Write about a joke that did not go over well.
I was watching Sarah Silverman in an interview the other day. She said she learned a lot about the boundaries of humor growing up when she told jokes that did not go over well. She said before she was born her parents lost a baby boy…I can’t recall how he died, but he was a baby. Years later Sarah said one of her parents talked about being safe in the car and she busted out a hilarious one liner, “Yeah! We don’t wanna end up like Matthew!!” to which her audience did not respond well.
When I watched her interview I thought about how true that was. Humor really walks a fine line of funny versus offensive and I feel like half my life I’ve grown up with that same “oh crap…that didn’t go over well…”
My mouth gets me into a lot of trouble. And unfortunately I’m not a super quick learner. I found that rather than change the way I deliver a joke, it’s much easier to just surround myself with friends and family who know when I’m being funny. They laugh at just the right moment and then the rest of my audience knows I’m hilarious and not just an ass. It really works for me.
Writing this blog has been the biggest eye opening experience I’ve had with walking that fine line in humor. Sometimes things that I think are funny are not always received the way I think they’ll be received. My oldest sister Bianca isn’t nearly as thrilled about the old school pictures I post of her as I think she will be. My youngest sister cringes when I mention her personal life, and Pat does not think our arguments are nearly as funny as I think they are. So I’m careful not to talk about all the times I’m mad at him.
I’d like to stay married.
The most jaw dropping moment in blog land for me came after I published a picture of Laina on the blog and pointed out a curly haired boy in the back and told my readers not to pay any attention to him, but then mentioned how I chase him around with scissors all day in an attempt to cut his hair.
Funny right?
Only not to his dad…who emailed me (after being notified about The Blog) and wrote furiously about the “unauthorized” photo I used of his son. He was disgusted that I call myself a childcare provider and yet “chase his son around the house with scissors all day”.
Hahaha…ummmm…oops.
I no longer write about chasing children around the house with scissors.
Now it’s your turn!
Choose a prompt, post it on your blog, and come back and sign Mr. Linky. Be sure to sign up with the actual post URL and not just your basic blog URL (click on the title of your post for that URL). For good comment karma try to comment on the three blogs above your name!!
The Prompts:
1.) Choose a headline from The Today Show website and write up an opinion post based on the story you chose.
2.) Write a poem about the last thing that made you mad.
3.) Write about a joke that did not go over well.
4.) Write a funny story involving socks.
5.) It happened on Facebook…write about a funny or awkward conversation you saw unfold on Facebook.
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Well, I thought the scissors thing was funny, but then again I’m always telling my kids to remember to run when they’re holding scissors (of course I’m being sarcastic for anyone who thinks I’m serious and am a bad mother…). I think most mothers get the humor though. Peace. ;)
Yes, my humor is sometimes lost on people, but I just keep trying! At least I’m having fun, huh?! :) Hope SOMEBODY anybody thinks my story involving socks is funny…
Ohhh…I know exactly what you mean. Although unfortunately I can’t recall a certain circumstance where what I said didn’t turn out so well.
Because I was raised with an older brother, older boy cousin, and one younger boy cousin…most of what I say that doesn’t go over well is something crude that only a boy would say. Lovely.
Megan
http://reddirtandcrazy.blogspot.com/
I haven’t been at this long, but I’ve already learned it’s best to have those that read my blog and accept my humor for what it is and those who don’t even have to know about it because we’re all probably better off (like my neighbors and bosses).
Ricky Gervais once said that a good joke should turn off as many people as it turns on and I believe in that. You can’t pander to everyone or else it’s not funny at all. And it’s not you.
You should know better than to “run with scissors”
I don’t think I ever had a joke that went badly. I mostly just have a joke that people don’t like and whenever I try telling it again, I get a bunch of moans “You’re not going to tell THAT one again are you…”
Humor is hard in general, and even harder in written form. Tone of voice and inflection have so much to do with it. Personally, I’m terrible at jokes in person, and much better with them in print, where I can write and re-write until it sounds good. You just can’t do that kind of planning with speaking, unless you’re standing at a lectern, which tends to kill off humor before it has a chance to get going.
Seriously, though, I can’t believe that guy had a problem with your joke about his kid’s hair. Like he really thought you were chasing him around with scissors?
Seriously, some people get so touchy….
Although, I’ll admit, I do have to re-edit most posts concerning my husband because (1) I too would like to stay married and (2) we’ve moved to a really small town where everyone knows everyone, and he’s running the company that employs a lot of people….so I don’t want him to look too bad.
Soooo….wait…he SERIOUSLY thought you were chasing his son around with scissors?? Unauthorized photo? What a little pansy pants. I think you’re hilarious! I’ll bet he’s a lot of fun in bed…
I linked to a post I did recently about a song my Grandmother absolutely did not want played at her funeral. It is only funny to some-but to me and other rocker chick from the 80′s (90′s?) it is a good laugh.
And no-it wasn’t played.
Thanks so much for doing these…it’s my favorite blogging time of the week!
I picked Prompt #2
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels my humor is taken wrong or lost in the translation :) Great post!
Well I think that story is hilarious about the boy in the backround and I’m AMAZED that the boy’s father got wind of it. Well, it’s just a testament to your success, that’s all!
I always thought my sense of humor was awful but since I started writing it seems to go over in writing. No clue why. I finally got to join you this week after going over to the Ninja Blogger. Great meme.
Well, what did you expect? I’ve often read your blog/ Twitter
and thought thank god she’s not my babysitter. Posting pics of other people’s kids? Ewe.
Yea, I think we have the same kind of humor. I get myself into trouble all the time because of some of the things that come out of my mouth. I blame it on my ADD now. Every time I wrote a blog post, I have to think about what I’m writing and whom it might effect. I hate that part of blogging.
I’ve had many people mention to me lately, about “that blog”. Really is a blog really that bad? I think of a blog as a bigger version of Facebook where you can write more and attach pictures and stuff. I laugh because people post the most random crap on Facebook, yet make fun of my blog.
Thanks for inspiring me today, cause my mind is mush. Of course, I wrote about the Facebook prompt, because people are completely freaky on FB.
This was my first writing prompt, I hope that I can continue this, it was really enjoyable, especially for a new blogger as myself!
you really shouldn’t be running with scissors.
It’s reasons like that why I tell few people in my life about my blog. lol I don’t need the extra criticism and I want to blog what I want to blog and not feel guilty about it!
That’s the thing with humor, some people have it and some don’t. Too bad that dad couldn’t see the humor because I’m sure you’re a lot of fun with the kids. Thanks for the laughs. P.S. I LOVE your site! P.S.S. I messed up and linked my writing page in 2 spots… oops. I hope that doesn’t mess anyone up.
I got into the shitloads of trouble after I wrote today’s post and my husband read it.
I get — I DO — that he wants to control how his business is portrayed — but some things are too funny NOT to post.
Or are my priorities all screwed up?
That was rhetorical.
Lord bless you for running a childcare service in your home. I could never do it, with or without a healthy dose of humor. I would, indeed, be chasing the kids with scissors by the end of each day.
I thought your story was funny. But I can see the dad’s point of view as well. And to that I have to say “lighten up” and sure, you decided to joke about something. HE decided to be offended. Choices. Aren’t they interesting. If we could only choose to laugh.
I can’t believe you got in trouble for the scissors thing. Some people get so worked up over things!
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