Is it too soon for 9/11 jokes? [Archive] - Comic Book Resources Forums

maczero

07-06-2007, 09:49 PM

CBikle

07-06-2007, 10:09 PM

mgs

07-06-2007, 10:12 PM

Out of curiosity, what was the joke ?

yeah, I think that's important. I've heard many jokes about 9/11, but it's when you act like Ann Coulter that you make yourself a bad person, b/c, you know, the act happened a long time ago, but people are still dying who were part of that whole rescue thing. That, imo, is off limits to make fun of.

maczero

07-06-2007, 10:34 PM

Offhand, I'd say it'll be off-limits for the next 40 + years.

I'm not the most sensitive guy in the world, but 9-11 jokes are still taboo (to me at least); just too much tragedy involved.

Out of curiosity, what was the joke ?Brian goes back in time. A guy challenges him to a fight. The guy says I'll fight you any time, any place. Brian says he'll meet him on top of the WTC at 8am September 11, 2001.

LordEd1976

07-06-2007, 10:41 PM

Brian goes back in time. A guy challenges him to a fight. The guy says I'll fight you any time, any place. Brian says he'll meet him on top of the WTC at 8am September 11, 2001.

I gotta be honest. that doesn't seem very funny to begin with.

Legato

07-06-2007, 10:41 PM

Brian goes back in time. A guy challenges him to a fight. The guy says I'll fight you any time, any place. Brian says he'll meet him on top of the WTC at 8am September 11, 2001.

I find that pretty tasteless than funny. I dont know if even South Park could stoop that low.

CBikle

07-06-2007, 10:52 PM

Brian goes back in time. A guy challenges him to a fight. The guy says I'll fight you any time, any place. Brian says he'll meet him on top of the WTC at 8am September 11, 2001.

Yeah, I like Family Guy, but, to me, that joke is out of line.

There was a joke on the Simpsons that was indirectly related to 9-11, but it was a little more subtle:

Homer is going through old stuff in the attic and stumbles across a bunch of unopened letters: Homer muses:

"Hey, letters from my boy hood pen-pal; one of these days, I'm going to write you back Osama."

I thought that was funny even though the implication was that dumb-ass Homer might have prevented 9-11 by maintaining a correspondence with bin Ladin.

Erebus

07-06-2007, 10:55 PM

I find that pretty tasteless than funny. I dont know if even South Park could stoop that low.

They'd have to wait 22.3 years before their allowed to actually make fun of 9/11.

Legato

07-06-2007, 11:17 PM

They'd have to wait 22.3 years before their allowed to actually make fun of 9/11.

Im surprised that joke was even allowed pass the censors. I bet the Family Guy people wont get any positive feedback from that.

Tadhg

07-06-2007, 11:21 PM

Im surprised that joke was even allowed pass the censors. I bet the Family Guy people wont get any positive feedback from that.

Why would it be censored? It's lame sure, but it's not that despicable . Nothing that would deserve censure let alone censoring.

maczero

07-06-2007, 11:28 PM

Why would it be censored? It's lame sure, but it's not that despicable . Nothing that would deserve censure let alone censoring.Well if it had aired a year or two after 9/11, I could see it being pulled. The eps original air date was sometime in 2006 so I guess Seth & company felt 5 years was long enough.

The Zapper

07-06-2007, 11:48 PM

Seeing as how I'm against censorship, I'd say it's fine to make jokes about 9/11. People may or may not choose to continue to watch however.

TheLazy

07-07-2007, 12:12 AM

Well since I don't know anyone involved in 9/11, I have no personal attachment, so I don't think it's too soon, but I can understand why people would feel that way. I guess I general rule of thumb is, show it, if people don't like it, they'll stop watching the show and it'll pay the consequences. There's always going to something that offends people, intentional or not. And a lot of comedy is about breaking the taboo, I mean, there's an entire genre devoted to two guys and the stupid black/irish/jew/asian/ect guy.

I had a little chuckle at that joke TBH, but I already know I'm going to hell so it doesn't matter. I find it ironic that Seth green said in an interview just after 9/11 that he'd never make a joke about it because of his situation, then the minute American Dad and season 4 rolls around the jokes just pour out. Family Guy still rocks.:cool:

Enigmanaut

07-07-2007, 12:14 AM

The joke in question did get cut when it aired on Fox. Cartoon Network lets it air. I personally found it funny.

