This may send me to Hell...

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#7
Perhaps better served on your board, monk. I think it's in incredibly poor taste and NOT funny at all.
 
#8
You know everyone, perhaps the single most important role of humor is to blunt our pain.

Although I think it might have been a little more tasteful if it said


January 23, 2005


in the caption.
 
#9
mcsluggo said:
You know everyone, perhaps the single most important role of humor is to blunt our pain.

Although I think it might have been a little more tasteful if it said


January 23, 2005


in the caption.
Wow-this is one of the few times I agree with you, McSluggo!
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#10
I agree that the single most important role of humor is to blunt our pain. To me this is not humorous.

Would Johnny Carson have commented on the death of John Wayne by holding up a picture of him with a caption of "lung cancer"?

Carson wasn't mean-spirited. IMHO this is just tasteless - something Carson tried all his life not to be, especially in his humor.
 
#12
C'mon people. An icon of what it meant to be American in the 20th century died. This joke was funny because WE ALL knew exactly what it meant. Instantly. Without thinking. He was a COMEDIAN. Is the best way to pay homage to a comedian to drape the world in black crepe and call out the fun police. It was a joke, and it was a tribute, and it was funny. lighten up.



I sure as hell hope that when I die (I would say IF) my loved ones can manage to have a bit of fun at my expense.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#13
What exactly is FUNNY about it? Sorry, mcsluggo. I'm not going to argue any further because clearly there's a difference in opinion about what constitutes humor. All I know is that all day today a large number of people paid homage to Carson. They've shown really funny clips from his shows, etc. A number of them commented about how he never made a cheap joke at anyone else's expense but his own.

If you found it funny, fine. Some of us didn't. That doesn't make us right and you wrong. It makes us different. I see no reason for the "lighten up" comments.

I will say one thing. I bet Johnny wouldn't have laughed.
 
#16
VF21 said:
I will say one thing. I bet Johnny wouldn't have laughed.
Why wouldn't he have? The "Great Carnac" sketch was one of his favorites, and he was never afraid to poke fun at himself.

He lived his life making people laugh - don't you think he would want us to see the lighter side of his passing? It's the natural order of things that old people pass on; why wouldn't he laugh about it?

Anyway, some people can laugh through sad things and others look down their noses self-rightously at the people who can laugh. I posted the joke for the former.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#20
monk said:
Why wouldn't he have? The "Great Carnac" sketch was one of his favorites, and he was never afraid to poke fun at himself.

He lived his life making people laugh - don't you think he would want us to see the lighter side of his passing? It's the natural order of things that old people pass on; why wouldn't he laugh about it?

Anyway, some people can laugh through sad things and others look down their noses self-rightously at the people who can laugh. I posted the joke for the former.
Excuse me?

I voiced my opinion and I did it without taking a potshot at you. I would appreciate if you could do the same in return.

What's funny about it? The lighter side of his passing? Sorry. I saw nothing humorous. Just like your need to post the Daryl Strawberry comment after every single death, which has IMHO gotten very old, you apparently seem to think this was hilarious. Fine. You posted it and I replied with my comment, which is just as valid as yours.

It's over. He's dead. He's not going to be offended and neither was I. I just didn't think it was funny and I would, had I been you and felt the uncontrollable urge to post something "humorous," found another way to express it.

But once again, it's over. Johnny Carson is dead and with his death, another great comedian has gone. There will never be another quite like him. I laughed through the pain last night as I watched the Tonight Show tribute. They showed some classic Karnac takes. And they were funny.
 
#22
VF21 said:
Excuse me?

I voiced my opinion and I did it without taking a potshot at you. I would appreciate if you could do the same in return.

What's funny about it? The lighter side of his passing? Sorry. I saw nothing humorous. Just like your need to post the Daryl Strawberry comment after every single death, which has IMHO gotten very old, you apparently seem to think this was hilarious. Fine. You posted it and I replied with my comment, which is just as valid as yours.

It's over. He's dead. He's not going to be offended and neither was I. I just didn't think it was funny and I would, had I been you and felt the uncontrollable urge to post something "humorous," found another way to express it.

But once again, it's over. Johnny Carson is dead and with his death, another great comedian has gone. There will never be another quite like him. I laughed through the pain last night as I watched the Tonight Show tribute. They showed some classic Karnac takes. And they were funny.
I wasn't taking a pot-shot at you. Your post was quoted because my first thought in the post was in response to your opinion that he wouldn't have thought it was funny.

The "self-rightous" comment was made as an afterthought regarding not you in particular, but the multitude of people who try to tell others what is funny and what isn't.
 
#23
moving right along...

The Tonight Show was great last night. I missed some of it, but Don Rickles and Bob Newhart did a great job... and I was surprised to realize that I had seen every episode they mentioned.