Dark Humor and Shock Comedy – How far is too far?

~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ · 03-19-2012, 09:39 PM

Recent events in a thread have inspired this topic.

How far does black comedy go before it becomes so distastful that it becomes offensive? Can so called dark humor, such as jokes about death, murder, rape, and domestic violence, or so called shock humor – jokes about God, race, homosexuality, etc... Ever be appreciated in any kind of context, or is it morally disgusting to use such serious subjects in comedy?

Stephen · 03-19-2012, 09:45 PM

I don't know that you can have the line set in stone but you can always tell when it's been crossed. Are emoticons a license to offend?

**Janszoon** · 03-19-2012, 09:49 PM

I think it's all about context. Anything can be funny if it's said under the right circumstances by the right person.

duga · 03-19-2012, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I think it's all about context. Anything can be funny if it's said under the right circumstances by the right person.

This.

Referring to the argument that inspired this thread...if Canwll made a rape joke I might be so surprised he did that I would probably laugh. A lot. Other people are on thin ice and should really watch what they say.

Stephen · 03-19-2012, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I think it's all about context. Anything can be funny if it's said under the right circumstances by the right person.

I am notoriously bad at judging what the right circumstances are. I don't know how many times I have made a joke that nobody has understood and have been completely embarrassed by the time I have explained to people what I meant and why I thought it was funny.

**Frownland** · 03-19-2012, 10:12 PM

I think dark humour is able to stretch the band a bit further since it makes light of a negative side of life, a current tragic event, etc. while shock humour is funny only for its inappropriate vulgarity.

Plus, fazstp, that's what made me the weird guy amongst my friends who is hilarious only to two or three other people. There's a lot of awkward silence following these jokes, but me and those who get my jokes are together, we have one hell of a ball.

LoathsomePete · 03-19-2012, 10:26 PM

One of the key differences that makes death a more accepted subject of dark humour is that it is an event that everyone will experience. Nobody is immune to it, and while it make come sooner for some who don't deserve it, and longer for others that do, in the end everyone will die. That universal fact makes it something that we will all think about at one point or another in our lives as is something we have to come to terms with.

I would say that subjects like rape, abuse, and genocide fall more in lines of what Frownland said about shock humour, or saying something that is so shocking that you laugh, not because you think it's genuinely funny, but to help assuage the awkwardness of the subject matter. Dead baby jokes are a perfect example of this. Not clever in any real sense or even witty, just take some horrible act and inflict it on something we are hardwired to protect and nurture.

Forward To Death · 03-19-2012, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I think it's all about context. Anything can be funny if it's said under the right circumstances by the right person.

This is about where I stand on this issue. Although, I will only call someone out on dark humor when they fixate on one thing and it becomes annoying. Like those people who only make jokes about race, but take offense to religious jokes or whatever.

Traditionally, if the person takes similar humor in return without getting all upset, it helps a lot.

If the joke is a joke though, and it appears that the person means no harm, I find it hard to object. Hatred is entirely different.

Paedantic Basterd · 03-19-2012, 11:13 PM

I think the biggest deciding factor in whether or not to tell a joke in poor taste is your audience. The key to getting away with black humour is to know your audience and when it's appropriate to toe the line.

Forward To Death · 03-19-2012, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

One of the key differences that makes death a more accepted subject of dark humour is that it is an event that everyone will experience. Nobody is immune to it, and while it make come sooner for some who don't deserve it, and longer for others that do, in the end everyone will die. That universal fact makes it something that we will all think about at one point or another in our lives as is something we have to come to terms with.

I would say that subjects like rape, abuse, and genocide fall more in lines of what Frownland said about shock humour, or saying something that is so shocking that you laugh, not because you think it's genuinely funny, but to help assuage the awkwardness of the subject matter. Dead baby jokes are a perfect example of this. Not clever in any real sense or even witty, just take some horrible act and inflict it on something we are hardwired to protect and nurture.

I sort of tend to disagree, George Carlin is notorious for making fun of suicide. Christ he has an entire album on the subject titled "Life Is Worth Losing" and he's genuinely funny. It might have shock value, but I think the harshness of life and human behavior is funny in a sadistic sense. I think you're sort of laughing because of how ****ed up humanity really is.

I do definitely agree that some of it revolves around shock, though.

03-19-2012, 09:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,538	Dark Humor and Shock Comedy – How far is too far? Recent events in a thread have inspired this topic. How far does black comedy go before it becomes so distastful that it becomes offensive? Can so called dark humor, such as jokes about death, murder, rape, and domestic violence, or so called shock humor – jokes about God, race, homosexuality, etc... Ever be appreciated in any kind of context, or is it morally disgusting to use such serious subjects in comedy?

03-19-2012, 09:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	I think it's all about context. Anything can be funny if it's said under the right circumstances by the right person. __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm

03-19-2012, 10:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	I think dark humour is able to stretch the band a bit further since it makes light of a negative side of life, a current tragic event, etc. while shock humour is funny only for its inappropriate vulgarity. Plus, fazstp, that's what made me the weird guy amongst my friends who is hilarious only to two or three other people. There's a lot of awkward silence following these jokes, but me and those who get my jokes are together, we have one hell of a ball. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

03-19-2012, 10:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
LoathsomePete Cardboard Box Realtor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hobb's End Posts: 7,648	One of the key differences that makes death a more accepted subject of dark humour is that it is an event that everyone will experience. Nobody is immune to it, and while it make come sooner for some who don't deserve it, and longer for others that do, in the end everyone will die. That universal fact makes it something that we will all think about at one point or another in our lives as is something we have to come to terms with. I would say that subjects like rape, abuse, and genocide fall more in lines of what Frownland said about shock humour, or saying something that is so shocking that you laugh, not because you think it's genuinely funny, but to help assuage the awkwardness of the subject matter. Dead baby jokes are a perfect example of this. Not clever in any real sense or even witty, just take some horrible act and inflict it on something we are hardwired to protect and nurture. __________________ Last.FM 101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

03-19-2012, 09:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Stephen I sleep in your hat Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Melbourne, Vic. Aus. Posts: 1,847	I don't know that you can have the line set in stone but you can always tell when it's been crossed. Are emoticons a license to offend?

03-19-2012, 11:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	I think the biggest deciding factor in whether or not to tell a joke in poor taste is your audience. The key to getting away with black humour is to know your audience and when it's appropriate to toe the line.