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wednes ([personal profile] wednes) wrote2005-04-08 11:02 pm
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Alright dammit...

I've commented about this enough times that I guess it's just time to post my thoughts. People, calm down! Cookie Monster accepting cookies as a "sometime food" doesn't hurt you or your childhood in any way. It is not blasphemy ala "Cathy & Irving" or "Loonatics". Okay, for adults, the news that cookies should not be constantly shoveled down your gullet is old news. But it is a valid lesson for 3 year olds.

Sesame Street has the opportunity, and probably the duty, to bring good lessons to kids. Just let them do it already! Changes such as Snuffy's visibility and Big Birds nest blowing down not only choked me up, they represent an unsurpassed level of societal awareness and positive message giving. Not to mention that Sesame Street was committed to mulitcultural casting 20 years before it became fashionable.

Moving on, tonights L&O TBJ was the best yet. I like seeing Jamie Ross as a judge without any eye makeup. I can't remember the last time I saw a woman on scripted television without eye liner. Neat! And apparently, Detective Green is going to get shot next week. So that will be some shit!

With regard to racism, I can't beleive there are still people who say minorites "can't be racist because you can't oppress up." This is absurd. Racism isn't simply oppression, it is an expression of hatred. If you hate someone because of thier race, then you are a racist.

Have you heard about this school district where teachers aren't allowed to correct papers with red pens? Aparently, red ink is too upsetting for students. First of all, red pens being upsetting is connotative because people associate it with scolding on paper. So changing the color only makes a temporary difference. If red were that upsetting, fire trucks and the flag of Japan would piss me off a lot more.

I've been reading tarot cards for money these days since I don't have an income. Anyone who would like a reading may feel free to Email me.

I had a lovely evening of dinner with Kassy. She brought me a Harry Potter pop-up book and a gift certificate for Borders. Mmmmmm...Borders.

[identity profile] wednes.livejournal.com 2005-04-09 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
I hear ya. I was first introduced to that definition in college (yikes! over 15 years ago) and have struggled with it ever since.

I think when I encounter the assertion that minorities "can't be racist" it tends to be within the context of someone defending prejudiced humor. You know, this kind of Bernic Mac championed comedy-of-manners that is really popular today. I think it is really low brow and unfunny, especially since if the races were reversed, people would boycott.

[identity profile] judecorp.livejournal.com 2005-04-09 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't think that stuff is funny either. Sometimes I laugh at stuff when it is targeted at my own groups by people in my own groups, but usually any humor that is making fun of people turns my stomach. I guess I'm more of a "stupid funny" than a "mean funny" kind of person.

*shrugs*

[identity profile] nate101000.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
There is no humor without cruelty. All sources of humor have a victim. I defy anyone to name a single funny joke or incident that did not have a victim.

The only reason we laugh is because if we didn't, we would cry. Well, the chicks would. Men don't cry, they blink.

[identity profile] wednes.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Watch Trigger Happy TV sometime. It's a fine example of hilarious, victimless comedy.

I do not think all jokes are cruel, even though I concede that many are.

[identity profile] nate101000.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Can give me an example of a joke without a victim?

[identity profile] wednes.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 08:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Why is six afraid of seven?

Because seven ate nine.

I suppose one could make the case that nine is the victim here, but I don't think so.

Another is that fine joke that ends with "orange you glad I didn't say bannana". Classic. Puns are jokes, and they have no victim. An d even if a joke does have a "victim" per se, it doesn't nessesarily have to be cruel.

[identity profile] nate101000.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Those aren't funny. Sorry. Give me an example of a funny joke without a victim.

Rare exceptions there may be, but as a whole for something to be funny, we need a victim.

[identity profile] wednes.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
It sounds like you're saying YOU need a victim in order to find it funny. This is a matter of aestheticism rather than comedy theory.

[identity profile] nate101000.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 09:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Really? So you think that comedy doesn't need a victim? Then name a single successful comedic venture without a victim. One movie, or one act, or one really funny joke. Name a single joke that gave you a case of uncontrolled laughter that didn't have a victim. Seriously think back on all the things you laughed at this weekend.

And it's not my assertion. I stole it from 'Stranger in a Strange Land'.

[identity profile] wednes.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 10:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I do concede that victimization is a common theme in comedy. But it is not required for the funny. The movie Zoolander has a lot of funny, non-victim related comedy even though the focus is the parodying of models.

[identity profile] judecorp.livejournal.com 2005-04-15 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
I dunno. I like a lot of stupid play-on-words jokes that don't have victims. Knock knock jokes and other little silly things like that.

[identity profile] nate101000.livejournal.com 2005-04-15 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
After discussing it with Wednes I decided that a victim isn't absolutely necessary. Seinfeld for example often has humor that doesn't involve a victime. But for the most part there is a victim.

(Anonymous) 2005-04-11 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Naturally I agree. For some reason I can't seem to explain to enough people, that just because other rich white men have a bunch of power does not mean that I have any power at all.

By the way, you should see 'Guess Who' when it's on TV sometime in the distant future. Kim dragged me to see it on free passes yesterday, and it didn't totally suck, and I did laugh. Although upon later reflection, Bernie Mac's character never actually admitted that Ashton's character's whiteness was a problem, even though it clearly was. I'm not sure why they didn't do that. My best guess is that they didn't feel it necessary to spell it out, since everybody did learn their lesson in the end. They made it clear that in the end everybody understood that color doesn't matter. But it's also possible the motive for this omission was more nefarious.

Anyway, I thought of something more I wanted to say. The notion that minorities can't be racist because minorities don't have power, and white people do is absurd on it's face anyway. It assumes that there is a giant white conspiracy to keep the black man down. It also assumes that all white people have benifitted from racism, which is certainly not the case.

It would be nice to have a list of quotes of famous black people asserting the notion that minorities can't be racist. That way in 30 years when whites are the minority, we can be as racist as we want and no one can say shazbot about it. I've decided I like that word. Shazbot.

[identity profile] wednes.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 08:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, but why aren't you signed in?

[identity profile] nate101000.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
I was. It's strange.

[identity profile] nate101000.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 08:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Naturally I agree. For some reason I can't seem to explain to enough people, that just because other rich white men have a bunch of power does not mean that I have any power at all.

By the way, you should see 'Guess Who' when it's on TV sometime in the distant future. K dragged me to see it on free passes yesterday, and it didn't totally suck, and I did laugh. Although upon later reflection, Bernie Mac's character never actually admitted that Ashton's character's whiteness was a problem, even though it clearly was. I'm not sure why they didn't do that. My best guess is that they didn't feel it necessary to spell it out, since everybody did learn their lesson in the end. They made it clear that in the end everybody understood that color doesn't matter. But it's also possible the motive for this omission was more nefarious.

Anyway, I thought of something more I wanted to say. The notion that minorities can't be racist because minorities don't have power, and white people do is absurd on it's face anyway. It assumes that there is a giant white conspiracy to keep the black man down. It also assumes that all white people have benefited from racism, which is certainly not the case.

It would be nice to have a list of quotes of famous black people asserting the notion that minorities can't be racist. That way in 30 years when whites are the minority, we can be as racist as we want and no one can say shazbot about it. I've decided I like that word. Shazbot.