We all like reading and telling jokes. We often see those jokes that can be offensive to others but they make us laugh until we realise it's not always a laughing matter.

I read jokes on this forum, on various websites, blogs, uni forums and so on. Some are on the same level as knock knock jokes, i.e you really cannot take offense because it's something genuinely funny and they're blatantly made up rubbish. Others are smutty which may offend people and/or are NSFW (not safe for work) but then we see those that refer to weight, colour, race, gender, family, beliefs, sexual orientation and much more. Then question is, where do we draw the line when it comes to telling jokes?

If someone is black does that mean they can tell jokes about black people and people will find it funny, whereas if a white person was to tell a joke about black people would it be classed as being racist and in actual fact, not funny?

Can an overweight comedienne like Jo Brand make jokes about fat people on stage but when a skinny person makes a joke out of it, are they being a bully?

Without trying to offend, here are some jokes you may or may not take offense to. I'd like you to read them and if they offend you, please discuss what you find offensive and why. I'd like to see how many of these jokes you find offensive regardless of your colour, race, sexual orientation and background.

1) Did anyone see the article in yesterdays express about a Chinese couple having an albino baby?I was wondering if its just a hoax or conclusive proof that two wongs can make a white. (joke pinched off a dirty bugger from uni, any student(s) here who spot(s) this joke, seriously keep away from that guy :p)

2) There was a Blonde and her husband. One morning the husband leaves for work and the blonde gets up. She's determined to prove to her husband that blondes aren't dumb, by painting the kitchen. When her husband gets home he says to his wife "Honey why do you have 3 coats on?" The blonde says, "Well the directions on the paint said to use three coats for best results."

3) Stupid students: I would not allow this student to breed.

4) From the 100 reasons to be gay:
You truly don't care who Julia Roberts is sleeping with.
Your women friends will tell you everything you want to know about their boyfriends. And that means everything.
You can call anyone "honey" including pets.
You only wear polyester when you mean to.
You've read the book, seen the movie, done the musical.

Most people only usually take offense when a joke relating to them hurts but how does it make us feel when someone the complete and utter opposite of us is the 'target' or 'victim' of a joke? Do we still get offended and do we stand up and say "Woah, I may not be pink with yellow spots unlike Mr Blobby (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ilove/years/1993/gallery/340/blobby.jpg) and others like him but I certainly find that so-called joke offensive!" Do we stick up for the Mr Blobbies in our society or is it all about looking out for number one?

I think everyone has to accept that at some point in their life something about them will be the butt of a joke. So it all evens out. Specifically generic jokes that involve a social strata, or ethnicity, or hair colour, or gender... everyone is going to fall into one of these categories and poked fun at one day. Everyone should just laugh/shrug it off and prepare to laugh at the next joke they hear that isn't (in)directly related to them.

Some people might find a joke bad taste or offensive, and some might find it funny. Others won't 'get' it at all. That's the beauty of individuality I guess.


Example of tasteless joke. Funny? You decide...

Q. "What's red and can't turn round in corridors?"
A. "A baby with a javelin through its head"

I think everyone has to accept that at some point in their life something about them will be the butt of a joke. So it all evens out. Specifically generic jokes that involve a social strata, or ethnicity, or hair colour, or gender... everyone is going to fall into one of these categories and poked fun at one day.
Agreed, usually most people can take a joke but shouldn't we also think before posting jokes that we think people may be offended by?

This forum has a message/rule which basically says anything can go under the humour and debate topic and whether or not people choose to get offended is entirely up to them but what about places where no such rules are put in place? An example would be my uni forum. I've just checked the rules and it says nothing about finding jokes rude or offensive and it only states that "Muppetania" is for "clean" jokes, Toonmania is for animated jokes and Smuttania is for "dirty", "rude" or smutty jokes.

How many people tend to think about the meaning in a joke before using it or forwarding it on to others? It's really strange cos although I was thinking about this last night I happened to read joke number 1 in my initial post today and although it did make me smile, I thought it would be the sort to offend people.
Example of tasteless joke. Funny? You decide...

