Poll: Comedians > Celebrities > Us

[Ben Legend]

So with the recent death of Michael Jackson. (If indeed he is dead) there has been a spate of jokes going around via the Internet, msn and messages. (None of which I will repeat do to the possibility of offending people. But, I?ve had a lot of people kicking off on facebook at the various jokes, fair enough, I can understand, but some of these people I know, and have laughed at various other jokes about famous people who have died.

But the difference you ask? Well, these people will laugh at these types of jokes when they are made my comedians, but when us ordinary folks make them, they are wrong and distasteful.

So, my fellow Escapians. I ask you, is it ok to make these jokes as ordinary people?
Or should we leave it to the comedians?
Also, do you think people are too sensitive?

Personally, when people achieve celebrity status, they pretty much open themselves up to these jokes, but please, no jokes on here please. We don?t want to offend people.

Oh, and no sitting on the fence here people.


EDIT: When I get back from work, i'll post some links to commedians who have made jokes about dead people, (not for a laugh, but to prove they do make these types of jokes) if people do this while i'm gone, put them in spoilers to avoid offending people.

 

[El Poncho]

We should be allowed to make jokes people we are saying them to just need to stop taking things seriously

 

[Rednog]

Who says that its ok for a comedian to make a joke but not a normal person, you're holding their status as a comedian way too high. Yes it is their job to make jokes but they are ordinary people too. A joke can be funny no matter who says it.

 

[New Troll]

Jokes are nice and all, but you need to know when it's proper to make said jokes so they aren't just in bad taste. Comedians are really good at figuring that out. That's why they're considered 'professionals'.

 

[KingPiccolOwned]

I think that you need to stop being so touchy about it yourself. You seem to contradict yourself by taking the apparent stance that people who aren't commedians should be allowed to make jokes about dead celebrities, however you discourage us to.

 

[Mertruve]

So, my fellow Escapians. I ask you, is it ok to make these jokes as ordinary people?

Obviously it's OK, but it doesn't mean these jokes are funny.

 

[Chiddy]

theyre funny, get over it

 

[WeedWorm]

Plain and simple: Anyone can make fun of anyone and anything, regardless of everything.

 

[captainwalrus]

Dude, if I died, I would love if anyone were to cracking jokes. Grief sucks. Laughter makes the world go round.

 

[Motti]

Dude, if I died, I would love if anyone were to cracking jokes. Grief sucks. Laughter makes the world go round.

Wow, that's probably the most profound thing I've ever heard on the internet.
Have a cookie.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

Oh, and no sitting on the fence here people.

Damn, I may need to post something about what side I'm on.

I'm just going to say that a joke is a joke, no matter who's mouth it comes out of. Sometimes it may just come down to timing or audience, but if a joke is funny from one person, it should be funny from another's as well. I have made numerous jokes about Jade Goody's death- occasionally still do- and whilst some people would be offended by a joke about a dead celebrity, others would be entertained greatly by it.

 

[Dr.Sean]

Inb4 Michael Jackson pops out of his grave and does "thriller".

It's okay if you laugh at it.

 

[742]

its not funny until the autopsy, unless the persons death was really funny, or the person was really funny. if he had died in zombie makeup, yes, funny, immediate jokes, but heart attack/respiratory arrest/stroke/kidney failure in own home? thats almost never funny, minimum 48 hour wait unless the conditions were spectacular.

the post above me being a great example.

 

[Del-Toro]

You don't need to be such a pussy about it. The phrase I hate the most in the english language, the absolute most is "that's offensive". Why should I feel bad about it anyway, when they were alive they had the resources to do things I could only dream of, they had a good run now let me have my cheap laugh.

 

[Simalacrum]

I think people need a bit of time before they start making jokes about him... generally speaking jokes and stuff about a dead celebrity tend to pop up after sometime after the death... but meh, I don't really care about that kind of stuff anyways.

 

[chronobreak]

You don't need to be such a pussy about it. The phrase I hate the most in the english language, the absolute most is "that's offensive". Why should I feel bad about it anyway, when they were alive they had the resources to do things I could only dream of, they had a good run now let me have my cheap laugh.

It just has to do with simple respect. There is a time to mourn and a time to make a joke. Look at Gilbert Gottfried's 9/11 joke, where he waited 3 weeks before being the first professional to go that route. Jackson died yesterday, for petes sake, and there's a lot of people that are shook up about it. I'd say give it a week, or at least a few days, guy was a living legend.

I also don't see how resources play into it. Yeah, he had money and fame and could do and get away with pretty much anything. I don't see what this has to do with respect of fans, friends, and family.

 

[xHipaboo420x]

As with all jokes aimed towards dead people/certain minorities/those generally picked on, if it's not malicious then it's acceptable. Humour helps ease the grief, I guess.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

I make those jokes. People say it's wrong etc. but they laugh when a comedian does it.

I should be able to make these jokes, the only difference is those guys get paid for it and I don't.

 

[Kasawd]

If I am not spending too much time caring about people I dont really know dying, I wonder why I should be respectful of a celebrity.

Jokes are jokes and that is really what it comes down to. Some are tasteless some are bad and some are plain funny. If I find one funny, I will laugh hysterically and re-tell it. I would make my own but that would be like spitting into a river.

 

[Time Travelling Toaster]

If it makes you laugh then that's the point in a joke, yeah sometimes jokes can be close to the knuckle but there always made inlight heartened-ness