BS: A sense of humor

Subject: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 09:06 AM

What makes people laugh? and why?

I laugh at jokes, stories or anything that strikes me as funny, but I've met a very few people who obviously have no sense of humor that seem to go looking for things to piss and moan about.
If you get it, it's funny. If you don't get it, it's not funny. So, whose problem is it?
It's like, if someone is mad at me, whose problem is that? A wise person once said, "Your opinion of me is none of my business."

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 10:27 AM

Non PC jokes are even funnier than they used to be.
That little soupcon of passing guilt, just adds to my enjoyment.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Jeri
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 10:34 AM

Sometimes the people without a sense of humor are funnier than the jokes. I get that knowledge from my father, who must have had that pain-in-the-ass humor gene in common with Spaw. My dad found what sort of 'funny' a person hated and then pushed, and pushed. I'd get royally pissed at him, and he'd push some more.

Maybe we'd be better off with even more inappropriate (or not) humor than arguing with some of these people.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Amos
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 10:59 AM

IT takes a minimum allocation of free attention and intelligence to see humor. That's why some folks can only laugh at the very grossest forms of humor--it's as much as they can process. You have to be able to see and therefore reject the illogicalness in the joke or it won't seem funny. Literal minded people have the same problem--they can't discriminate the nuances and it all falls flat from a lack of perception.

I am constantly finding humor in the most ordinary kinds of mindless routine. AS a species we are much more of a lot of blundering nincompoops than we would like to admit, me included. At least humor makes our own stupidnesses a bit more tolerable.


A

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:11 AM

There is nothing like a good joke..... and most of the ones I hear these days are nothing like a good joke. A sense of humour to my mind is understanding that everyday events.. even when perhaps considered serious at the time.. may ( and I say MAY and mean it) may have a funny side..... I enjoy jokes which use innuendo or double meaning... and not necessarily having sexual connotations. A good joke to me is one I understand and appreciate.... you may not understand and appreciate the same jokes or humour as me but that just makes us different............

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: KT
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:13 AM

Interesting thread....    I think sometimes people are not emotionally free enough to allow themselves to see the humor in things, and then let go with a big ol' belly laugh.

Nothing like a good guffaw, I say! I have a card on my refrigerator that says, "If you're not going to snort, why even laugh?"

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Acorn4
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:21 AM

What alarms me is the number of young people who seem to have no sense of humour - or is it just something that develops with age?

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Amos
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:23 AM

I think humor dies when one gets tangled up with taking oneself or some situation in one's world too seriously.

A

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: GUEST,KT not logged in
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:32 AM

Acorn, I do think a sense of humor develops with experience.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Jeri
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:33 AM

A lot of people don't get irony. I get it but it is sort of like an inside joke between those who get it and those who don't.

I had a friend who would tell jokes and sit back and get a kick out of the reaction. They were simply NOT FUNNY. That was the point. What can I say--he liked Andy Kaufman too.

People can get offended because they don't get irony and feel left out, or they can be offended because somebody took up their time telling a joke that wasn't even supposed to be funny. And you could get offended at Andy Kaufman PERIOD.

If you get offended because someone's telling offensive jokes, it's not usually a good idea to announce, on the internet, what trolls should use to bait the hook. They will do it, perhaps only because they think someone getting extremely offended is funny. It's a sad statement about humanity, and I think it damns us with cultural Darwinianism, but I guess life is a lot like a box of chocolates, and the ones with soft, gooey centers go down the gullet of society first.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: CarolC
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:34 AM

Sometimes it's a lack of a sense of humor that causes the person to not find the joke funny, and sometimes what is being passed off as a joke is really just thinly disguised bigotry, intolerance, or aggression.

Sometimes it's different strokes for different folks. I find the humor of the Firesign Theater to be very funny, but I'm guessing that you wouldn't find it so, Kendall.

And sometimes the joke just isn't funny.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: GUEST,Kt not logged in
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:34 AM

I wonder how funny I'll think it is when I'm in trouble for being late to work because I've been hanging around here instead of getting ready to go? Bye!

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: CarolC
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:48 AM

By the way, my son is one of the funniest people I know, and he has always had a great (and wicked) sense of humor, even when he was a little kid.

One time when he was about 3 or 4 years old, I was tormenting him a bit by pretending my fingers were "wiggly worms" and I was tickling him with the wiggly worms. When he had enough, he grabbed my fingers, nailed them with a piercing look, and said loudly, "Wiggly worms, WE'RE GOING FISHING!"

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Art Thieme
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:52 AM

Kendall, hello!!

