by Audrey Sillett Lintner
Sometimes I'm amazed at what passes for comedy these days. Don't get me wrong; I've seen some genuinely funny bits come across the airwaves. Unfortunately, it seems like some of the stuff that's considered funny on television would be chalked up as abuse in a real-life situation.
Okay, maybe that's a little harsh. But think about it. Isn't it funny as long as it's the other guy?
Throughout history, outrageous slapstick comedy has been popular (Punch and Judy anyone?) with audiences. Although technology became more sophisticated, viewers still craved the outlet of a good knockabout and rousing, if rude, dialogue. The goofy antics of The Marx Brothers or The Three Stooges avoided offense by keeping the outlandish premises of vaudeville and puppet shows.
Is this the key? Is it humor as long as it's unrealistic?
With the advent of television, the comedy stakes were raised again. How many times did Ralph Kramden of the classic sitcom The Honeymooners threaten Alice with a trip to the moon? How many spouses today would stand still for one of Ralph's eye-popping temper tantrums? How many times was Ralph made to see the error of his ways and words before delivering his heartfelt apology, "Baby, you're the greatest"?
Maybe that's it. Knowing when you're wrong makes it funny.
With our current immersion culture, with the media poking its nose into every aspect of our lives, are we becoming desensitized to unkind behavior? Sitcom children smart off to their parents. Couples make derogatory comments to and about their partners. Celebrity roasts encourage outright cruelty to a central figure who is supposed to smile and say nothing.
I give up. I have no idea why that's funny.
Can you make it funny? Try this: choose a sitcom scenario. Rewrite the snide comebacks, using a gentler form of humor. Get your family involved to see which member can come up with the best lines.
Question: It's funny on TV, but would you allow it in your real life?
Great post. We talk to our kids about the shows they watch and how rude the tv children are to adults and to each other. We explain that it is all "shock and awe," larger than life unreality, so that audiences keep watching. However, the moment our daughters repeat the words they've heard or mimic the attitude they've seen we remind them that is highly innapropriate and won't be tolerated. We have in the past disallowed certain shows to prove a point. We've also acted out the scenes for the kids to show them how ridiculous the words sound when coming from my husband and me.
ReplyDeleteWe don't even own a tv, and never have. I can't imagine what my little sponges would learn if we did! Great post, poses some important questions.
ReplyDeleteWe don't get network TV where I live without paying for cable so I rarely see a sitcom. Only when I visit others and then I don't get the impression I'm missing much. It does concern me that children are exposed to this junk daily. Garbage in, garbage out.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important that parents know what their kids are watching, and that couples discuss their tolerance for program content. If TV is used as a door to discussion, rather than as a babysitter, the potential for growth can go hand-in-hand with entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of acting out scenes to play up the unreal aspect! Pair that with rewriting offensive pieces, and you've got a budding theater troupe. :)
I have not actively watched TV since freshman year of high school and I consider myself blessed. Alot of this sort of comedy I also don't find as amusing as other people seem to...
ReplyDeleteI love the suggested prompt in this post! I was once in a stand-up comedy class, and it was interesting how quickly people would default to "mean" humor.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that with so many competing forms and different types of media, people are stooping ever lower in content to garner larger numbers and ratings. Clever and well-written programming has been effectively replaced with "stunts" of all sorts, and reality programming is anything but. The key is not to stoop along with it and hold true to one's own standards.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite humor is the kind that addresses everyday occurrences that we all experience. It is not at anyone's expense. It doesn't exclude or abuse or bully any individual or group. Where's that humor in today's society? Thanks for the thought-provoking post, Audrey.
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