Mohammad Ali Is Alert... At The Wrong Time

[Diva]

At the premier of a movie about his life, Ali took center stage and told some jokes. What's so news-worthy about that? They were 'off-color' (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59911-2001Dec18.html) jokes.

I admit the world is becoming too politically correct for our own good. I also choose not to engage in these types of jokes [blonde jokes excepted] whenever possible.

What are your opinions? Both on Ali's behavior and the political correctness expectations.

In respect for the massive Who's Your Hero thread that spun off into a Lincoln debate... Here's one of Ali's jokes on the matter:

"What did Abraham Lincoln say after a two-day drunk? 'I freed the what???' "

[Amaurote]

The jokes were slightly offensive, stereotypical and hackneyed...but, hey, it's Muhammad Ali we're talking about here, and there aren't many genuine, principled heroes left in the world. Leave him alone and pick on George "I saw the first plane hit the tower" [How? ESP? Precognition? Binoculars?] Bush instead.

http://www.poster.net/ali-muhammad/ali-muhammad-muhammad-ali-vs-sonny-liston-25th-may-1965-5000083.jpg

[Redallnite]

Oh well, thats the champ!!! Gotta love him!

[berly]

This reminds me of years ago when Ted Dansen and Whoopi Goldberg attended some function and I think Ted was in "black face" or whatever the term for it is (please don't hurt me, I'm lacking coffee today and my mind just doesn't want to recall anything right now). This got HUGE attention in the press and just seemed...to me...to be lame. I can't understand what it is about human nature that loves to make a big deal about this kind of thing. Especially with all the flag waving and constitution quoting we have been doing lately...you would think that Ali making some jokes would be touted as "Lookie, Lookie, we think the jokes are "baaaaad", but we still let him do it cuz we rock that way!"

Surprising, isn't it...the things that amuse? Besides! The man has spent his life getting beaten in the head!!! Regardless of what is right or wrong or whatever....can't someone give the guy some slack if he happens to make a social error in judgment?

Personally? I've told a few and laughed at a few that I likely would not be proud of having the entire world attach to me...It depends how a joke is used. It can be used as a tool for hurt. I don't know if ultimately all jokes injure. I think we have to look at what makes a joke "funny" in the first place. Whoops...to even try to qualify that...is going to take more than my non-coffee brain can handle right now......

*berly crawls down to the coffee maker to offer a sugar packet sacrifice*

[NewEnglChick]

it was for the friars club roast which is KNOWN for being about the furthest point from PC there is - i seem to recall whoppi got the joke it was everyone else who got bent


Originally posted by berly
This reminds me of years ago when Ted Dansen and Whoopi Goldberg attended some function and I think Ted was in "black face" or whatever the term for it is (please don't hurt me, I'm lacking coffee today and my mind just doesn't want to recall anything right now). This got HUGE attention in the press and just seemed...to me...to be lame. I can't understand what it is about human nature that loves to make a big deal about this kind of thing. Especially with all the flag waving and constitution quoting we have been doing lately...you would think that Ali making some jokes would be touted as "Lookie, Lookie, we think the jokes are "baaaaad", but we still let him do it cuz we rock that way!"

Surprising, isn't it...the things that amuse? Besides! The man has spent his life getting beaten in the head!!! Regardless of what is right or wrong or whatever....can't someone give the guy some slack if he happens to make a social error in judgment?

Personally? I've told a few and laughed at a few that I likely would not be proud of having the entire world attach to me...It depends how a joke is used. It can be used as a tool for hurt. I don't know if ultimately all jokes injure. I think we have to look at what makes a joke "funny" in the first place. Whoops...to even try to qualify that...is going to take more than my non-coffee brain can handle right now......

*berly crawls down to the coffee maker to offer a sugar packet sacrifice*

[The_Roach]

Originally posted by berly
I think we have to look at what makes a joke "funny" in the first place.
The_Roach runs and thumbs through the library

This is one of my favorite passages from Stranger in a Strange Land. For those unfamiliar with the book, Mike is a young man in his late teens whose parents were a part of an exploratory mission on Mars. When they disappeared, he was raised by Martians. He has recently returned to Earth and does not grasp humanity and it's way of thinking. Mike wishes to grok them in fullness. One of the major problems he has stems from humor, which does not exist in Martian culture.

For the definition of grok, read the novel. I am unfit to give it an accurate representation here.

Page 310:

Originally posted by Robert A. Heinlein
When he first saw a zoo, Mike was much upset; Jill was forced to order him to wait and grok, as he had been about to free the animals. He conceded presently that most of them could not live where he proposed to turn them loose - a zoo was a nest, of a sort. He followed this with hours of withdrawal, after which he never again threatened to remove bars and glass and grills. He explained to Jill that bars were there to keep people out more than to keep animals in, which he had failed to grok at first. After that, Mike never missed a zoo wherever they went

But even today the misanthropy of camels could not shake Mike's moodiness. Nor did monkeys and apes cheer him up. They stood in front of a cage containing a family of capuchins, watching them eat, sleep, court, nurse, groom, and swarm aimlessly around, while Jill tossed them peanuts.

She tossed one to a monk; before he could eat it a larger male not only stole his peanut but gave him a beating. The little fellow made no attempt to pursue his tormentor; he pounded his knucks against the floor and chattered helpless rage. Mike watched solemnly.

Suddenly the mistreated monkey rushed across the cage, picked a monkey still smaller, bowled it over and gave it a dubbing worse than the one he had suffered. The third monk crawled away, whimpering. The other monkeys paid no attention.

Mike threw back his head and laughed - and went on laughing uncontrollably.
Now that we've taken care of the context, here comes one of the most profound statements of the book (found on the following page):


Originally posted by Robert A. Heinlein
"I've found out why people laugh. They laugh because it hurts...because it's the only thing that'll make it stop hurting."

[Redallnite]

Originally posted by Robert A. Heinlein --
"I've found out why people laugh. They laugh because it hurts...because it's the only thing that'll make it stop hurting."


Well blow me away, cuz I guess I hurt all the time..:cheesy: :cheesy: :cheesy: :D