizant of the listener. For example, I will never ever make a joke about an individual's name. That's a direct attack on the person. The teller may think it's funny, but not the butt of the joke.

I am much less "careful" about telling a pun or shaggy dog story, only ascertaining beforehand that the person I'm telling it to is going to get it.

One of the funniest stories I ever heard was about Jesus' interactions with a guy who was making him a new robe. Jesus and the guy went into business as Lord and Taylor. I made the mistake of telling it to my brother-in-law, who is well-educated (but not very bright if you get my drift. He did not know there was a department store chain called Lord and Taylor. Dan's not on my a-list as a recipient of puns, I can assure you.

Ted




TEd
#48370 11/21/01 11:36 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear TEd: "In a nutshell: EVERY joke at which you laugh or want to laugh is at the expense of
something or someone"

That is a considerable exaggeration, TEd. It is true that the hateful ones get the loudest laughs.
Particularly from the slobs if they can conclude it is not aimed at them. So professional comics always play to the slobs, there are so many of them.


#48371 11/21/01 11:58 PM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Bill:

No, it is not an exaggeration. In fact, to show you how serious I am about this statement I will pay you $50 for a joke that is not a pun and also not a putdown of another person, place, or thing on some level.

Of course I get to parse your submission and explain why I believe it is a putdown.

TEd



TEd
#48372 11/22/01 12:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear TEd; one of the loudest laughs I ever heard was on a radio show in early thirties, with Fred Allen and Jack Benny. Fred Allen wrote most all of his own lines, and was very good at ad-libs. He was getting the better of Jack Benny for most of the show, until finally Jack Benny said: "You wouldn't talk to me like that if my writers were here!" It really brought down the house, and continued long enough to bother the people running the program, so that they turned off the microphones in the crowd, and the announcer interrupted with some sort of message.


#48373 11/22/01 04:28 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Jersey driver!

Growing up in Plainfield, NJ, 30 miles from New York City, the perspective was somehwat different as one of the worst things you could call an idiot on the road was New York driver! Much more fitting in my view since the art of driving in New York City requires a totalness of aggression and abandon not seen on other roadways (boy, am I being polite!) I learned something about this when I once asked a New york cabbie about this phenomenon and he said, "Well, I'll tell ya...you see that opening 2 blocks and three lanes over on the left." "Yeah," I said. And with a sadistic grin he blurted, "I'm gonna be there in about 2 seconds!" "You what!" I shouted. And he did it!
I love to drive, but New York City is the ONLY place I'm scared to death to be on the road.
The other two choice disparagements for wayward drivers were Sunday driver! and, of course, the all-time favorite, Woman driver! Now PC defunct,of course!



#48374 11/22/01 04:29 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Jersey driver!

Growing up in Plainfield, NJ, 30 miles from New York City, the perspective was somehwat different as one of the worst things you could call an idiot on the road was New York driver! Much more fitting in my view since the art of driving in New York City requires a totalness of aggression and abandon not seen on other roadways (boy, am I being polite!) I learned something about this when I once asked a New york cabbie about this phenomenon and he said, "Well, I'll tell ya...you see that opening 2 blocks up and three lanes over on the left." "Yeah," I said. And with a sadistic grin he blurted, "I'm gonna be there in about 2 seconds!" "You what!" I shouted. And he did it!
I love to drive, but New York City is the ONLY place I'm scared to death to be on the road.
The other two choice disparagements for wayward drivers were Sunday driver! and, of course, the all-time favorite, Woman driver! Now PC defunct,of course!



Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 435 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5