As I'm fond of saying, "If ya don't have a sense o' humor --- it isn't funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Art

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Mrrzy
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 11:53 AM

It's just as well my Mom has a sense of humor, what with everything going wrong with her health... I sometimes find things funny that others might find sad, or annoying, but I find that finding it funny is better for everyone.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 12:03 PM

I like most kinds of humour - stoopid/daft, surreal/abstract, elegant/witty, dry, observational, slapstick and so-on.

I think the stuff I have the least interest in is loud and predictable 'boom boom' jokes where you're all expected to guffaw at something bog-obvious/banal/crude. Yawn. That kind of thing makes me quietly grumpy.

Another thing I can sometimes have trouble with is overt 'minority' humour - the kind of defiantly political stuff where you're expected to laugh however crap the jokes actually are, because it's some kind of reclaiming power stylee ironic political statement or something. I'm not going to laugh at your jokes *just because* you're an Asian woman, or in a wheelchair, or a lesbian, or obese, or whatever - because that would be patronising to both of us.
That's not to say good humour cannot be made out of such material (in fact it shouldn't be an issue *if* you're also actually a funny person!), but too often for my taste it can be crap, lazy & tasteless (I'm not a fan of psuedo-feminist 'man bashing' for e.g.) - possibly because it's too awkwardly self-conscious?
Jewish humour can be brilliant, so I don't think it's me just disliking 'minority' stuff as such, it's just when the overt 'political statement' thing undermines the 'funny'. Though I haven't actually quite got my head around it yet. Maybe I'm just a closest minorityist..

Fortunately as I find a loads of other stuff funny, I generally laugh loads every day. Which is a good thing.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: frogprince
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 12:59 PM

A "coffee crowd" friend has an adult son, about 30, with Downes syndrome. We've met the son a few times, and while he definitely has developmental limitations, I've been pleasantly surprised by his infectuous sense of humor. I don't know, though, if something he did this weekend was intended as a joke, or if it was just a reflection of his lack of "normal" adult inhibitions. His father told us that relatives took "Mike" along to church on Sunday. The church had a guest speaker, who launched into a long, loud "Bible thumping" sermon which wasn't typical for the setting. It continued as the congregation got increasingly fed up. Then "Mike" stood up and called out "Amen, Brother; but get on with it!" The congregation responded with a hearty round of applause; the speaker apologized and wrapped up the sernon.
Would that I had had the nerve on a number of occasions.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 01:00 PM

Carol C I don't understand...what is this "Firesign theater" thing you mentioned?

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 01:10 PM

The inability to laugh at one's self is more common in some countries than in others.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: jacqui.c
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 01:13 PM

Now, that made me laugh Frogprince.

Spaw can me make almost weep with laughter - I just love that sort of humour.

Kendall tells some terrific stories that make me laugh even after hearing them a number of times.

On the other hand, Benny Hill's shows left me totally cold - I just didn't find that sort of humour tickled my funny bone. I don't like the majority of modern situation comedies that telegraph the laugh before it gets there.

I think, for me, humour has to have an element of intelligence, something that goes beyond the obvious of the banana skin trip.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: GUEST, heric
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 01:37 PM

Noticing and remembering that something wasn't funny seems a glass-half-empty sort of trait.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: GUEST, heric
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 01:39 PM

(Unless of course you've invested a half hour or more in something like "Friends.")

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: SINSULL
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 01:41 PM

I can find humor in almost anything. It is, I believe, a survival instinct. When given a choice between laughing or crying, I choose to laugh. Dinner disasters, funerals, shopping, - it all amuses me.

I find Andy Rooney annoying - the voice, the dress, the whine, etc. Go figure.

Today a friend sent me a group of animal photos. I laughed out loud at one of a large hen nesting on a larger puppy who was contendedly asleep while one of her chicks stood by looking genuinely pissed. The illogicalness.

I have a few friends with little or no sense of humor - at least not my sense of humor. There is no point in trying to explain the joke - it falls apart in the explanation.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: CarolC
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 01:52 PM

Firesign Theatre

More here

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Alice
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 01:58 PM

My son had a sense of humor that showed up even before he could talk.
He made his first joke standing in his crib, holding his bottle to his mouth and making a sucking sound, then holding the nipple up at my lips and making the sucking sound, then bursting into a huge belly laugh at me. I was amazed.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 02:17 PM

Froggy reminded me of sommat similar.

My great nephew is autistic. His gramma can be a tad nasty depending on her mood. Many of you know I find her culinary skills, ah, er, lacking good judgement at times.

The lad was not "eating up" at a Bday supper and she announced, out of the blue and loudly, "No cake for ****!" (She has done so on a number of occasions, even well before supper is served... depending on her mood.)

