Humor Etiquette
Let’s talk humor etiquette.What is your style of humor? Are you one of those people who uses everyone else’s short comings (or perceived short comings) as the butt of your jokes?
The current political climate has caused a lot of bad humor in every direction. The charity dinner on Thursday evening with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in attendance wasn’t their best effort at making jokes. In fact, I think it would be hard to describe some of the remarks that both candidates threw out as humor. It was more like insults. A cheap version of humor, in my opinion.
What makes a good comic or humorist? That is very subjective. What one person finds funny might not strike another person as being funny at all. Think back to some of the people who have made you laugh the hardest over the years. For me, it would be the masters of self deprecating humor.
Humor is also about timing. And I believe it’s an art. Some people can deliver a line and have the whole room in stitches, but that line delivered by someone else may bomb.
If you are the person who uses everyone else as the butt of your jokes, you may find people running in the other direction when they see you. That kind of humor can be very hurtful. Humor should make other people laugh and feel good…not feel like they are getting “roasted.”
Yes, yes, a million times YES! Humor should never be at another person’s expense. To me, that’s nothing more than play ground bullying!
Thanks for your comment, Linda. I appreciate you taking the time to read & comment.
If I may add, some people confuse sarcasm with humour. What happens then is someone is “zinged” while others laugh. Not my definition of humour.
Great article Karen.
Great point, Suzanne. Thanks for adding to the conversation.
Excellent blog, Karen. I think people should ask themselves this question before delivering a joke at someone else’s expense: “Will everyone understand my sense of humor or could my joke be misinterpreted?” My teenage daughter once told me, “Not everyone thinks you are funny, Mom.” I love humor and making people smile; but they need to smile, not grimace.
Thank you for your comments, Lydia. I always appreciate your input. The question to ask ourselves is an important one.