Edgy or offensive humour can quickly make you either a star or an outcast as illustrated in a feature in the Weekend Review section of the Vancouver Sun on Saturday, Dec 17, 2011.
In this feature " Did he really say that?" by Rene Bruemmer he uses a joke by the Lt. Governor of Newfoundland and Labarador to illustrate this point.
It seems that during the swearing-in ceremony for provincial cabinets ministers Crosbie cracked this joke:
" This fellow said, 'I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, social security, retirement funds etc., I called a suicide hotline and got a call centre in Pakistan. When I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited sand asked if I could drive a truck.'"
Of course he was catigated by, among other the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Kathy Dunderdale, who was far from amused.
The important point Brummer is making here is that as he says in the article, "Edgy of offensive humour done right, comedians says, has the power to illuminate society's ills and bring together groups separated by race or class by forcing them to question their beliefs and view of the world."
Remember it is all about setting and who is telling the joke and of course how he tells it. The trick according to comedians quoted in the article is to either use these types of jokes with an audience they knows you and what kind of person you really are as well to lead into such jokes gradually.
Remember it is a very fine line between being funny and offensive
For more valuable advice on this topic see the Dec. 17, 2011 edition or the paper on click on "vancouversun.com"
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