Is the Japanese Tsunami a fit subject for jokes?.

[paul kersey]

Last night while talking about Japan with my family, I wanted to know a couple of facts about the country. I googled the questions and was shocked to discover that people are actually exchanging jokes about the Tsunami, via the internet. I did not search further as I was sickened that such misery could even be thought a fit subject for humour.
I waited till this morning and went back on-line to see whether I was alone in my disgust and was pleased to find that I am not totally alone with my feelings.
Now I am no angel or prude and fully realise that Black humour is often used by those in bleak situations ie War or perhaps by the emergency services as a means to help one deal with fear or misery but I just feel that for us to make cheap jokes at the expense of the Japanese is totally wrong, so how do you feel ?.
In closing, I would like to express my complete admiration for the calm dignified manner shown by the Japanese people at this time. It must be hard not to break down and scream when faced with such misery and fear. May they find a solution to their woes soon.

[will.15]

Aflac Fires Gilbert Gottfried Over Japan Earthquake Tweets
Mar. 14 2011
Aflac (AFL), which says it has more insurance policies in force in Japan than any other company, has fired comedian Gilbert Gottfried as the voice of the company’s iconic duck character over a series of jokes he tweeted about Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.

“Gilbert’s recent comments about the crisis in Japan were lacking in humor and certainly do not represent the thoughts and feelings of anyone at Aflac,” Aflac Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna said in a statement. “Aflac Japan – and, by extension, Japan itself – is part of the Aflac family, and there is no place for anything but compassion and concern during these difficult times.” (The jokes have apparently been removed from Gottfried’s Twitter page.)

Aflac said it will hold a nationwide casting call to find a new voice of the Aflac Duck; the company notes that Gottfried is not the voice of the Aflac Duck in Japan.

[zettel45]

Blimey, Paul - is this the first time you've come across this phenomenon? For as long as I can remember major disasters have inevitably been followed by a barrage of sick humour. There are whole armies of people out there who rush to be the first to think of the jokes and they then spread like wildfire - especially these days with mobile phones, the internet etc. Quite why this always happens is an interesting question.

[icetorch]

After the other tsunami, (was it Indonesia?), some British TV football commentator made a joke about "Toon Army", "tsunami" and got the sack. I don't think it warranted that - it was unprofessional to stick jokes into commentary. People will often make cruel jokes about things that they feel distance from, which shows indirectly either their disdain or their indifference for the victims. They also make jokes about things that are distant in time, such as the atom bombs in Japan - didn't Stephen Fry get into trouble over humorous comments he made about that on some BBC show?

So, some people are disdainful of or indifferent to the Japanese. Well, we knew that already. I find it tasteless, but am not overly shocked. They are just revealing their mentalities for what they are. It is, in a way, childish (as the desire to shock is more of a young person's thing, I find) and I'm not impressed by the childish, nor do I take much notice of them. It may offend those who have friends or family among the victims, but in real practical terms it doesn't make any difference - it can't do any literal harm.

On another website I frequent, there have been no jokes about Japan, but a few about the Arabs and their plight, so there is a kind of ethnic pecking order that goes with this, I feel.

[icetorch]

Now who can answer this: who was it that said, "A hundred deaths are a tragedy; a million deaths are a statistic."? I've heard variously that it was Himmler, Stalin, Mao. Anyway, that sentiment tells you something about the response to THIS tragedy.

[frame69]

The Irish,English,Scottish,Welsh,Disabled,Black,Brown, White,Jewish,Retarded,Fat,Deaf,Simple,Gay,Lesbian and Normal are all open to humour at some point. If one feels its innapropiate then dont listen or read such material...easy as that. Humour has no boundries or morals. Why does it become easier over time to use tragedy for humour? We are all guilty of it in our own little way. Same as ad's and crap TV,if we dont like it,turn over or walk away...its your choice or am I being cold hearted? Making fun of something dont make it worse or prove you are a bad person.

Frame.