Of course, the shocked young lad asks why. On this occasion, the reply was, "Not if you don't eat everything on your plate!"

I could see the lad struggling for a way out for maybe five seconds. "I'm not hungry."

"Well then... you don't need any cake."

He was caught by logic and this time, the struggle was about ten seconds long and I am sure you can imagine the uncomfortable silence at the table.

Then, I saw the idea churned out in the way he cocked his head, scrunched his eyelids tight and then opened his eyes wide.

"I am sorry. I lied about not being hungry. I know it's wrong to lie, but I really really want cake. And I need cake because I can't eat this because it tastes bad."

He was NOT lying.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 02:18 PM

Alice... awwwww. Some cute!

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 02:20 PM

There is a kind of "humour" which is genuinely cruel to people who don't deserve it. And anyone who objects is likely to be accused of not having a sense of humour.

Just because something is in some way shocking is no reason it might not be funny - but just because something is in some way shocking doesn't in itself make it funny.

A sense of humour is important - but I think a sense of fun is even more important. I find that humour - or maybe the right word here is "wit" - that doesn't involve fun palls rapidly.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 02:35 PM

Yes, McGrath.... well said.

A case in point is an ex boss of mine. When we would get together for telling jokes and such, the atmosphere was already set, thereby multiplying the "wit" with the anticipation of "fun". If you are keen for the upcoming fun, it seems to heighten the works of it.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: SINSULL
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 02:53 PM

"And I need cake because I can't eat this because it tastes bad."
I love it.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 05:17 PM

My 5 year old niece was told by her mother before they sat down at my mother's table to simply pass on a dish if she doesn't like it, and not make a scene.

'The first dish that came 'round looked iffy to her so she passed it on without comment. The next dish looked promising and she ladled some on her plate.

She took one bite and then said, in great surprise and loudly: Well, what in the world- I don't like this either!

However, this whole thread seems on the futile side to me- who of us is going to admit that we don't have a sense of humo(u)r? If we even recognize the fact?

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Jeri
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 06:34 PM

I often joke to lighten a scary-serious mood.
When I was 10, I was sliding down a neighbor's hill in winter.
Due to melting and freezing again, it was mostly ice and only a little snow. Kids would push other kids on sleds to get them started, and I just held on and 'skated' down the hill on my stomach. The last time, something went wrong and I broke my leg in the post-push slip (as opposed to the dive.)

Nobody knows what to say when something like that happens--not even 10 year old kids I couldn't stand the tension in the air. I told my friends, as we waited for my parents to show up, that I hoped it WAS broken, because then I'd have a cast and they wouldn't, and casts were COOL. One of them who hit me after I'd stopped moving thought he'd done it. I told him he hadn't done it, and I joked that he'd hit me with his sled, but I'd done it to myself first because I was such a klutz. I WANTED them to laugh at me because it was a whole lot better than having a bunch of kids staring at me in shock.

I would never have thought any of the kids who laughed were cruel. Even if another kid made the joke first, it would have made me feel better to hear them laugh, because every last one of those kids stayed on the ice at the bottom of the hill with me until my dad showed up.

I know other people would have blown a fuse if anybody had laughed at their pain. I really IS self defense, or at least a way to cope. There's a difference between feeling laughed with and laughed at, but which is which can be hard to figure out.

As to Firesign Theater, I remember them. Kendall was IN the 70s though, and is one of those who remember the 70s, which is why he doesn't know Firesign Theater. (There was an airline pilot/co-pilot skit, I believe...)

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 06:39 PM

There are some jokes at most funerals.

A friend of mine arranged for "Always look on the bright side" to be played at the end of her funeral service.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 07:28 PM

"What makes people laugh? and why?"

Well, it is obvious that there is a wide variety of notions of 'humor'.

I love offbeat humor, as well as **well done** regular 'jokes'.

I think the hardest and longest I ever laughed was at a little 'filler' article in newspaper many years ago....
It was titled "Elephant Goes Wild"

It said in entirety:
"An elephant hauling logs on the Nangapartam River (in India) went wild yesterday and trampled a man to death. Then it returned to its work."

Now...why is that funny? I cut it out and drove around to friends houses, giggling... I still have it.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: frogprince
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 09:31 PM

I truly wish I could post a sound clip, now, so you would hear this in the deep, measured voice of Leonard Nimoy as Spock:

      Bill D.,... that is not logical.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Amos
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 09:33 PM

In your heart, you have always yearned to go wild and trample others to death before returning to your work. That is why. Believe me.


