This probably isn't a very useful addition to the conversation, but... I have found that I'm not very good at discerning the difference between simple jokes and actual sexism. I'm pretty good at identifying blatant examples of sexism, but so much of what's being talked here about lives in that grey area that I have trouble navigating. Often times, I can understand why someone could be upset, but I can't completely relate either, because it doesn't seem worth being upset over. Bad, dark jokes make me laugh, simply because they are bad...

What's really hard for me is discerning when something crosses the line from funny to offensive. It's only hard because that line gets drawn in a different location for each individual person... To some, I may be sexist for telling a joke - to others, I was just telling a really bad joke.

But the one thing I appreciate about VideoSift, regardless of all this, is that people speak up and share their thoughts, even if they aren't popular. So I hope you don't get too discouraged because of your recent frustrations. The fact that this thread exists is what I like so much about this site. But I also hope the people you are in disagreement with don't get discouraged either.

I think you're missing the point. The issue is not whether or not he should be criticized/reprimanded for saying what he did. He's a public figure, words matter, and he should be thrown to the wolves for it (though it probably won't happen). The issue is whether or not he actually believes/endorses what was said. You watch the video, listen to his tone and his actions, consider who is audience is, and its pretty obvious that he's just getting carried away in the moment and doesn't realize the full import of what he's saying at that moment. For some reason, politicians on both sides of the aisle seem to forget that cameras and the internet exist.

This is no different from how the Republicans attempted to portray Howard Dean as mentally unhinged after footage of him getting exuberant at that one rally back in the day when in reality he was just getting carried away with the excitement of the moment.

>> ^jimnms:

That Imus guy was just making a joke too, a bad joke, but he got fired for what he said. Huckabee jokes that all Americans should be forced at gunpoint to listen to the brainwashing of David Barton and he's considered presidential material?
If a politician joked that everyone should be forced at gunpoint to listen/read Richard Dawkins, he'd be be hunted down and burned at the stake.
>> ^VoodooV:
I'm no fan of huckabee, but you don't think this is taken just slightly out of context?
Guy was just making a joke...a bad joke, but a joke nonetheless.

>> ^bmacs27:
Title Fail. First of all, obviously he is being tongue in cheek. Second of all, he technically says they should be forced to listen, not believe, or be indoctrinated or anything else. While he terrifies me (mostly because of his electability), he's not the craziest son of a bitch in jesus camp.

>> ^shuac:
Yes, he was just making a bad joke. If you insist on inferring more into it, help yourself.

That Imus guy was just making a joke too, a bad joke, but he got fired for what he said. Huckabee jokes that all Americans should be forced at gunpoint to listen to the brainwashing of David Barton and he's considered presidential material?

If a politician joked that everyone should be forced at gunpoint to listen/read Richard Dawkins, he'd be be hunted down and burned at the stake.

>> ^VoodooV:

I'm no fan of huckabee, but you don't think this is taken just slightly out of context?
Guy was just making a joke...a bad joke, but a joke nonetheless.


>> ^bmacs27:

Title Fail. First of all, obviously he is being tongue in cheek. Second of all, he technically says they should be forced to listen, not believe, or be indoctrinated or anything else. While he terrifies me (mostly because of his electability), he's not the craziest son of a bitch in jesus camp.


>> ^shuac:

Yes, he was just making a bad joke. If you insist on inferring more into it, help yourself.

I very much dislike Huckabee, but I'm not gonna get all bent out of shape about a bad joke. I'd rather focus on shit that's real and matters.

Yes, he was just making a bad joke. If you insist on inferring more into it, help yourself.

>> ^VoodooV:

I'm no fan of huckabee, but you don't think this is taken just slightly out of context?
Guy was just making a joke...a bad joke, but a joke nonetheless.


How is this out of context? He isn't talking privately with a few people at a dinner party, he's addressing a group as a public figure and while he's saying this slightly tongue in cheek, it is VERY much in context. He feels forcing people to believe something at gunpoint it is "funny."

For example, if I was to "joke" that Christians should be rounded up into camps and forced to listen to Neil Tyson Degrass at gunpoint until the stupid left their little brains, do you think Mike Huckabee would find it funny?

That is pretty dangerous "humor."

I'm no fan of huckabee, but you don't think this is taken just slightly out of context?

Guy was just making a joke...a bad joke, but a joke nonetheless.

OK I think we're both guilty of making bad jokes haha.

>> ^GeeSussFreeK:

>> ^PalmliX:
I meant that his efforts are wasted considering his audience, the US senate... In hindsight it wasn't a very good joke.
>> ^GeeSussFreeK:
>> ^PalmliX:
Preaching to the blind deaf and dumb...

Speak for yourself, I can see and hear!


I was calling myself dumb, my joke was missed me thinks.

Awards shows are mindless Hollywood circle jerks. For four hours, rich people come to the stage to thank God and a selection of contractually stipulated names, intertwined with brief sections of other rich people reading bad jokes from an autocue.

Now, I'm not entirely sure WHY they hired Ricky Gervais, but he did a good job making it enjoyable. And I guess it got the Golden Globes some awesome publicity and buzz.

He is one of the greats of the 90's. To this day I see his acts parodied and people laugh. Everyone misses him.

My only problem is that I cannot stand the typical, boring ass late night shows like David Letterman. It's the same show every night. 'Start with five bad politically correct pop culture jokes' 'do 2 minute skit that is either so dumb it's funny or mildly interesting on monday, wednesday, friday' 'ask guest about new movie/album/book' 'setup bad joke for actor/musician/author' 'close with nice words and recommendation for movie/album/book' 'cue music from semi-popular performer for lip synced song.' It is always nearly the same. No variance, a decent skit a few nights a week at most. The interview is the same every single night. There is nothing provocative or thought provoking about anything what so ever. Just the above list.

Thank the stars we have John Stewart and the Daily Show. May he live 50 more years and spend all of them entertaining us all.

FYI, the biggest deficit reducing bill passed in decades was health care reform

To start with - Obama increased the deficit from 0.5T to 1.5T in 18 months. Yeah - he's a REAL Deficit Hero that one (gag)...

1. The CBO has reported that HCR is going to cost hundreds of billions more than projected. This is what government programs do best. They come up with farcical, imaginary 'projections' to get votes and then ignore them and run overbudget by bazillions.

2. Using the CBOs kindest, most favorable, most unrealistic & biased analysis to date - the HCR will only reduce the deficit by only 100 billion dollars in a 10 years. 10 billion a year. The U.S. Federal Goverment loses 10 billion dollars farting in a bathroom. The 'deficit reduction' aspect of HCR is a bad joke even if it isn't all a completely lie (which it is).

3. This of course assumes the program doesn't GREATLY run over costs - which would be a first in the annals of government. Far more likely is the outcome that HCR will run vastly over-budget and will ADD to the U.S. deficit by becoming a massive social entitlement.

4. We didn't need HCR to strip human freedom from citizens to reduce the deficit. We could have done that by slashing governmenet budgets across the board.

Sooo...many...bad...jokes...must...hold back...

What about the 'Thesaurus'? The over educated dino of that era?









Ok....bad joke....

>> ^gwiz665:

ahem don't be so serious.
(I'm on a bad joke streak )
>> ^dannym3141:
>> ^gwiz665:
Don't take the internet so seriously, lol...
If only that had a context that worked in this situation, it'd have been funny



It's more of a tradition if it goes on this long

*ahem* don't be so serious.

(I'm on a bad joke streak )
>> ^dannym3141:

>> ^gwiz665:
Don't take the internet so seriously, lol...
If only that had a context that worked in this situation, it'd have been funny