Q. "What's red and can't turn round in corridors?"
A. "A baby with a javelin through its head"
That's definitely tasteless to me. A very bad joke in fact. That said the only thing that upsets me about it is that the word 'baby' was used. If 'baby' was replaced with 'idiot' for example it wouldn't be so tasteless. But it wouldn't be funny either. Gosh, I hope you didn't make that joke up Ches :p

On the topic of tasteless jokes, I decided to post something on Muppetania about a year ago to see how many people thought it was funny and how many thought it was cruel/tasteless. The results were shocking. Almost everyone complained about it and maybe one other person said it was funny. So many people were offended by it I had to take it down but that was my own choice. Here is the recording of a practical joke which has probably been seen by many people as it is very old. I saw it in so many places and everyone found it funny but very few found it cruel. The title is also a bit... ridiculous... "Little Fat Kid Gets Scared (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7-PWpq5WxI)"

I'm all for practical jokes so long as nobody gets hurts and if it's something the 'victim' can laugh about.

Sorry if this is more of a selfish rant...

Okay, okay, so I have this personal problem where I just can't seem to take offense to anything ever. Other people, on the other hand... I think most people know what is right and wrong, what is normal, and each person also has their own sense of humor. For example, me and my friend, when we go to movies, we usually see comedies; we have a third friend who we think has a HORRIBLE sense of humor because everything he hates is what we think is hilarious. Basically, the worse he thinks a movie is, the funnier me and my friend know the movie is going to be. It really actually varies from person to person.

I'm easily amused so I'll probably think anything is funny once I understand it. I also have a soft spot for dead baby jokes. I cracked up at Ches's joke. What I think is interesting is that sometime last month, a couple of coworkers shared a joke that I didn't get to hear, and I wanted in on it. They told me no, it's offensive, or it's bad, or all these different things, and I kept begging and begging to hear it! A couple of weeks later, one of them finally gave in! And he told me one of my FAVORITE dead baby jokes in the history of everything! I mean, he didn't even have to finish the beginning, I was already cracking up, but I had NO idea why these guys wouldn't tell me!

I guess it really varies from person to person, but I think some people know what is generally socially acceptable and what usually isn't, so even if it's their kind of humor, then they know not to share it. Or something like that.

Oh yeah, and there was one point where me and my best friend were looking for a movie to rent at some store, and we passed by the drama section. I saw a movie, Castaway, in there, and I was like, "Hey, isn't that the movie with Wilson in it?" and she was like, "Yeah," and I went, "I think they put that movie in the wrong section, because it was a comedy." To that, she gasped. I mean, I was young when I saw the movie, so maybe I didn't understand anything serious in it, but I actually remember it being a FUNNY movie to me when I watched it. And I find out that it was a drama!? I generally don't like dramas.

Yeah, so I know my humor is twisted. I like jokes taken "too far" (or so I have learned recently). Me and that friend loved the movie Tropic Thunder and I was shocked to hear how bad the reviews were. Also, you know those America's Funniest Home Videos?... yeah, another one of my friends is a huge fan of them, but I never understood those. I don't think those are ever taken far enough.

Shutting up now.

Sketches, that wasn't a selfish rant in any way but I'd see why you might think that. I do have to to say, although you find dead baby jokes hilarious and not tasteless at all, I admire your courage and honesty to openly say so. Like you said, most people know what is "socially acceptable" and I think you know that too. There are probably more people like you on the forum who share the same humour as you but wouldn't admit to it because of this level of understanding of what is and isn't socially accepted.

You mentioned how when you go to the movies you and a friend know you will find a movie even funnier when your other friend dislikes it and the more he dislikes it the funnier it will be; do you think that in some way you and your first friend do this out of spite or ignorance? Actually, that sounds wrong perhaps what I mean is do you like the movie even more because it's a form of rebellion? Similarly, do you feel the same way about laughing at dead baby jokes because your aware of how socially unacceptable these types of jokes are likely to be?

I don't want it to seem like I'm giving you the third degree here but I think seeing as your willing to be so open about this topic, it'd be good to have this opinion shared. Like I said, I admire your honesty despite your opinion because this isn't usually something someone would willingly 'admit' to.

