Limits to comedy

[malakian]

So, I attended a screening and director/writer/cast Q&A of Chris Morris's four lions a week or so ago. It's a comedy about four aspiring terrorists who are all hapless and three of the four are outright imbeciles. Here's the trailer. I enjoyed the film a lot despite it's more farcical nature than Morris's usual stuff, which is largely incisive satire on the often absurd state of the media.

As terrorism is an issue which stirs a lot of feelings in many people, I think this and the predictable polarizing reaction to it is a good talking point for where boundaries should be in comedy. Should there be any at all?

I think that it depends on the intelligence behind the material, as someone like Morris tackling these subjects is a far more considered effort than some fat racist making black jokes in a club. However, I'm completely aware that such a view is quite subjective! Is it therefore flawed?

So yeah, drawing the line in comedy. Where and how?

 

[Eyebrowsbv31]

I don't think you can, from the dead baby jokes to George Carlin's stint on how rape can be funny, there's not much left.

 

[UrbanMasque]

It all depends on you approach the topic. Nothing is off limits.

 

[Chris_Crime]

most alt comedy sucks, and most extreme alt comedy sucks (dick)

but nah, censoring is far worse. I say let them bomb (gET IT?!) because that'll always be funny.

 

[MattAY]

I saw that film the other week, it was pretty hilarious!

I find that the line is being pushed back over time. More and more radical things are being accepted through the censors. I think it's just going to piss off the wrong guy one day. Hell, this film may have already done that!

 

[DocMoc]

That's an interesting question, Malakian.
To me, there seems to not be a defined line between what's funny and what's not; something black and white. It's blurred in all different ways because things that are funny to some are insulting to others.

I certainly agree with MattAY that boundaries have been stretched and this grey area seems to be expanding and shifting over time. What's comedy must be defined by each individual.

 

[Rakon]

It all depends on you approach the topic. Nothing is off limits.

My name is Rakon (well, not really), and I agree with this statement.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

As long as it is obvious that it's a joke, and isn't directly malicious, then it's pretty much alright.

 

[BlackStar]

I blame the hippies. We weren't all touchy-feely towards Nazi's in World War II now where we!

You may think I'm a dick, but if dick's didn't fuck the assholes we'd all be covered in shit.



Warning: the previous post contained course language and should not have been read by children

 

[MikeyVassallo]

Chris Morris is a fucking genius.

IT Crowd is where it is at.

 

[MattAY]

Brass Eye, that's one of the best things I've ever seen, including Megan Fox's nipples.

 

[MikeyVassallo]

Link to Megan Fox's nipples!

 

[MattAY]

Google Images...you will find.

 

[Chris_Crime]

ha, who wants to see that skinny skank

 

[DocMoc]

Her breasts look better covered and pushed up.

 

[WickedLiquid]

Maybe if the Prayer leader for Iran didn't say stuff like women who wear immodest clothing and behave promiscuously cause earthquakes, we wouldn't make so much fun of them.