I'm with George Carlin on this one: nothing is so serious you can't make fun of it.

rick

07-07-2007, 12:25 AM

Brian goes back in time. A guy challenges him to a fight. The guy says I'll fight you any time, any place. Brian says he'll meet him on top of the WTC at 8am September 11, 2001.

Okay, now that was funny.

Bad, bad taste mind you, but truly funny.

Spike-X

07-07-2007, 02:53 AM

Why were the people in the WTC pissed?

Because they ordered a pepperoni, but they got a plane.

JoeK32880

07-07-2007, 04:04 AM

9/11 jokes, like any other jokes, are funny if they're funny.

Like this, which I stole from some guy on Newsarama:

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w126/JoeK32880/1183059557005.jpg

Hilarious.

TheLazy

07-07-2007, 06:19 AM

Why were the people in the WTC pissed?

Because they ordered a pepperoni, but they got a plane.

Are just using this thread as an excuse to dump all the 9/11 jokes we've heard now?

:confused:

The best one I saw was a cartoon with a man pointing to a skyline

"Is it a bird, is it a plane, no its sup.....no wait....its a plane"

Alex

07-07-2007, 07:36 AM

Well, the internets been making jokes since sept 11th 2002,Family guy is behind the curve.
South Park already did it too, if i remeber right.

king mob

07-07-2007, 07:59 AM

There's the 9/11 joke Gilbert Gottfried at Hugh Hefner's roast which is featured in The Aristocrats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Aristocrats_%28film%29).

Basically, no, it's never too soon as long as it's funny in context like the Family Guy gag.

Loren

07-07-2007, 08:16 AM

maczero

07-07-2007, 08:30 AM

Given that Seth MacFarlane was scheduled to be on the flight that hit the North Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_MacFarlane#September_11.2C_2001_experience), but missed it because he was late to the airport, I'm definitely inclined to give him some latitude in making 9/11 jokes.Interesting that he went back on his vow to never do a 9/11 joke. Personally I don't think I could ever use it as material if I were him.

TheLazy

07-07-2007, 08:32 AM

Interesting that he went back on his vow to never do a 9/11 joke. Personally I don't think I could ever use it as material if I were him.

As I noted earlier, i don't think I could either. He should have more respect for the dead than any.

TheLazy

07-07-2007, 08:32 AM

Given that Seth MacFarlane was scheduled to be on the flight that hit the North Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_MacFarlane#September_11.2C_2001_experience), but missed it because he was late to the airport, I'm definitely inclined to give him some latitude in making 9/11 jokes.

"Who says drinking can't cave your life":rolleyes:

Michael P

07-07-2007, 09:13 AM

I gotta be honest. that doesn't seem very funny to begin with.

Well, it's Family Guy.

As to the thread question, it's been six years. I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations has run out. I know I was laughing at 9/11 jokes by early 2002.

Michael P

07-07-2007, 09:16 AM

Given that Seth MacFarlane was scheduled to be on the flight that hit the North Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_MacFarlane#September_11.2C_2001_experience), but missed it because he was late to the airport, I'm definitely inclined to give him some latitude in making 9/11 jokes.

I've never been more depressed that someone missed their flight.

Dr. Banner

07-07-2007, 09:46 AM

I've never been more depressed that someone missed their flight.

You hate a person you never met so much that it actually depresses you more than you've ever been in your life that he didn't die that day?? :eek:

DonC

07-07-2007, 10:12 AM

Brian goes back in time. A guy challenges him to a fight. The guy says I'll fight you any time, any place. Brian says he'll meet him on top of the WTC at 8am September 11, 2001.

How did I miss that? That's great. What episode was it? I gotta go watch that.

maczero

07-07-2007, 10:18 AM

How did I miss that? That's great. What episode was it? I gotta go watch that.It's the one where Peter goes back in time to save his marriage. It aired twice last night during the Family Guy marathon on Cartoon Network. Check the wiki link in Loren's post upthread for the episode's title.

DonC

07-07-2007, 10:19 AM

I know the episode. It was one of the last ones from this season.

IamtheRock3

07-07-2007, 11:15 AM

I am of the beleif you can make jokes about almost anythin

Accept the more horrible the thing your making Joke about, the more FUNNY the Joke NEEDS to be for it not to be distastfull

Heck Onion 9/11 coverage was both funny and tastefull and that was like a week after

jesse_custer

07-07-2007, 11:20 AM

In general, it's never too soon to joke about anything. Once you start restricting certain subjects from humor, you get in big fascistic trouble.

