LOL: maybe we should listen to this doctor, and also stop speaking English!

[sophie kat]

Originally Posted by goldillocks

yes that is even more funny

[Lucky Star]

Originally Posted by sophie kat

Why is it that no gets offended at the so called halting speech mannerisms of Italian immigrants? That's a gooda pizza pie...Oh wait, that's funny, but OP joke is not...ok.

You actually think that's funny? It might have been in 1950s-60s America but I don't think it is today. I actually think we do sometimes go overboard on PC stuff but making fun of immigrant accents/grammar has always made me uncomfortable. It strikes me as insensitive and just isn't funny to me.

My point was that that OP's joke has been around for a very long time and existed fine without having to strangle the grammar to make it "funnier".

[sophie kat]

Originally Posted by Lucky Star

You actually think that's funny? It might have been in 1950s-60s America but I don't think it is today. I actually think we do sometimes go overboard on PC stuff but making fun of immigrant accents/grammar has always made me uncomfortable. It strikes me as insensitive and just isn't funny to me.

I was being sarcastic there. I guess that didn't come across.

I've seen people laugh at that though. That was my point.

[goldillocks]

I have to admit that we Greeks are very laid back and love all kinds of jokes. Yes we may mock the English, Americans, Germans and Turks but let me tell you that there are also a lot of jokes circulating here in Greece where we Greeks ridicule ourselves.

[dnk]

I'm always confused when someone calls out insensitivity and people say "political correctness" like they're going to lose their jobs or go to prison. People have such a problem hearing that they're insensitive that they start accusing people of persecution?

I'll just keep this simple then: jokes like that aren't nice and they hurt people's feelings. (And if that doesn't bother someone at this stage in our lives, nothing I can say will convince you that it should.) Thank you, lithium, for making the change and hearing what people were saying. It's appreciated.

Deb

[Debbie S.]

Originally Posted by goldillocks

I have to admit that we Greeks are very laid back and love all kinds of jokes. Yes we may mock the English, Americans, Germans and Turks but let me tell you that there are also a lot of jokes circulating here in Greece where we Greeks ridicule ourselves.

My father LOVES to tell jokes. He is mexican and some of his funniest jokes are about mexicans. Frank De Lima is a comedian from Hawaii, and I have always found his jokes so funny. It is an individual thing. There have been incidents where Frank De Lima has been beaten up because some people find it offensive.

I did find the the OP joke very funny and I mailed it to my dad, dh, and sisters.

[Debbie S.]

I sent this joke to my best friend since high school and just got a response from her. I completely forgot how often I used to tell jokes:

Oh cuz, did you ever make my day! This is soooo you! This reminded me of your "Confucius Say" proverbs too
...and my most favorite and one that I never forget is :

Confucius Say:

Man who live in glass house...
Dress in basement. hahahahahahahahahahaha

I still remember that and it cracks me up and I tell it to everyone!

[fuzzie]

Originally Posted by Debbie S.

Confucius Say:

Man who live in glass house...
Dress in basement. hahahahahahahahahahaha

This totally made my day!

[carres1973]

Originally Posted by sophie kat

While I think it's good not to be insulting of other people, I think political correctness goes way overboard sometimes. Geez, it's a joke-- a funny one at that, but it seems like all the sensitivity just aims to take the humor out of everything. I didn't think the joke mocked the Chinese doctor as an "absurd medicine man", it was a funny and witty perspective on health concerns.

Why is it that no gets offended at the so called halting speech mannerisms of Italian immigrants? That's a gooda pizza pie...Oh wait, that's funny, but OP joke is not...ok. Or what about German immigrants, or Greek immigrants, etc. and where does it end?

If political correctness ruled everything there would only be like three jokes left in the world. I'm starting to think that people want to find things to be offended about. I'm not referring to anyone here specifically, but I hear on tv all the time that this is offensive and that's offensive. I think there are bigger things in the world to be offended and outraged about than some joke that wasn't meant to hurt anyone. Doesn't intent count for anything? I don't know....it's JMO and trying to make sense of this.

I really think a lot of it is our sensitivity and over-arching attempts to not offrend anyone here in America. I watched the original "The Office" from England and found myself CRINGING through a lot of it because it just isn't done here! Look at Sasha Baron Cohen, for example (of Borat, Ali G, and Bruno "fame). He gets away with his protrayals much more easily overseas (and in his native England) than he does here. Many Americans are offended by him and feel he is being insensitive. That is his brand of humor.

I think I am probably going WAAAY off-topic here but think if we strive to not offend, we will end up offending. It is kind of like non-smokers complaining about people smoking and it infringing on their right to breathe clean air. The smokers complain it is infringing on their right to smoke. It is a no-win situation and someone's rights are going to be infringed upon.

Carrie

[Mary09(b)]

Why is it that no gets offended at the so called halting speech mannerisms of Italian immigrants? That's a gooda pizza pie...Oh wait, that's funny, but OP joke is not...ok. Or what about German immigrants, or Greek immigrants, etc. and where does it end?

It's all considered potentially offensive these days, at least in mainstream media. That's why we don't see anymore Godfathers Pizza commercials with the godfather character, or Frito Bandito doing his "Ay yi yi yi! I am the Frito Bandito!" song.