On the topic of Castaway, I thought that film was pretty funny. That said, I've really only seen it a couple of times beginning to end and it was many years ago. When I say it's funny I refer to the parts about Wilson the volleyball; those are the only funny bits I remember and I tend to only remember the amusing things.

After thought: Would you mind sharing that baby joke with us btw? If you do, I'd suggest spoiler tags so it's an option for people to read in case it's too gross.

You mentioned how when you go to the movies you and a friend know you will find a movie even funnier when your other friend dislikes it and the more he dislikes it the funnier it will be; do you think that in some way you and your first friend do this out of spite or ignorance? Actually, that sounds wrong perhaps what I mean is do you like the movie even more because it's a form of rebellion? ...

I thiink I understand what you mean... Well, a few times me and my friend -- her name is Kulan -- have gone to see funny movies with Jordan, and every single time that Kulan and I thought the movie was actually funny, Jordan would typically say, "It was OK," or he just didn't think it was funny. Kulan and Jordan have seen movies together on their own, and Kulan has even shown Jordan funny movies that he just didn't think were very funny! Basically, we've come to the conclusion that he's our movie reviewer for funny movies, but in an opposite sort of way. I'm pretty sure that it's just our differing sense of humor; this guy really just doesn't laugh that hard at the movies that we think are hilarious! At the same time, the movies that he enjoys are movies that Kulan and I just think are OK. I mean, it's seriously true, but usually we just joke around about it.

Also, I don't THINK it's a rebellious thing, but maybe it is? I guess it's sometimes hard to tell with us teenagers.

After thought: Would you mind sharing that baby joke with us btw? If you do, I'd suggest spoiler tags so it's an option for people to read in case it's too gross.

Yes, it goes something like this:A woman in a hospital is having a baby. After the baby is born, the doctor throws the baby on the floor, kicks it up against the wall, picks it up, twirls it around several times and throws it against the wall. The mother is horrified and yells, "My GOD! What the HELL are you dong to my BABY??!"

"April fools," says the doctor. "It was still born!"

Oscar Wilde said that "There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all." My opinion is that a similar logic can be applied to jokes, and what is important is whether or not they are funny; I will never categorically say that a joke about "x" cannot be funny.

However, this can also be applied to jokes which are "badly written", wherein I see many jokes as a vehicle for discrimination or distaste rather than for humour. I suppose that if I were to draw a line, it would be based on this and not on topic. I have heard any number of jokes wherein the punchline IS racism, which I feel are completely different to jokes relating to race, for example. Nonetheless, even if I feel that a joke truly is funny, I would not feel comfortable saying it to a person from the group of which the joke relates to if the joke is mocking a stereotype. Perhaps this in itself says something.

I'm very much with you on that one, Fox.
As for that baby joke.. I agree with tasha, it's not funny. But I guess we're all different and some people can't help but laugh at it. I personally found it tasteless though. When it comes to jokes, I like the lighthearted type ones.

It is very common to see people tell jokes about their own community/race/religion, just for a few laughs, but sometimes when someone of a different community/race/religion does the same, they can take it offensively. And I can see where they're coming from because *sometimes* it is done with the intent to cause hurt. I find that very common when it comes to racism. Therefore, I find it hard to know where the boundary of telling bad jokes has to be drawn. Sometimes it depends on the intent of the actual person telling the joke.

One thing I did want to point out though, is that sometimes people can over exaggerate how they react to a joke. Like, if a group of people don't find it funny, then you sometimes find a person who feels like they have to be different and therefore find it funny, when perhaps they may not even understand the joke or even agree with it.

I knew one person in school who used to laugh at all the offensive jokes (that people didn't like).. but at the same time I sensed a type of insecurity in her (and I wasn't the only one), where she felt like she had to always be strong and couldn't take anything offensively. So yeah, I think there's an element behind how someone reacts a joke, as well, which has a lot to do with psychology of a person and their background.

