[kj] (Very OT) Bruno - Autism

[Brendan]

I'd like to point out how appropriate it is to be discussing the nature of
the Joker / Jester on the gathering. Doesn't really need to be deemed OT
as far as I'm concerned.

Great thread. I personally have limits to what I would fire off as a joke
(dictated by audience and other context of course), and what I'd accept as
a joke...but I laugh at plenty of stuff that'd get me in trouble with
others. Think that sums up *most* (not all) ppl on list and in general.

What does the moniker 'the black jester' imply?



> About comedy...

>

> why shouldn't it be subject to the same rules, rights, privileges and

> obligations as any other speech, conversation, or communication? Because

> someone actually does say what others, more inhibited or restricted,

> cannot get away with saying but yet are dying to say? so,  [to the

> offended or put off "complainers"] you "better NOT try and stop me - or my

> preferred Joker - from speaking"? "Shut up and bear it or get the fuck

> out!" ? Huh??

>

> Actually, becausehumor (or a comic performance) is also used as an

> alternate medium (whether 1st-hand or vicariously) to vent, among other

> things, (justifiable or no) vile, offensive shit or jabs at people...

> shouldn't it/they(jokesters, comics & followers of) be all the more

> empathically considerate of the context where the comedy is being done -

> and act on those considerations? (notice I said empathically and NOT

> sympathetically)

>

> Sure, anything should be subject to humor, in theory - and in a vacuum -

> but once we're in front of others, fuck, c'mon, as my jewish schoolfriends

> and I would say, "wouldn't it fuckin' kill you to not say that???"

>

> Well?

>

>   And where thereis involved a trade in comic-relief, isn't the person

> paying to get in not also entitled to some reasonable expectation to not

> be unexpectedly and/or extraordinarily subjected to an

> unpleasant/offensive/offputting/etc. situation? And isn't the receiver of

> pay (the comic) under some obligation to consider his audience, social

> norms and perceived liberties&limits and allow accordingly (not meaning

> self-censoring, either).

>

> As much of an asshole people sometimes seem to want their comedy and/or

> comedians to be (there goes those 2nd-hand, vicarious cheap-thrills

> again), most comedians  don't want to be such A*holes, especially as a

> part of their paid work. They want to be funny in a way that's true to

> their vision, have it be received by the listeners and with a reasonable

> chance at being judged fairly (if not also as funny), please the listener,

> himself, the club owner, and hopefully get called back for a 2nd and 10th

> gig.

>

> A lot of comics are not as 'black-and-white' as their more fervent and

> intolerant-of-intolerance supporters are sometimes.  Most half-decent

> comics usually will float out a few test-jokes at a crowd to see how

> dumb/smart and topic-oriented they are precisely to customize their

> performance to their audience: what is wrong with that? They want to know

> where people "are at" on topics. They prefer to know instead of taking a

> "fuck you then, get the fuck out" attitude.

>

> Anywhoo...

>

>

> /not as a reply but just "in general"

>

>  

> ... ... ... ... ... ...

>

> [looking at the current state of things..]

>  

> 'Save me...

>   save me from Tomorrow..

>     I don't want to sail in this Ship Of Fools...'  

>

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: Leigh Newton <angrytomhanks at yahoo.com>

> To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)

> <gathering at misera.net>

> Sent: Sunday, July 12, 2009 12:00:23 AM

> Subject: Re: [kj] (Very OT) Bruno - Autism

>

>

> I don't even see the need to try and justify your reasons for finding

> something funny. If you do, you do. Maybe you're a horrible person (not

> you, Brendan. The royal you, as the Dude might say). Or maybe you're not

> particularly sensitive. Maybe you've got thick skin. Whatever the reason,

> I think the idea of explaining rationalizing to yourself why it's okay for

> you and your brain to laugh at certain taboo subjects is completely

> ridiculous and indicative of the gigantic bunch of pussies we, as humans,

> have become. Soooo scared to offend ANYONE. Lame. Just because I laugh at

> something, that doesn't necessarily mean that I agree with the sentiment.

>

> http://www.nightruiner.com

> http://www.myspace.com/thesunthroughatelescope

> http://www.myspace.com/lauderdale

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: Brendan <bq at soundgardener.co.nz>

> To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)

> <gathering at misera.net>

> Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:45:16 AM

> Subject: Re: [kj] (Very OT) Bruno - Autism

>

>

> Either it's all okay or none of it is okay.

>  

> This is something I've been wondering about for a few years now. No

> conclusion as of yet.

>  

> Thing that got me thinking was watching through Ricky Gervais's

> Extras...it's one of the common themes running through it is the (lack of)

> restriction on laughing at certain things. Dwarves, gays, the disabled,

> nothing seems to be off limits. But I'm not really sure what the statement

> is...? Sure you CAN make fun of anything you want, but a) is it funny, and

> b)...should you? Gervais makes fun of himself more than anyone else (e.g.

> David Bowie singing his sad little fatman theme song), but does that give

> you carte blanche to weigh in on everyone else?

>  

> Carlin totally shares your view...

>  

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcFryjunIjw

>  

> (He did go on, about cartoon characters raping each other etc, and Dave

> Chapelle has covered similar ground...and I personally found them both

> funny)

>  

>  

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net]

> On Behalf Of Leigh Newton

> Sent: Saturday, 11 July 2009 10:23 AM

> To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)

> Subject: Re: [kj] (Very OT) Bruno - Autism

>

>

> Usually when a touchy subject is broached in the name of comedy, it is

> done so based on the premise that you aren't supposed to make jokes about

> said subject. Most of the time, the people delivering said jokes don't

> actually mean what they say.

>

> I can't stand the idea of certain topics being taboo, where humour is

> concerned. Fuck that. Either it's all okay or none of it is okay.

>

> Leigh

>

> http://www.nightruiner.com

> http://www.myspace.com/thesunthroughatelescope

> http://www.myspace.com/lauderdale

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: "countessghoulita at aol.com" <countessghoulita at aol.com>

> To: gathering at misera.net

> Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 6:52:17 PM

> Subject: Re: [kj] (Very OT) Bruno - Autism

>

>

> Stephen, I concur. Yet, making fun of people with disabilities,

> nationalities, etc. etc is wrong. I totally concur, and I should have

> listened to my nature and not watch the movie. Serves me really well.

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Stephen Lawrence <stephen.l at live.com>

> To: gathering at misera.net <gathering at misera.net>

> Sent: Fri, Jul 10, 2009 3:48 pm

> Subject: Re: [kj] (Very OT) Bruno - Autism

>

>

> countess you do know that most humour is at the expense of someone ?

> that's the workings of man

> to laugh at the differences or weaknesses of others

> if you had seen borat you would have known what to expect

> ali g was a bit off in places

>  

> ________________________________

> To: gathering at misera.net

> Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:17:42 -0400

> From: countessghoulita at aol.com

> Subject: [kj] (Very OT) Bruno - Autism

>

> I wish I read this article before going to the theatre. Not that I was

> expecting this movie to be funny in an intelligent way.

>

> http://news.bostonherald.com/entertainment/movies/reviews/view/20090710bruno/srvc=home&position=7

>

> In the very first minutes of the movie, Bruno (Sacha Baron Cohen), an

> obnoxious fashionista, makes fun of autism in his talk show called

> "Funkyzeit". This turned me immediately off,  and needed to leave the

> theatre immediately. If I read that article I would have never gone. I am

> so ready to debate about this with everyone. Soo ready. Sacha Baron Cohen

> is on my chopping block. I am pissed off.

>

> I thought you guys should know.

>

> Cheers,

>

> CG

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

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