A

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Janie
Date: 30 Nov 09 - 09:57 PM

But the ancient Greeks, Shakespeare, and other dramatists took their comedy more seriously than that. They realized that comedy is not "time out" from the real world; rather it provides another perspective on that world. And that other perspective is no less valuable than the tragic perspective. As Conrad Hyers has suggested, comedy expresses a "stubborn refusal to give tragedy . . . the final say."1 (John Morreal, PhD)

The entire paper is a good and thoughtful read and is athttp://www.holocaust-trc.org/holocaust_humor.htm.

Many, Many moons ago I watched a Robin Williams HBO special that he closed with words expressing similar ideas.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Acorn4
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 03:32 AM

I think that there are tastes in humour just like tastes in food. Personally I never found the Marx Brothers funny. I thought I didn't like American humour at all, but fell in love with "Cheers" - perhaps Boston's Irish heritage was the factor there. And there again, us Brits were responsible for "Terry and June"!

Someone once described Cannon and Ball as "the only comedy duo with two straight men".

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 04:51 AM

I think private and public sector employers ought to set up some sort of silliness to get employees laughing at the start of each work day (shift). It could be done via email jokes and funny videos or even a pop up as soon as you log onto your computer. For non computer based workers every shift could start with stand up comedy session or jokes/comic strips inserted into time card slots.

There are loads of means by which to get the funny across. Texts, emails, printed material and face to face. Some may find what they receive funny, some may not. Can't please everyone, but I think the practice could go a long way to better worker/employer relations.

Isn't there a company in the Silicon Valley where all employees must learn to juggle and take timed juggle breaks for stress busting and mind clearing?

I also think that morning news should only be of the non-disaster variety. Nothing blackens my day like bad news. I need the bad news to be told later when I am more able to cope with it. Fretting over the people suffering natural or manmade disaster, puts me right off work. I need to talk about it, rant and rage and get it out of my system before I can settle into work.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:11 AM

If I couldn't laugh at myself I'd never laugh, because nobody else is funny. (Just joking)

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:34 AM

I'll laugh at you too, if that helps, Dave!

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: JennieG
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:09 AM

A sense of humour seems to be quite a personal thing....what I find hilarious the person next to me may not, and vice versa. Yet we could have come from the same background and had a similar upbringing.

For instance.....on our trip to Toronto, Canada, recently we passed a motel called "Have A Nap", across the road from which is a large cemetery. We thought that was side-splittingly funny - but some people we have told don't see the humour in it that we saw.

I bet some of you reading this will laugh, and some will say "huh? that's not funny."

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 07:45 AM

A Police officer was checking out a complaint from someone who lived by the graveyard. As he approached he saw a young couple who were quite fond of each other, and he said to the boy, "Don't you see that sign that says No Parking"?
Boy replied, "No, but I saw that one that says, 'Get a lot while you're young."

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 11:29 AM

Now here's a funny bone tester.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 11:40 AM

'"You know what's funny? In Belgium, 'douche' means shower". Forgive motorcross imp Ashley Fiolek. She's only 19 and toilet humour rules at that age (and every other age, before or after, for that matter).'

The Red Bulletin in today's Independent.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 01:38 PM

Many a misunderstanding arises from people when they do not sense humor.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 02:23 PM

re: "Elephant goes wild"

What really got me was....they didn't say anything about the victim, or why the elephant chose him, or what happened TO the elephant...if anything. It was as much the construction of the article and the surrealistic images. ...and why 'wild'? why not just 'angry'?

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Amos
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 02:43 PM

private and public sector employers ought to set up some sort of silliness to get employees laughing at the start of each work day

Positively brilliant idea.


A

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 02:49 PM

I had a boss once I used to laugh AT. He was not aware of how useful he was in that respect.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 02:53 PM

I worked for myself most of my working life, always did laugh at the boss.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 04:06 PM

After I opened my own company and peeps asked me "How's it going?" or whatever, I would oft replysommat like, "Terrible... the boss is an awful slave-driver." Or similar.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 04:19 PM

Oh.... I was just at the dentist having my wallet extracted from my ass pocket thru my mouth.

Actually, it was a cleaning... $80 or so. VISA knows the exact amount.

The DH said I REALLY should have xrays done because of "too detailed" and because I haven't had any for ten years. I agreed.

She fired up the gun on the left side, came back into the room and removed the riggin, upon which I asked, "Is it supposed to hurt like this?"

Well, she had a good laugh.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 04:23 PM

Daftest joke I ever heard.

Q. What do you call a swan with a wooden leg?

A. Frank.

I still laugh now even though it makes no sense. Does that mean my sense of humour is good or bad? I dunno. I laugh at most things.