Out of respect, however, I wouldn't joke about 9/11 in front of the victims. But on television or in an article? Hell yeah.

Also, Family Guy boils down to a clone of The Simpsons, only less clever. I think South Park did a good job of japing FG.

J. Robb

07-07-2007, 11:39 AM

Heck Onion 9/11 coverage was both funny and tastefull and that was like a week after
That's what I was going to mention. 9/11 was probably the Onion's finest hour, they managed to be hilarious without minimizing the tragedy. And if there was ever a time we needed a laugh, that was it...

As for "Family Guy", I don't think that 9/11 joke was too bad. They once did an Elizabeth Smart joke I thought was really tasteless, though.

The Zapper

07-07-2007, 11:47 AM

Very well said jesse_custer.

The Batman

07-07-2007, 12:22 PM

Well Bay had Megatron, in Cybertronian jet mode, fly into a building - well through it really - and no one batted an eyelash so I guess the taboo on visual depictions of that is over and done with.

90'sCartoonMan

07-07-2007, 12:55 PM

In general, it's never too soon to joke about anything. Once you start restricting certain subjects from humor, you get in big fascistic trouble.

Out of respect, however, I wouldn't joke about 9/11 in front of the victims. But on television or in an article? Hell yeah.

I can't help but to agree with this. I remember how South Park did a Steve Irwin joke a week later. Jokes shouldn't need to be censored, but it's up to the people that tell them to decide whether they want to be considered tasteless or not in the eyes of who hears the joke.

maczero

07-07-2007, 12:57 PM

Well Bay had Megatron, in Cybertronian jet mode, fly into a building - well through it really - and no one batted an eyelash so I guess the taboo on visual depictions of that is over and done with.Well that's kind of a stretch for a 9/11 tie-in but I would imagine that scene might have been edited if the movie were released around the time of the tragedy.

Does anyone remember how jumpy Hollywood was around that time? Movies dealing with terrorism were delayed, explosions were edited out of tv shows, terrorism almost became one of the banned words you couldn't say on TV. Was Hollywood being too sensitive or did it do the right thing?

The Batman

07-07-2007, 01:10 PM

Well DC freaked about Miller having Batman fly the Batmobile into Luthor's office/hideout in DKSA and I think that even more of a stretch to make a 9/11 parallel so you never know.

Gargus

07-07-2007, 02:24 PM

It was fine the day after.

Jared

07-07-2007, 05:27 PM

I though the Irwin joke on South Park was just too soon. I mean, only a couple days earlier we'd seen his wife in tears on television. That was truly a low point for Matt and Trey in my book. I don't know (and there's no way to really tell) what the statue of limitations should really be for something like that, but it's got to be more than a few days! Of course, that only applies to TV, joking around with my friends, I've laughed at, and said, rather tasteless remarks almost immediatly after a tragedy.

It's been six years, I think the Family Guy joke was fine. If they had actually shown the guy standing on the tower with the plane coming at him though, that'd be another story.

Sean Walsh

07-07-2007, 06:03 PM

Im surprised that joke was even allowed pass the censors. I bet the Family Guy people wont get any positive feedback from that.

Yes, of all the jokes they've ever told, THAT'S the one they're gonna get nailed for.

(And yes, I realize what I just said a variation of a FG joke too...)

And how creepy is it that the guy who delivered that line - Seth McFarlane - was actually supposed to be on one of those planes on 9/11/01?

DrewTheXenocide

07-07-2007, 06:25 PM

I though the Irwin joke on South Park was just too soon. I mean, only a couple days earlier we'd seen his wife in tears on television. That was truly a low point for Matt and Trey in my book. I don't know (and there's no way to really tell) what the statue of limitations should really be for something like that, but it's got to be more than a few days! Of course, that only applies to TV, joking around with my friends, I've laughed at, and said, rather tasteless remarks almost immediatly after a tragedy.

I reallly loved that gag.

Satan: Hey dude... it's a little too soon.

As long as it's genuinely funny, I don't think there is a statute of limitations for tragedies and the such.

Legato

07-07-2007, 06:30 PM

Yes, of all the jokes they've ever told, THAT'S the one they're gonna get nailed for.

(And yes, I realize what I just said a variation of a FG joke too...)

