Daniel Tosh rape joke

[Gauda]

I have trouble seeing how there is a joke in there at all; he is asking whether it would be funny if a woman got raped? No, of course it wouldn't, if this is a joke, where is the punchline?

I think the article that NormalGuns provided a link for is great (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/07/11/why-daniel-tosh-s-rape-joke-at-the-laugh-factory-wasn-t-funny.html):

He really is just trying to assert his power, it may not be a threat, but it surely reminds her of her vulnerability in an audience that I would think are mostly young men.

I also agree with the author of the article that any subject can be funny; but with sensitive subjects you should be a little careful, and here he is basically just saying; "You know this could happen to you, right?" That's not even close to funny in my book. Especially since he repeats "like right now" twice, that does indeed make it sound eerily like a threat.

[DirtyDeeds]

I guess just about any topic could be the subject of jokes, but some topics require more skill and tact to be made funny, something that Daniel Tosh usually lacks.

[WhazUp]

My perspective is this: when comedians deal with hecklers it is with the intention of getting them to shut up or to leave. In this case, Tosh was successful in getting her to leave - sure it wasn't the classiest way or even the funniest way but it wasn't THAT bad IMO

The woman was in the wrong to interrupt the show like that. From my perspective you buy a ticket to gain admission and a seat to the show, not the right to interrupt the show because you got your feelings hurt by something said. In this case IMO the right thing to do would have been to leave and ask for a refund, so I cannot feel sorry for this woman for drawing attention to herself during the show

[KBear]

It's down to intention for me. If you're making jokes strictly for the purpose of humour than everything is fine. Some people may be affected by association with an experience of their own but they have no right to demand that everyone else stops enjoying the joke for their sake. If, however, there is an element of hate behind the joke than it's not ok. Like with racist jokes: the internet is full of them, like with black people and chicken or whatever, but it's just humour for humour's sake; but then you had football supporters throwing bananas at black players back in the 90s and if you do that fuck you.

I think many people view jokes about rape as having an element of hate towards women, because for the most part it is a violent act against females.

Many people can be wrong.

Viewpoints can't be wrong.

Hindus view cows as sacred, people across the globe view cows as part of a normal diet. Neither viewpoint is right or wrong.

Sure they can be wrong. If a person views a joke about rape as having an element of hatred towards women, but the joke isn't coming from that place at all, then the viewpoint is wrong. It is wrong because the viewpoint is based on an incorrect assumption about the person telling the joke.

The cow example is different because in that case one of two realities apply, depending on where you live. With a rape joke, the joke teller either does hate women or he doesn't, i.e. there is only one truth.

[AxlisOld]

Boohoo. If she didn't want him to make a joke about it she shouldn't have told about it.

Besides, everything is taboo in the US.

america is one big pussy that has wayyyy too much sand in her vagina

When you give people the freedom to voice their opinion and protest, but they're too stupid to have an opinion and there's nothing to protest, they just get offended by something and protest it.

[The Linguini Occurrence]

Sure they can be wrong. If a person views a joke about rape as having an element of hatred towards women, but the joke isn't coming from that place at all, then the viewpoint is wrong. It is wrong because the viewpoint is based on an incorrect assumption about the person telling the joke.

The cow example is different because in that case one of two realities apply, depending on where you live. With a rape joke, the joke teller either does hate women or he doesn't, i.e. there is only one truth.

How can a viewpoint be wrong if it cannot be proven as factual? How can it be proven that Tosh's perceived bias against women is an incorrect assumption? It is impossible to prove whether Tosh said what he said out of hate or bias against women.

Take for example the ESPN headline about Jeremy Lin which included the phrase "Chink in the armor". Did the editor intentionally use the word because of Lin's ethnicity? Who knows. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. The important thing is that many people viewed it as offensive, and for that reason the editor was immediately fired. That's how it works in this world. If a word or phrase or subject is viewed as offensive by a large number of people then it shouldn't be used, regardless of intent.