DeG

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:15 PM

To laugh at sommat that makes no sense to you is a great gift, Frankly. Enjoy it Dave.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:19 PM

Maybe that's it, Gnu. If you can only laugh at things that make sense there is no hope!

:D (eG)

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:20 PM

There are large laughing exercises every morning in India. I have it on DVD
The USA could use some of these gatherings instead of town hall meetings.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:35 PM

Have you met Frank?

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:37 PM

Yes, while at Hilton Head we watched him swim in circles for hours.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:38 PM

Yes... he's rather forthright.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:43 PM

Perspective alone seperates humor from tragedy.

If I get a torn toe nail, it is a tragedy.
If robomatic falls through the sidewalk from a missing man hole cover while he is on his i phone and dies, it is a comedy.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 05:54 PM

Sheesh. it's official now: I have no sense of humor.. I do not find the sit com that John Mackenzie linked to funny at all.

In fact, I think the whole premise is not only lame but distasteful. It is a very, very inept take off on I Love Lucy. "Funny bone tester"? Ha.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:01 PM

Hee hee, It was not a test to see if you found it funny Ebbie my friend. It was test to see whether people found it funny, or NOT funny.
Personally I found it more like Burns and Allen, but that was before your time I'm sure.

JM



ROCHESTER !!!!

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:09 PM

My dad had two jokes:

Q: What is the definition of zebra?
A: Twenty-five sizes bigger than an A-bra.

and

Q: Why is an orange?
A: Because a duck has no armpits.

I still laugh like an idiot each time I think of either one.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:09 PM

You buggers have set me off again. I definitely need a new keyboard now.

Closer to the spirit of the thread I can quote a personal experience. At Fylde Folk Festival some years ago we were wandering around Fleetwood between sessions only to find a joke shop a the top (seaward) end of Lord Street. The sign on the door warned people 'Door sticks'. Well, I went in and asked how much the door sticks were.

You would have thought joke shop owners would have had a sense of humour wouldn't you!

:D (eG)

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:16 PM

so... a zebra is 6 sizes larger than a teacup?

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:36 PM

Makin somthin funny to a *polarized audience has some rules...Yep ya gotta be willin to insult both sides at once so that they know it. That way both sides can laugh at each other with impunity while the comic gets the credit.

*polarized as in gay straight, Christian Jew, right left, etc
It even works for 'stupid smart'. It used to work in the reverse with Laurel and Hardy but now 'stupid smart' is the sole domain of redneck humor or merely repeating the words out loud and slowly of any of the new Republican leaders.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:44 PM

"The sign on the door warned people 'Door sticks'. Well, I went in and asked how much the door sticks were."

Ah, but I find that funny. so maybe there is hope for me.

Burns and Allen? Before my time? I'm so old that I'm sitting here trying to remember who came before Burns and Allen. :)

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:56 PM

who came before Burns and Allen?

that depends if you are talking aboout radio or TV

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:58 PM

A sign at my hardware store advertised old wine barrels for sale....some of them cut in half. It said "half barrels $9.98, full barrels $18"

They didn't get the humor when I asked what flavors 'full' barrels came in. (They didn't even recognized that it WAS humor)

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 07:02 PM

(Robert) Burns and Allan (Ramsay) were 18th century Scottish poets, and there wasn't much before them, at least in the post-Union period.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 07:57 PM

I get a kick out of signs that are not printed right. Here in Maine there is a guy who sells fishing worms and crawlers.
I saw one on the door of a small store in Buxton, and it said DICKS WORMS AND CRAWLERS.
There again, when I asked the price of a dick all I got was a blank stare.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 08:05 PM

You either find humor in all sorts of crap or you don't. If your mind is (most often entirely by accident and circumstance) trained to see many ways of interpreting things and seeing all the ways stuff is funny, then you just have no choice but to see humor in everything.

When you begin to qualify and quantify what is okay or funny and what isn't, you become the lieutenant played by Bruno Kirby in "Good Morning VietNam." Lot of that going on around here on this thread.........and poor old Joe gets complaints about my ass all the time!

So if that fits you, let me send you one of the surplus Anne Frank Drum Kits and, uh........................


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 02:27 AM

There was a huge sign outside a house near me ... it read "FREE TIBET"...... I guess you can se where the humour is!!!

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 04:39 AM

Poem 14 of 230: NIGHT OR DAY?!

In the far north of Sweden,
    A "Land of the Midnight Sun,"
A strange thing chanced upon me -
    And I'll tell you, just for fun.

