As this has been revived I'll debate it if you wish. I forget the exact wording of this joke now but that's not important.
It seems to me that some people don't understand what a joke is. We joke about all sorts of things that we would never consider doing in real life & famous people are often the butt of those jokes. Not always because of who they are but simply because they're famous. There wouldn't be much point in making jokes about someone nobody had ever heard of. Powerful politicians have as many enemies as friends so are obvious targets & for some unknown reason (jealousy?) many people seem to hate Bill Gates intensely.
Jokes can also be used to make fun of your own prejudices & show just how stupid these are. Some things in jokes might be horrifying if you really think about it, like pouring petrol over someone & setting light to it, but this is all part of the fantasy. The point is that there was never any intention to persuade someone hearing the joke to actually go out & do it. The remarks that some apparently find offensive are all part of it & perfectly natural repartee. Nothing I've seen in this thread has offended me in the slightest - except for remarks from the people that are objecting to both the joke & the comments. If they're honest I think they will have to admit that this effectively displays their own prejudices, similar to satire.
Satire has been used for centuries to make comments on subjects that could never be discussed in any other way. Gulliver's Travels is one example & it's not simply a very good children's story but the author's comment on the political circumstances at the time it was written. Some political satire is very biting & cruel & also extremely clever.
The original joke was not satire but a simple joke. It's the objections that make it satirical. The only objection to it that I can see is that it mentioned the US President by name which is apparently regarded by some people as taboo. If they saw some of the jokes about him & other famous politicians broadcast on mainstream TV in Britain & other countries they would have a heart attack. Please lighten up chaps. I get the feeling that some people need a sense of humour transplant.
PS. I mean no offence to anyone & these are my thoughts on the matter. I don't judge people by how they think & everyone has their prejudices. Humour & jokes often help us to see that. You might be surprised at how much people can reveal about themselves by their reaction & comments in topics like this one.
PPS. Another thing about jokes is that if you have to debate them or explain them they're no longer funny.
by beefhole » Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:12 pm 