And how creepy is it that the guy who delivered that line - Seth McFarlane - was actually supposed to be on one of those planes on 9/11/01?

Im hoping that wasn't some smart remark in regards to my post.

In response to Seth and him missing the plane that was involved in the 9/11 crisis I do find it ironic that years down the road he made a joke about it. Yet Im sure privately nothing is funny about the fact that he could have been one of the victims on that plane

Crash-Man

07-07-2007, 09:44 PM

I saw the episode last night, and heard the joke.

Strange thing is when Brian said, "Anytime, anywhere?" to the guy's challenge, the first thing that went through my mind was WTC on Sept 11.

I didn't find it particularly distasteful...it seemed more geared towards showing Brian's disgust/malice towards the guy than anything.

the goddamn batman

07-07-2007, 09:45 PM

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

9/11

9/11 who?

You said you'd never forget.:(

I dunno, I think it's funny.

hulahulk

07-07-2007, 11:48 PM

the goddamn batman

07-07-2007, 11:54 PM

Okay. I have not read many of the posts but jokes now are way too soon. They probably will never be appropriate. Kinda like how Holocaust or Pearl Harbor jokes I guess. To me, there are many other things to occupy one's time.

Yeah, holocaust jokes aren't funny. My grandfather died in Auschwitz...

he fell off a gaurd tower.:eek:

You gotta learn to laugh. Sure, Genocide isn't funny, but that doesn't mean we can't make a joke or two right?

hulahulk

07-08-2007, 12:06 AM

Yeah, holocaust jokes aren't funny. My grandfather died in Auschwitz...

he fell off a gaurd tower.:eek:

You gotta learn to laugh. Sure, Genocide isn't funny, but that doesn't mean we can't make a joke or two right?

Depends on your point of view. My grandfather (father's father) died in D-Day, and his brother-in-law (my great uncle) was a Russian Jew who escaped the Holocaust to eventually make his way to America.

Jokes about this topic and about 9/11 are primarily superficial.

CBikle

07-08-2007, 12:12 AM

1 I don't have as much of a problem with a shock jock/comedy writer making a 9-11/Hurricane Katrina/etc joke; pushing the envelope is part of their job.

2 I don't have a problem with someone outside of the US, making jokes about those disasters or finding humor in them; they're part of a different culture/time zone and I could understand their feeling distant/disaffected to those tragedies.

3 I find it very disturbing that US citizens can find humor in 9-11, so soon after it occurred, especially if they reside in the Tri-State Area.

Legato

07-08-2007, 12:15 AM

Michael P

07-08-2007, 12:17 AM

Legato

07-08-2007, 12:20 AM

I want to make a comment about New Yorkers but I dont want to judge and entire population based on the comment of one person.

the goddamn batman

07-08-2007, 12:20 AM

Depends on your point of view. My grandfather (father's father) died in D-Day, and his brother-in-law (my great uncle) was a Russian Jew who escaped the Holocaust to eventually make his way to America.

Jokes about this topic and about 9/11 are primarily superficial.

And for all anyone on here knows about me, I'm a jew and memners of my family either lived through or died in the Holocaust. Or died in 9/11.

So, it really isn't fair of anyone to tell me what I can or an't make jokes about. Not that you were, I'm just saying.

hulahulk

07-08-2007, 12:22 AM

You know who tells the most 9/11 jokes, and laughs at them the most?

New Yorkers.

We're over it. It's you flyover state people who can't seem to move on.

Yer over it like a bad blind date. Ooookay......

Everyone has moved on, but who has forgotten?

hulahulk

07-08-2007, 12:25 AM

And for all anyone on here knows about me, I'm a jew and memners of my family either lived through or died in the Holocaust. Or died in 9/11.

So, it really isn't fair of anyone to tell me what I can or an't make jokes about. Not that you were, I'm just saying.

Well, what are you trying to say? Your family members are as curious as I am.

Kevin M.

07-08-2007, 12:31 AM

I died laughing when I heard the joke. Never found it to be in poor taste to tell you the truth.

CBikle

07-08-2007, 12:34 AM

You know who tells the most 9/11 jokes, and laughs at them the most?

New Yorkers.

We're over it. It's you flyover state people who can't seem to move on.

Well... I live in Jersey, which is relatively close.

Also, I've moved on, although I really wasn't as affected by it as some were; I didn't lose any friends or relatives and I didn't incur any health problems from working near Ground Zero (I volunteered, but was turned down, which I guess was fortunate for me).