Got off a train late-morning
    (Had to catch same one next day)
And trudged far to the Youth Hostel -
    Paying for a one-night stay.

I spent the afternoon sightseeing,
    Then, after a latish dinner,
Returned to my own small bedroom -
    The comfy bed proving a winner.

For I soon dozed into dreamy sleep -
    Waking what was just two hours hence;
But my watch was an analogue,
    And night or day I couldn't sense!

I quickly packed all my things
    (My train an hour or thirteen on)
And hurried out the bedroom -
    The bright sky a sneaky con.

I wandered down the track a bit
    (The Hostel office empty),
Before a smiling helpful local
    Did kindly enlighten me.

From http://blogs.myspace.com/walkaboutsverse (e-book)
Or http://walkaboutsverse.sitegoz.com (e-scroll)
(C) David Franks 2003

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:04 AM

I do try to keep quiet about WAV's doggerel, but, sorry mate, that is crap.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: GUEST,Lox
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:21 AM

Hey Jacqui,

"I think, for me, humour has to have an element of intelligence, something that goes beyond the obvious of the banana skin trip."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seIdHOrUNSs

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:33 AM

John, beauty is in the eye of the "Beer holder"

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Acorn4
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:42 AM

John Mac,

That was a bit brusque. Are you not a morning person?

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:52 AM

It's after 10 am there.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 06:00 AM

"John, beauty is in the eye of the "Beer holder" (Kendall)...for what it's worth, I prefer mead or cider (or, if again as far north as my above poem, snaps).

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 06:16 AM

Dear Acorn,

    I think I know where you went wrong about JM. As I see it, you considered his comment to be brusque, possibly even rude, and you were thinking this might be due to his sensitivity level to others in the morning hours. Let me assure you that this was not the thing that caused your trepidation. What sounded brusque to you is simply the normal surprise that comes over us when JM shows one of his flashes of superior intelligence and perception as he has done in this case.

    Let's all send JM a "Well Done Lad, VERY Perceptive" message of congratulations for seeing the truth through so many verses of drivel.

Best Regards,

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 07:21 AM

If I were to translate what Spaw just said ... for my fellow dyslexics :



The more full your mind is, the funnier your brain becomes.

There are dangers inherent in a humorless brain as well as a brain that is too funny.

I suppose if your brain reaches a critical mass, everything would become so funny that you could become "more than happy" and they would have to put you in a rubber room.

To stay below that critical threshold of "pan funniness" ONE COULD PRACTICE CONTROL AND SUPPRESS THE URGE TO LAUGH OUT LOUD AT:
the idiots who believe they are in charge. However that would hinder a most important social function of naturally curbing the most delusional people among us.

As for those poor unfortunate souls who have no internal humor what so ever, there are drug therapies of LSD and Extasy cocktails that could save them from a life of "funnilessness", but that is deliberately illegal in this country. Authority can easlily lock up one laughing idiot but Authority has a hard time dealing with a crowd that laughs them off the stage.

So I think it would be best to keep at least half of all your laughter inside your head unless you are a professional comic, who is given a broader lee way in our society. So go ahead and Laugh on inside and reserve laughing on the outside to about half of everything that is funny. Or as I call it "the LOI vs LOL equilibrium theory.   Gentlemen can I have a Harumph?

harumph harumph

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: GREEN WELLIES
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 07:30 AM

Sorry but I roar at really stupid things like my horse farting when he trots (he only does it occasionally). My husband says I've never really left the playground.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 07:52 AM

At Heathrow Airport in England, a 300-foot red carpet was stretched out to Air Force One and President Bush strode to a warm but dignified handshake from Queen Elizabeth II. They rode in a silver 1934 Bentley to the edge of central London where they boarded an open 17th century coach hitched to six magnificent white horses. As they rode toward Buckingham Palace, each looking to their side and waving to the thousands of cheering Britons lining the streets, all was going well. This was indeed a glorious display of pageantry and dignity. Suddenly the scene was shattered when the right rear horse let rip the most horrendous, earth-shattering, eye-smarting blast of flatulence, and the coach immediately filled with noxious fumes.

Uncomfortable, but maintaining control, the two dignitaries did their best to ignore the whole incident, but then the Queen decided that was a ridiculous manner with which to handle a most embarrassing situation. She turned to Mr. Bush and explained, "Mr. President, please accept my regrets. I'm sure you understand that there are some things even a Queen cannot control."

George W., ever the Texas gentleman, replied, "Your Majesty, please don't give the matter another thought. You know, if you hadn't said something I would have assumed it was one of the horses."

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:04 AM

John, you just made my day. That is one of the funniest things I've read in ages!