[TimR]

Jokes at the expenseo the dying and those who are in anguish and suffering is a sport for bullies. There is no conceivable reason for 'comedy' about the suffering of other people except the enjoyment of shocking and/or causing pain.

[zettel45]

Now who can answer this: who was it that said, "A hundred deaths are a tragedy; a million deaths are a statistic."? I've heard variously that it was Himmler, Stalin, Mao. Anyway, that sentiment tells you something about the response to THIS tragedy.

The quote "One death is a tragedy, a million deaths are a statistic" is traditionally ascribed to Stalin (it certainly wasn't any of the others). But there's no proper record of Stalin having said it.

Sick jokes, of course, don't just happen after disasters where hundreds (or thousands) die. They were whizzing around the day after Princess Diana's death if I remember rightly.

[marker]

Jokes at the expenseo the dying and those who are in anguish and suffering is a sport for bullies. There is no conceivable reason for 'comedy' about the suffering of other people except the enjoyment of shocking and/or causing pain.

There have been loads of sick jokes on Facebook

[Moor Larkin]

Now who can answer this: who was it that said, "A hundred deaths are a tragedy; a million deaths are a statistic."? I've heard variously that it was Himmler, Stalin, Mao.

Gogol ? .........

[Moor Larkin]

There have been loads of sick jokes on Facebook

The place is full of them I've heard.....

[GRAEME]

How long do we need to leave a disaster or famous death before a joke about it wouldn't be tasteless?

And how about satirical humour?

"So, they call me Concentration Camp Ehrhardt?" raised a few eyebrows in 1942. Should any reference to the camps in the mode of humour have been avoided? or is this kind of reference fair comment because it was scoring a point for good?

I don't think there can be any hard and fast rule.

Sometimes sick black humour in the face of grief and disaster has a cathartic effect - it's a way of coping with it all.

[will.15]

Originally Posted by ice torch
Now who can answer this: who was it that said, "A hundred deaths are a tragedy; a million deaths are a statistic."? I've heard variously that it was Himmler, Stalin, Mao.


According to wikipedia it probably was Kurt Tucholsky. I never heard of him either.

[icetorch]

Originally Posted by ice torch
Now who can answer this: who was it that said, "A hundred deaths are a tragedy; a million deaths are a statistic."? I've heard variously that it was Himmler, Stalin, Mao.


According to wikipedia it probably was Kurt Tucholsky. I never heard of him either.

Probably. Hmm - I think there must be no fast answer to this now. The jury is out...

[icetorch]

I suppose it comes down to who you think is worthy of your compassion. If you make a sick joke about the Japanese, then you think they're unworthy of it. It's all down to human nature, really. And then there is the "Oscar Wilde" phenomenon, where the joker really has no animus against the butt of his/her joke, but just wants to show off his/her razor sharp wit, or can't resist the opportunity to think up some pun that amuses them and that they want to share. A female friend once asked me if I'd done anything special after Diana had died - I told her I'd bought a crocodile, so it could teach me how to cry. I had nothing against Diana - I just couldn't resist a bit of satire about the mass hysteria. So, yes, we've all done it.

[DB7]

It seemed to arrive with mobile phones, now as soon as there's a tragedy I'm texted by a band of wannabie Frankie Boyles.

[jaycad]

jokes about tragedies are tedious as are people who use them to show what a 'caring,unselfish person' they are.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

There are always sick and sad jokes about disasters and deaths of famous celebrities. Just google any big event with the prfix of 'joke' and you'll find them all there. It's pathetic but inevitable.

[jaycad]

jokes about tragedies are tedious as are people who use them to show what a 'caring,unselfish person' they are.

i meant people who use 'tragedies' to show what a 'caring person' they are! (not 'jokes about tragedies'!)

[Bernardo]

Is the Japanese Tsunami a fit subject for all the ghoulish reporting (with concerned looks worn on the faces)? I suspect that the fascination for death, destruction, misery and impending doom, somewhere else of course, is the flip side to the 'jokes'.