Again, I'm not the super-sensitive guy who gets easily offended by stuff, but I do think there might be something wrong with you if you find a lot of hilarity in 9-11 .

As far as New Yorkers finding "gallows humor" out of 9-11, I'm OK with that too I guess. Not so OK with someone from Idaho finding "gallows humor" out of it though.

The Xenos

07-08-2007, 12:42 AM

As for Holocaust jokes. there's always The Day the Clown Died (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Clown_Cried).

There's this offensive and racist Katerina halloween costume.
http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/9500/blackfacekaterina817514ra3.jpg

I also saw a 9/11 costume of the WTC and planes, but I don't know if I saved it.

Now cearly those are lame and tasteless. Some of those Family Guy ones aren't as bad. I rather liked the South Park ep making fun of 9-11 conspiracies.

Then again, I also liked the pilot ep of The Lone Gunmen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lone_Gunmen#Controversy).

Mike Pothier

07-08-2007, 01:34 AM

Bouncing Boy

07-08-2007, 08:36 AM

nervmeister

07-08-2007, 08:43 AM

I find that pretty tasteless than funny. I dont know if even South Park could stoop that low.They almost did when they were about to have the Muslim prophet Muhammed simply give a football to Peter. Thank god Comedy Central stepped in to censor it.

CBikle

07-08-2007, 09:44 AM

I though the Irwin joke on South Park was just too soon. I mean, only a couple days earlier we'd seen his wife in tears on television.

I'm kind of OK on this one, as Steve Irwin made his living f***ing with dangerous animals. We all sort of knew that this day would come.

Plus, even though he was, by all accounts, a nice guy, he's a celebrity and not someone I really can identify with.

jesse_custer

07-08-2007, 09:51 AM

They almost did when they were about to have the Muslim prophet Muhammed simply give a football to Peter. Thank god Comedy Central stepped in to censor it.

They weren't just doing that for the hell of it. They were trying to illustrate a point about free speech.

MaxofSteel

07-08-2007, 09:51 AM

I though the Irwin joke on South Park was just too soon.

The Halloween of last year (not long after that episode aired), I saw someone dressed up as a Manta Ray (with, IIRC, blood on it's stinger). I couldn't help laughing at the wrongness of it.

nervmeister

07-08-2007, 10:00 AM

They weren't just doing that for the hell of it. They were trying to illustrate a point about free speech.I know. I was joking. Comedy Central shouldnt have censored it.

Preus

07-08-2007, 10:40 AM

Okay, now that was funny.

Bad, bad taste mind you, but truly funny.

That's how I feel. It's funny but it's also kind of wrong.

Jared

07-08-2007, 01:59 PM

I'm kind of OK on this one, as Steve Irwin made his living f***ing with dangerous animals. We all sort of knew that this day would come.

Plus, even though he was, by all accounts, a nice guy, he's a celebrity and not someone I really can identify with.

It wasn't the joke itself that bothered me, just the timing of it. Satan said it himself "I mean, he *just* died."

maczero

07-08-2007, 02:16 PM

I'm kind of OK on this one, as Steve Irwin made his living f***ing with dangerous animals. We all sort of knew that this day would come.That's the irony of it. Sting rays aren't all that deadly. I seem to recall a statistic saying that there were only 2 sting ray related deaths in Australia in recent years.

Legato

07-08-2007, 02:46 PM

They almost did when they were about to have the Muslim prophet Muhammed simply give a football to Peter. Thank god Comedy Central stepped in to censor it.

What sort of made it ok for South Park is that thare is some kind of meaning behind their humor and they usually point the meaning out towards the end of each episode. You know one of those " I've learned something today" moments.

With Family Guy it is mostly just for the heck of it.

The Xenos

07-08-2007, 05:10 PM

It wasn't the joke itself that bothered me, just the timing of it. Satan said it himself "I mean, he *just* died."

Well, I think that kinda legitimated the joke. They knew they made a tasteless joke that was too soon. They were exploring how soon one can make a joke about a tragedy. Yes, it was a joke, but it was also social commentary about comedy itself. I don't think it was just cheap.

They almost did when they were about to have the Muslim prophet Muhammed simply give a football to Peter. Thank god Comedy Central stepped in to censor it.
I know. I was joking. Comedy Central shouldnt have censored it.