[bran]

Boohoo. If she didn't want him to make a joke about it she shouldn't have told about it.

Besides, everything is taboo in the US.

america is one big pussy that has wayyyy too much sand in her vagina

When you give people the freedom to voice their opinion and protest, but they're too stupid to have an opinion and there's nothing to protest, they just get offended by something and protest it.

people get offended by everything it seems the world has gone soft

[Ghostie]

The comedians that are strongest at their craft don't need to be like that. See Carlin, Bruce, etc.

...what? Have you never seen carlins routine "rape is funny"? He even blew up at hecklers in his earlier days, Lenny Bruce too.

Touche.

But isn't that Carlin routine more about showing how anything can be twisted to make a funny vs. actually telling a rape joke?

I just like how those fellow's gears turned. Perhaps you could direct me to their contemporary equivilents? Just seems like it's more about shock now instead of shit that makes you laugh and think.

[Superfuzz]

Why are vaginas suddenly the most powerful thing in the universe?

[SunnyDRE]

Lots of comics push this limit like this, the difference is, Daniel Tosh is a fucking hack. This guy sucks balls.

yes yes yes!!

+1000000

[Dan H.]

Lots of comics push this limit like this, the difference is, Daniel Tosh is a fucking hack. This guy sucks balls.

yes yes yes!!

+1000000

The comic is irrelevant, the question is whether or not it's okay to make such jokes

[The Linguini Occurrence]

Boohoo. If she didn't want him to make a joke about it she shouldn't have told about it.

Besides, everything is taboo in the US.

america is one big pussy that has wayyyy too much sand in her vagina

When you give people the freedom to voice their opinion and protest, but they're too stupid to have an opinion and there's nothing to protest, they just get offended by something and protest it.

people get offended by everything it seems the world has gone soft

More appropriately, the world has gotten less tolerant. People are more "in your face" these days if they feel the slightest bit offended, they are more confrontational. Years ago if somebody was cut off on the road they would grumble to themself and maybe honk their horn, now they lay on the horn & loudly call the other driver an asshole & give them the finger.

[SunnyDRE]

Lots of comics push this limit like this, the difference is, Daniel Tosh is a fucking hack. This guy sucks balls.

yes yes yes!!

+1000000

The comic is irrelevant, the question is whether or not it's okay to make such jokes

ok, gotcha.

i don't think Tosh is funny, but i'm ok with his type of humor as it seems (i don't like it) like that is where comedy is going.

i'm also ok with comedians giving it to hecklers..

this was over the line.

i get the jokes about race, even if they make cringe

i can almost get the jokes about 9/11, even if they make me unconformtable....

i get the jokes about gays, though i believe otherwise...

rape is never funny

Tosh deserves the criticism, this is slightly above Michael Richards territory.

[ohmygod]

Tosh sucks, but that's irrelevant.

If you are offended by a rape joke.... well then, fuck you. The world doesn't revolve around you. People are gonna say some fucked up shit in this life, and if it bothers you, all i can say is man the fuck up... It's 2012, if someone is gonna get offended about rape, race, sexes, stereotypes etc. jokes, then that really sucks for you.

Edited July 16, 2012 by ohmygod

[Dan H.]

I think rape jokes are fine.

My concern is just that Tosh's joke was barely a joke. He said 'Wouldn't it be funny if she got raped right now?'

No, it really wouldn't be funny.

[SunnyDRE]

Tosh sucks, but that's irrelevant.

If you are offended by a rape joke.... well then, fuck you. The world doesn't revolve around you. People are gonna say some fucked up shit in this life, and if it bothers you, all i can say is man the fuck up... It's 2012, if someone is gonna get offended about rape, race, sexes, stereotypes etc. jokes, then that really sucks for you.

so when are people are allowed to be offended?

yeah, i agree that people are to PC these days

buts its kinda for a reason

we done some fucked up shit to each other

i understand jokes and i understand pc culture, but i'm tired of this idea that "the people are to pc"

i don't want to be called a n****

[ohmygod]

Tosh sucks, but that's irrelevant.