A woman in a hospital is having a baby. After the baby is born, the doctor throws the baby on the floor, kicks it up against the wall, picks it up, twirls it around several times and throws it against the wall. The mother is horrified and yells, "My GOD! What the HELL are you dong to my BABY??!"

"April fools," says the doctor. "It was still born!"

I fail to see anything even slightly humorous about that.
Im not offended by it, its just not funny in any way.

Each to their own, I guess.

I have heard any number of jokes wherein the punchline IS racism, which I feel are completely different to jokes relating to race, for example. Nonetheless, even if I feel that a joke truly is funny, I would not feel comfortable saying it to a person from the group of which the joke relates to if the joke is mocking a stereotype. Perhaps this in itself says something.

Well said. I constantly think about this subject whenever I hear a joke. So many relate to race or specific appearances which peeople could be offended by and although I may smile at a few I know that someone out there doesn't find the joke funny at all but instead they find it offensive. When I'm aware of that, what right do I have to quote a joke in a place where I know a certain gender, race, or religion is present who will be offended? Sometimes I wonder how many people think before passing on jokes. I can't tell a joke without thinking about the people who will hear/read it. If I know one person will be offended, I don't bother saying it.

One thing I did want to point out though, is that sometimes people can over exaggerate how they react to a joke. Like, if a group of people don't find it funny, then you sometimes find a person who feels like they have to be different and therefore find it funny, when perhaps they may not even understand the joke or even agree with it.

I knew one person in school who used to laugh at all the offensive jokes (that people didn't like).. but at the same time I sensed a type of insecurity in her (and I wasn't the only one), where she felt like she had to always be strong and couldn't take anything offensively. So yeah, I think there's an element behind how someone reacts a joke, as well, which has a lot to do with psychology of a person and their background.

After reading sketches second post and her explanation I had this impression of sketches, i.e I put her in that category. I don't mean this in an offensive way, but perhaps she does feel insecure about something related to babies for whatever reason. Of course she doesn't even have to be aware of it cos this insecurity could exist solely on a subconscious level. I think the same applies to people who might have issues with death. Sometimes people laugh at times of mourning because they don't know how to handle the situation. Everyone's different and I guess the same goes for humour too. Maybe we're just not aware of it so much.

... Sometimes people laugh at times of mourning because they don't know how to handle the situation. Everyone's different and I guess the same goes for humour too. Maybe we're just not aware of it so much.

Wow... Yeah, I mean, I'm maybe insecure about something on some subconscious level, because I know for a fact that I laugh, smile, giggle, or whatever in the same sense (usually sarcastically) when I'm nervous. I'm pretty sure I've laughed at funerals but they weren't of people I knew very well.

Um, but even if that's true for me, I still genuinely laugh at jokes that I think are funny. And I really believe that each person has their own sense of humor; it's just part of the personality. That's what I think, anyway.

As for the Oscar Wilde quote, I agree with the first half of it, but ultimately what people think of books (good or "poorly written") are their own personal preference.

Wow... Yeah, I mean, I'm maybe insecure about something on some subconscious level, because I know for a fact that I laugh, smile, giggle, or whatever in the same sense (usually sarcastically) when I'm nervous. I'm pretty sure I've laughed at funerals but they weren't of people I knew very well.
I know exactly what you mean. I was thinking this earlier, but when I was in school some girl said "she'd laugh at death" about me because I was always so smiley and laughed a lot. Her opinion of me meant nothing of course cos she was a grumpy fart (and still is, afaik) and her lips were turned down cos she barely smiled.

As far as funerals go, I've never actually attended one but I remember when my Grandfather passed away I got some really good news a couple of days later. I was really happy so I shared my news with my mum and sisters. The looks I got that night from people because I smiled were incredible. I think I even got told off for being happy. Some people are a lot more sensitive about things than others.

Going back to jokes, although I don't share the same sense of humour as you, I'll give you credit for being so open about it and willing to discuss the matter. It's also great to see no-one gunned you down for sharing your opinion! :)

/me guns sketches down :razz:
Just messing around, of course. XD

Being politically correct is boring.
I'd rather have some laughs.
(whether it be at my expense or at the expense of others.)