Thursday, August 13, 2015

August 13: Writing Prompt #225-Drawing the Line

Can anything be funny, or are some things off limits?
I think funny is off limits only when it becomes personal and turns sarcastic and hurtful.  I have been in and exposed to many situations where the person making the snide comments claimed to be “just kidding,” but it involved a personal situation between the two parties, and the “joke” was really more criticism and sarcasm than it was “funny” for anyone involved or for the innocent bystanders. Here’s the deal, if the jokes you are making cause the person they are a target of to tear up, it’s probably not funny.  Others may laugh only because they are nervous and are trying to play it off, but in the end, it won’t win any lifelong companions to keep that kind of joking going. 

Examples of off-limits funny might be somebody’s looks (unless it is your own as the comedian), family members when you’re not part of the family (unless it’s mama jokes that are traded among the group and are so ridiculous that they couldn’t be really referring to anyone’s mama anyway), and other people’s spouses or significant others. I’m sure they are others, but that’s what comes to mind right away…what do you think?    

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