how soon is too soon?

[ramboondiea]

i was watching a older episode of mock the week and iv noticed that they are still cutting some jokes that were in the original airing, in this case it was a jade goody joke.

now i understand the need for delicateness when it comes to deceased people, but there seems to be a terrible inconsistency with it, as mock the week were making micheal jackson jokes the series after his death. yet a year one a slight jade goody joke remains cut, yet many others havent?, its the same for terrible events, i cant count how many joseph fritzel jokes i heard and still do.

so as the title says, how soon is too soon? do you peoples believe theres a moral limit in place? or that an actual time frame should be applied? (or even think that its always too soon?) or do you know of example of jokes that are "too soon" or even prime comedian offenders?

it'll be interesting to see if anybody can agree with anyone else on a limit

 

[warm slurm]

It depends on the subject. I'd say something like Holocaust jokes are always 'too soon', for example.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Nah nothings really too soon to make a joke about IMO, then again i'm sure the more easily offended people will disagree with me as trying to offend me is like trying to break down a brick wall with only your face.

I wonder how long it will take before Frankie Boyle will be mentioned in this thread

 

[Kevonovitch]

what's this "too soon" concept? it's seems rather political, silly, and proposterously nonsensical.

 

[ramboondiea]

Nah nothings really too soon to make a joke about IMO, then again i'm sure the more easily offended people will disagree with me as trying to offend me is like trying to break down a brick wall with only your face.

I wonder how long it will take before Frankie Boyle will be mentioned in this thread

i expect frankie boyle to make a guest appearance on this thread, make a joke and get perma-banned haha

 

[Iznat]

I wonder how long it will take before Frankie Boyle will be mentioned in this thread

There you go.

OT: I think it really depends. If it was someone who was close to someone/those who were involved (like say, 9/11 I guess), then yeah, it's always too soon, but I can't honestly see why Holocaust jokes are always too soon.
I mean, it's been aaaaaagggggggeeeeeesssssss.
But that's besides the point.

It all comes down to who your audience are. If it's friends, usually anything goes. If it's strangers.... I;d be more cautious

 

[Levi93]

IMO Jokes are never too soon cause put it simply, if you dont laugh at past occasions you'll just cry, and which is the much more perferred emotion laughing or crying?

 

[CNKFan]

With free speeach there is no "too soon".

 

[spartan1077]

It's the same as political correctness. I think it's all rubbish but THINK OF THE CHILDREN advocates love to throw it everywhere. South Park does it the best though Too soon is rubbish and nothing is ever too soon.

 

[ReservoirAngel]

I reckon 8 years is the absolute max except in extreme circumstances, but it always depends.

Examples:
Holocaust - off limits mostly, unless done VERY carefully
9/11 - fair game for a good few years now
Dead celebrities - as soon as you hear the news, you have free reign

 

[illas]

I watch Frankie Boyle and Jim Jeffries, so it can *never* be too soon to be insensitive.

 

[bloodrayne626]

I reckon 8 years is the absolute max except in extreme circumstances, but it always depends.

Examples:
Holocaust - off limits mostly, unless done VERY carefully
9/11 - fair game for a good few years now
Dead celebrities - as soon as you hear the news, you have free reign

Apart from the 8 years thing, this is true - except for the Holocaust. That's generally taken as a BIG NO in the comedy industry.
Also, on the Dead Celebrities bit - as soon as Steve Irwin kicked it, I swear people started posting within SECONDS of his demise by a stinger. How's that for "too soon"?

 

[Nouw]

With free speeach there is no "too soon".

Hey guys did you see that flat that got destroyed? Just then! Guess you could say they got 'flattened!' HILARIOUS!
[sub]Made that up just now.[/sub]

I guess for me I think the 'right time' is after the media stops covering it and a fair amount of people pass the grieving stage. ALL 7!

 

[Not-here-anymore]

I'm unoffendable, save on a very few subjects directly relating to my mental health.
Everything else is fair game, I reckon. I can understand that other people are frequently more easily offended, but if given fair warning that offence is likely, I see no problem with it

Would anyone else really like a DVD of all the jokes that have been cut from Mock the Week?

 

[ReservoirAngel]

I reckon 8 years is the absolute max except in extreme circumstances, but it always depends.

Examples:
Holocaust - off limits mostly, unless done VERY carefully
9/11 - fair game for a good few years now
Dead celebrities - as soon as you hear the news, you have free reign

Apart from the 8 years thing, this is true - except for the Holocaust. That's generally taken as a BIG NO in the comedy industry.
Also, on the Dead Celebrities bit - as soon as Steve Irwin kicked it, I swear people started posting within SECONDS of his demise by a stinger. How's that for "too soon"?

The moment I heard of MJ's death my immediate response was "must have been one Smooth Criminal to kill that guy" without even hesitating.

and i've heard some comedians get away with Holocaust jokes. only fuckin just though. lots of "oooohhh"'s from round the room, but they didn't get destroyed cause of it.

 

[Reaper195]

I get tired of hearing jokes about the Boxing Day Tsunami (Was it 04?), yet OH NO! We can't make a joke about the Twin Towers! Or anything involving anything beyond WW2! Christ, I was chastised for making a joke about the bloody Crusades!

 

[Liam Moriarty]

I wonder how long it will take before Frankie Boyle will be mentioned in this thread

INB4... f***

OT: Things like the holocaust where there was mass murder should never be mocked or joked about, but things like individual death I'd say, multiply popularity at time of death by 45 then add 35, that number is how many days you should wait until a joke becomes alright.

 

[bloodrayne626]

Ooh! Almost forgot.
Racism is a pretty big one, too. Unless you're, say, Chris Rock or Richard Prior, probably a good idea to steer clear of the "black jokes".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Richards#Laugh_Factory_incident

 

[ramboondiea]

Well the main difference is that Jade's relatives are in the UK where they're more likely to have it sprung on them by accident at what is...let's face it...a rather difficult time of the year to have lost someone.

the jokes been cut since her death, hasnt been played since, i only noticed it as i watch far too much mock the week, but its one of the handful of times they have actually censored an ep after its original airing

 

[Something Amyss]

It depends on the subject. I'd say something like Holocaust jokes are always 'too soon', for example.

Mel Brooks had a pretty good grasp on things, and he did it decades ago.