And let's not forget they later had George Bush and Jesus later defecating on the American flag. While insulting on face value, I thought it was a brilliant way to show the double standard in which a large enough group Muslims get their way through threats of violence while Americans and Christians are fair game. Why the double standard? We can't even show Muhammad holding a football without death threats? That was brilliant.

the goddamn batman

07-08-2007, 06:43 PM

Well, what are you trying to say? Your family members are as curious as I am.

I'm saying that jokes are on a personal basis. It might be too soon for some to joke about 9/11, but not for others. Both parties are entitled to their opinion, and the right to express it.

Some might find it tastless, but I don't. At least not the Family Guy joke.

Eliseu Gouveia

07-08-2007, 07:13 PM

I have to confess I skipped through the thread.
Only thing I´m curious is:

What was the statute of limitation for Pearl Harbour jokes, back in dahbli dahbli tew.
Were there any comedians cracking jokes over that attack and if so, how long did it take for them to start?

J. Robb

07-08-2007, 07:14 PM

And let's not forget they later had George Bush and Jesus later defecating on the American flag. While insulting on face value, I thought it was a brilliant way to show the double standard in which a large enough group Muslims get their way through threats of violence while Americans and Christians are fair game. Why the double standard?
It's sort of like how you're free to make fun of your family, but you probably don't like strangers doing it.

nervmeister

07-08-2007, 07:39 PM

And let's not forget they later had George Bush and Jesus later defecating on the American flag. While insulting on face value, I thought it was a brilliant way to show the double standard in which a large enough group Muslims get their way through threats of violence while Americans and Christians are fair game. Why the double standard? We can't even show Muhammad holding a football without death threats? That was brilliant.One hundred percent agreed.

paulski

07-08-2007, 10:06 PM

9/11 jokes, like any other jokes, are funny if they're funny.

Like this, which I stole from some guy on Newsarama:

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w126/JoeK32880/1183059557005.jpg

Hilarious.
Took me a sec but then, I have to admit, I did have an awkward chuckle. That's just naughty... :o

9/11 though, I think it's still way too soon. Some may not feel the same, but a tragedy like that takes a damn long time for people to get over - if they ever do.

stealthwise

07-09-2007, 12:06 AM

The moment we start saying things are off-limits, especially events that happened nearly six years ago, that's when we... well, screw it, not to be dramatic, but it's ridiculous.

9/11 was a horrible, horrible thing, and I was completely sickened by some of the classroom comments that were being said around the time of the attacks on the WTC (I live in Canada, and there is a not-so-small university contingent of students who were less than sympathetic), but it's time to move on. Humour can definitely help with that.

Pragmatically, the damage to New York and the WTC was very small, certainly nothing compared to the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, the tsunamis in Asia, or the War in Iraq. The majority of the damage done during 9/11 and afterwards was symbolic and economic, hitting at the centre of a capitalistic system built on a house of cards. After that, the motives of immediate altruism seemed to almost materially give way to form a new ideology of spending to demonstrate a sense of normalcy, along with a tendency to suspend personal freedoms and censor anything that didn't give off an "America rules" vibe.

If that isn't a great target for humour, I don't know what is.

Motormouse

07-09-2007, 09:30 AM

Just saw an ep of Family Guy that featured a Sept. 11th joke. I admit I chuckled but immediately felt bad about it.

Anyway, I got to thinking should 9/11 be off limits in comedy or does the "as long as it's funny" rule apply?

The simple answer to this question of should it be off limits is, "Only if you're American"
The only people who haven't heard or laughed at a joke about some gross tragedy or natural disaster within the first week of said event are those most directly effected.

Earthquake in Armenia, 1000's dead. 1st laugh out loud funny joke about it within 3 days.

Challenger Disaster. 1st joke in under 24 hours

Hell, even Lockerbie didn't stay joke free for more than a week.

The only tragic event that i can think of that i never heard anyone joke about was the Dunblane Massacre.

maczero

07-09-2007, 09:41 AM

Keep in mind folks, the idea here is whether 9/11 humor in movies & TV is appropriate not simply your buddy telling you a crass joke about 9/11.

Sean Walsh

07-09-2007, 10:44 AM

The Halloween of last year (not long after that episode aired), I saw someone dressed up as a Manta Ray (with, IIRC, blood on it's stinger). I couldn't help laughing at the wrongness of it.

I laughed my ass off at that.