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:09 AM

There was a whole host of signs we spotted at Fleetwood that year.

This pier is open all year round from November 1st.

These toilets are fitted with anti-climb

This is NOT a ladies toilet (In the window of a glass office)

and the winner...

Disabled toilets in Birdcage (We couldn't even ask)

:D (eG)

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: GREEN WELLIES
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:16 AM

And I thought my husband and my horse were the only things who could fart at will.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: jacqui.c
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:28 AM

Lox - the link didn't work!

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:32 AM

Sign on local music pub

Roger the Pianist, every Wednesday.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:45 AM

It is good that this thread is part joke thread and part humor analysis.

When Janie wrote about humor or comedic relief as not being just a time out but rather that it offers another perspective. Often that other perspective is the most truthful and the most dangerous for its time.

IMO
The light hearted humor that offers a higher perspective usually reminds us of human frailty, misconceptions, the unintended and hubris.

The low humor perspective is often mean, demeaning and insulting and speaks of things that are usually repressed or too hateful to be said aloud without a fight. In fact low humor requires a repression in the audience to work.

Both high and low humor perspectives can be funny and mix well together. Some comics rely one one more than the other.

For example Robin Williams relies on the higher while Rush Limbaugh relies on the lower.
"keep your mind full and your bowels empty" vs. Hillary Clinton's ass is so big...

Whether you take the high road or the low road we can still laugh together. The way you sell a joke with gestures or timing is not as important as you think. You might consider the funny voices and faces of Richard Pyror, George Carlin and Wanda Sykes as funny but given the right material even the electronic voice of Stephen Hawkings can be hilarious.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 10:08 AM

Lewis Black did an hour show on the History Channel, What is funny.
Discussing why things are funny is not nearly as funny as one would hope. Watching a Simpson's episode was more fun.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 10:18 AM

Simpsons! Now there's something I find totally unamusing.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: SINSULL
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 10:40 AM

Re: horse farts

When I lived in Chicago, a friend owned several horses and I got to ride for free by helping to exercise them. The mare became pregnant and was overdue so we each took turns watching her so that if she went into labor the vet would be called instantly.

So there I sat chatting with the old girl about her baby to be when she started to strain and push and,in my eyes.contract.

I called the house. Down came the owner, the vet and assorted others to witness the birth. The vet examined the mare carefully and stood back she let off a huge fart then went back to lazily chewing some hay.

She gave birth about a week later.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 11:23 AM

"An elephant hauling logs on the Nangapartam River (in India) went wild yesterday and trampled a man to death. Then it returned to its work."

"The vet examined the mare carefully and stood back she let off a huge fart then went back to lazily chewing some hay."


Somehow there's a similarity between these two stories. :)

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Lox
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:17 PM

Sorry Jacqui,

I think i must have chopped a bit off.

I'll try again.


Intelligent Humour.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:42 PM

perfecto

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Lox
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 02:41 PM

Somehow there's a similarity between these two stories. :)


Except that in the second case it sounds like the vet resumed chewing the hay ...

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:38 PM

hahahha I hadn't noticed that.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 07:23 AM

No thats an example of unintentional humor.
I the film, "The Wizard of Oz" Uncle Henry mis understood Elvia on purpose and made he look silly.
The old witch came to take Dorothy's dog to be put down and in explaining what happened she said that she "was all but black and blue from the bite on her leg." Henry says "Oh, you mean she bit ye"?
Witch, "No her dog." He says
"Oh, she bit her dog". I've always loved that scene.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 07:33 AM

Man bites dog.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Lox
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 05:08 AM

Hey Jacqui, did you see the revised link?

I thought you might enjoy it.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 11:51 AM

On "Word of Mouth", BBC Radio 4, Tuesday 22 December at 16:00, "Michael Rosen dissects some jokes to try to find out why they're amusing. Funny how they don't work so well after he puts them back together..."

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 12:00 PM

There is an element of the unexpected in humor. Take that away and it falls flat.
Yet there are some story tellers (and Kendall is one as was Utah Phillips) who manage to tell the same story and with a slightly different inflection or wink of an eye or just a different expression, keep it new and humorous.

I can't tell a story to save my life but I can recount a funny thing that has happened to me or I have done and get a laugh...once.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Mr Red
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 06:29 AM

The golden rules is that here are no golden rules. GBS

I always cite the Gerrard Hoffnung "Respected Sir" sketch on the "Debate at the Oxford Union" Album. More people will know the "Paddy's Sick Note Song" which used the story and probably the Hofnunf rendition as its theme.

