OH MY CRAP

for a long long time i have argued with people over the appropriateness of certain types of jokes. i wouldnt go so far as to say that nothing is sacred, but i do think that people can be silly or even hypocritical about the jokes they laugh at. or deliberately dont laugh at.

for years comedians have pushed the envelope (as they like to call it) and material is considered to be fresh if it might offend some one.

perhaps people are just too easily offended.

now, i dont swear or curse (usually) but i do see the irony in the fact that we have several synonyms for the word poop, but only certain ones are considered offensive. why? it doesnt make any sense to me. they all mean the exact same thing, dont they? are some synonyms somehow more suggestive? or perhaps they have a hidden meaning i dont know about. whatever it is, i think it is silly.

in the same light, how can come jokes be considered 'ok' while similar types of jokes are 'too soon' or 'border line?' why do we hold certain things or even people on a pedestal while others are fair game? why can only minorities refer to themselves as such? is it the term that is offensive or the people saying it? who gets to decide? comedy central? cnn? the public school system?

and why is it that cancer is never funny?

i think we take ourselves too seriously. who cares if some one doesnt like you? that shouldnt change you.

keeping all of that in mind, i heard the funniest radio commercial today. it started out like a beer commercial with the announcer addressing the listener as a male icon. he compliments the listener as the pinnacle of manliness and all things testosterone. saying things like "you are a man's man because you played football in high school and you own a tool belt. and you have a hammer. not just any hammer. a 'big enough to swing it and put a hole in something' size hammer."

after the flattery, the announcer calls you a wuss because you are scared of a prostate exam. "oh, im soo scared. does it hurt? i dont even know where my prostate is! (whimper and moan)."

then he tells you to buck up and take it like man.

see, cancer can be funny too.