And then - days later, Bill Maher goes to a party and dresses up exactly like that, and he got LAMBASTED by everyone all over the political and social spectrum.

Which means either (a) we're all hypocrites, or (b) stuff done in cartoons can be much funnier, while doing it in real life is awful and horrible (I'm leaning toward b, BTW).

Sean Walsh

07-09-2007, 10:50 AM

Im hoping that wasn't some smart remark in regards to my post.

...no, just when I read that one part I immediately thought of that line by Stewie and riffed on it.

In response to Seth and him missing the plane that was involved in the 9/11 crisis I do find it ironic that years down the road he made a joke about it. Yet Im sure privately nothing is funny about the fact that he could have been one of the victims on that plane

IIRC, he had an Osama joke they made in an ep before 9/11 (about him sneaking weapons onto a plane and singing to distract security from the X-rays) removed from a particular episode and all future showings of it right after 9/11. It returned in the eventual DVD release, but I'm unsure if it's shown on current Adult Swim reruns or not.

So at some point, he was clearly aware of the sensitivity; probably heightened by the fact that he was supposed to be on one of those planes.

The Zapper

07-09-2007, 10:58 AM

I might be mistaken, but I think Maher did that before the South Park episode. He got blasted no matter if it was before or after though.

90'sCartoonMan

07-09-2007, 11:05 AM

Okay. I have not read many of the posts but jokes now are way too soon. They probably will never be appropriate. Kinda like how Holocaust or Pearl Harbor jokes I guess. To me, there are many other things to occupy one's time.

I think whether or not you lived through it is also a factor. I've laughed at Pearl Harbor jokes and not felt bad about it because Pearl Harbor happened many years before I was born and I learned about it later rather than lived through it.

They almost did when they were about to have the Muslim prophet Muhammed simply give a football to Peter. Thank god Comedy Central stepped in to censor it.

Funny thing is Muhammed was actually in the opening credits of South Park only a few seasons prior to that.

Which means either (a) we're all hypocrites, or (b) stuff done in cartoons can be much funnier, while doing it in real life is awful and horrible (I'm leaning toward b, BTW).

I think it's a little from column A, a little from column B.

Jared

07-10-2007, 03:16 PM

I might be mistaken, but I think Maher did that before the South Park episode. He got blasted no matter if it was before or after though.

I hope Russel Crowe kicks his ass

TheLazy

07-11-2007, 02:37 PM

Okay. I have not read many of the posts but jokes now are way too soon. They probably will never be appropriate. Kinda like how Holocaust or Pearl Harbor jokes I guess. To me, there are many other things to occupy one's time.

Haha, holocaust jokes, if ever there was a time to feel guilty, it's laughing at holocaust jokes, especially the Ricky Gervais ones, god they're funny. If people are going to be down about all the shit thats happing in life then why bother watching comedy at all, I'm sure 100 kids died of aids in Africa and ethnic cleansing in Sudan in the time it takes for the show to finish.

The only tragic event that i can think of that i never heard anyone joke about was the Dunblane Massacre.

Yeah I've heard one of those, can't remember how it goes, but it's pretty poor taste and has Michael Jackson in it, it was slightly funny.

Black Atom

07-11-2007, 02:54 PM

I laughed my ass off at that.

And then - days later, Bill Maher goes to a party and dresses up exactly like that, and he got LAMBASTED by everyone all over the political and social spectrum.

Which means either (a) we're all hypocrites, or (b) stuff done in cartoons can be much funnier, while doing it in real life is awful and horrible (I'm leaning toward b, BTW).

The word "hypocrite" gets thrown around too much. In this case, the usage assumes that the same people that lambasted Maher were perfectly okay with the same gag in South Park, which probably wasn't the case. It also assumes that an adult man attending a Halloween party dressed as a man who died a few weeks before is the same as portraying that dead man in a cartoon show, which isn't the case, either. Unless you think dropping a piano on Elmer Fudd's head is the same as doing it to someone in real life.

Brian "Vash" Ashby

07-20-2007, 10:28 PM

Nah. I remember gilbert godfrieed doing a 9/11 joke not too soon after. that probably was. But to be honest 9/11 is a scare that healed up really really quickly.

And family guy is an edgy show

I recall one episode, that may or may not have already been mentioned where they had Elizabeth smarts parents giving an interview and said something like, as she played piano in the background, "its nice to have her back and writing music. Too bad all the songs are about rape"