Everytime I listen to it it is funny, even though I know the story, and wait for the "bit" and still laugh. It is about delivery. In detail it is so intricate that not all of it can be remmebred so the element of surprise is still there a bit. But I agree if the delivery is more obvious it ceases to be as funny when you jeard it before or could see the punchline coming.
Another rather telling aspect is when people happen on a subject and the jargon can be seen to be funny. If you are immersed in that jargon it is boring as hell to hear the quips for the n'th time.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: kendall
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 06:45 AM

The "sick note" is always funny

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 08:50 AM

Senses of humour vary enormously; I have never cracked a smile at a single moment of any of Hoffnung's monologues. He seems to me to rely entirely on a silly voice. I once sat solitarily poker-faced among a hysterical audience in the Cambridge Union in my student days when he did his other one, about the hedgehog & the lavatory-brush.

Same with Ivor Cutler.

Incidentally GBS was wrong about the Golden Rule being that there is no Golden Rule. - The Golden Rule [courtesy of The Wizard Of Id] is:

— The One Who Has The Gold Makes The Rule -.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Becca72
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 02:08 PM

My mother didn't have one; my father has a very wide-ranging and twisted one. Luckily my sisters and I take after Dad...although from time to time I do find myself to be the only one laughing at something.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Alice
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 02:22 PM

It's interesting how different cultures (and even families) create their own idea of what is funny.

Some people think insults are funny.

I definitely DO NOT find anything funny about insults.

But I DO have a great sense of humor.

"Funny" is relative.

And I have funny relatives.


Alice

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 06:01 PM

I was reading an article about humour in this week's Radio Times, with a quote from a man who recently took over as "the BBC's acting controller of comedy".

"Comedy ought to be risky - that's what makes it funny".

And it struck me that that is absolute unleavened crap - and the heart sinks that anyone who can actually believe something as stupid as that can be put in a position to be a "controller of comedy". (So I won't give the man's name, since it's possible to hope that that "acting" can become "former" before he can do too much damage.)

Risky comedy is obviously part of comedy, as is risqué humour for that matter. But just a part, and by no means the most important part. And it's not being "risky" that makes something funny, it's being funny that sometimes can make the risk worth taking.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Ed T
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 06:53 PM

Humour can be fun...but dangerous, a well intended joke to one person , may be seen differently by another....from a different perspective....be careful and sensitive before you use humour, beyond the basic. Know the receiver.

"It's rare to find learned men who are clean, do not stink and have a sense of humour". ...unknown

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 07:02 PM

===it's not being "risky" that makes something funny, it's being funny that sometimes can make the risk worth taking.===

A most excellent & cogent formulation, McGrath of H, for which many thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Ed T
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 07:33 PM

An interesting perspective on humour:

http://www.succeedsocially.com/funny

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 09:10 PM

This dimension of humor may have been mentioned in my sifting through this thread but it's illustrated well by:
"Q: Why is an orange?
A: Because a duck has no armpits."

It's when the joke takes an unexpected turn.

Kendall is a master of that. You think you know where he is going, and suddenly you're overboard without a life preserver.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 23 Dec 09 - 01:01 PM

I posted above about my great nephew. Young autistic lad. If you haven't read that post, you should read it before continuing with this one.

Today, at a grocery store, while looking at "Xmas" type cookies with Mum, I was reminded of a similar story which occured Xmas day two years ago.

Every year, SiL baked for Xmas... and far beyond. Included were well over a thousand cookies. Yes, that's what I said. Takes a lot of time to do that. So... three racks in the oven and two pans per rack and the oven (non-convection) is FULL. Now, all of you bakers know what comes next.... some cookies not quite cooked and some cookies burnt on the bottom side.

After the Xmas meal, out came the cookies and squares. The young lad bit into one, then another, then another... then, "Nan... you should serve these cookies upside down so I can tell which ones are black on the bottom because they don't taste good and they are hard to eat."

Followup.... today, Mum said that she expected SiL would be serving cookies on Xmas. I lifted a plastic package of "Xmas decorated" shortbreds and looked at the underneath and said, "Not like these."

Mum did not laugh out loud, as I did, but I could see her stifling herself. She's a laaaady, she is.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Dec 09 - 05:27 PM

"...you should serve these cookies upside down so I can tell which ones are black on the bottom...

That's a very logical suggestion.

Subject: RE: BS: A sense of humor
From: gnu
Date: 23 Dec 09 - 06:04 PM

Yes it is. The lad is autistic but that does not detract from his accumulated logic, intelligence, innocence and genuine nature. Unlike some.

Sorry. I know that sounds bitter. But, there it is.