If you are offended by a rape joke.... well then, fuck you. The world doesn't revolve around you. People are gonna say some fucked up shit in this life, and if it bothers you, all i can say is man the fuck up... It's 2012, if someone is gonna get offended about rape, race, sexes, stereotypes etc. jokes, then that really sucks for you.

so when are people are allowed to be offended?

yeah, i agree that people are to PC these days

buts its kinda for a reason

we done some fucked up shit to each other

i understand jokes and i understand pc culture, but i'm tired of this idea that "the people are to pc"

i don't want to be called a n****

People can be offended all they want. The pont is, don't be surprised when you are. It's a big world out there filled with people who see things a lot differently than you or I do. So when they say something that offends you or I, just realize, big fucking deal, and carry on.

[Johnny Drama]

Rape jokes are not funny. Omg wouldn't it be great of this asshole got raped in a park? Yeah it would. Asshole.

[KBear]

Sure they can be wrong. If a person views a joke about rape as having an element of hatred towards women, but the joke isn't coming from that place at all, then the viewpoint is wrong. It is wrong because the viewpoint is based on an incorrect assumption about the person telling the joke.

The cow example is different because in that case one of two realities apply, depending on where you live. With a rape joke, the joke teller either does hate women or he doesn't, i.e. there is only one truth.

How can a viewpoint be wrong if it cannot be proven as factual? How can it be proven that Tosh's perceived bias against women is an incorrect assumption? It is impossible to prove whether Tosh said what he said out of hate or bias against women.

Take for example the ESPN headline about Jeremy Lin which included the phrase "Chink in the armor". Did the editor intentionally use the word because of Lin's ethnicity? Who knows. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. The important thing is that many people viewed it as offensive, and for that reason the editor was immediately fired. That's how it works in this world. If a word or phrase or subject is viewed as offensive by a large number of people then it shouldn't be used, regardless of intent.

So then, "perception is reality". I don't agree with this. Reality is reality. I realize that I am understating the importance of perception in today's world but that doesn't make my point wrong.

When something is either true or false but we cannot tell...by assuming you know which, in the absence of evidence, that is perception. Therefore, perception is clearly flawed, since it's just as possible that your perception is based on the false reality as it is based on the true reality. It's jumping to a conclusion. This is, for example, what we do not want cops to do when they investigate a crime. Once they *think* they know who did it, just arrest them and stop investigating. So it may work that way in this world for some things, but not if we hold ourselves to a higher standard.

Edited July 17, 2012 by KBear

[The Linguini Occurrence]

When something is either true or false but we cannot tell...by assuming you know which, in the absence of evidence, that is perception. Therefore, perception is clearly flawed, since it's just as possible that your perception is based on the false reality as it is based on the true reality. It's jumping to a conclusion. This is, for example, what we do not want cops to do when they investigate a crime. Once they *think* they know who did it, just arrest them and stop investigating. So it may work that way in this world for some things, but not if we hold ourselves to a higher standard.

Police cannot arrest without probable cause.

The issue really isn't about whether something (intent) is true or false, the issue is whether something that is highly offensive to some should be said in the presence of those who would be offended. For example I'm not Muslim so I don't believe in Muhammad or his teachings, but regardless of whether or not he is truly the last prophet of God is irrelevant. It would be highly offensive of me to disparage Muhammad or the Muslim religion in the presence of Muslims, period.

By the way, making light of rape is not something that has just recently become unacceptable in society. It's been unacceptable for at least 25 years, which is why this original cover art was replaced:

And even the most dangerous band in the world wasn't allowed to release an album with this on the cover, again because the picture was considered highly offensive:

[Coma16]

Silly string lol

[GUNSNROSES513]

I can see how people would find them not funny, but honestly thats what comedy is. Stuff you normally wouldn't laugh at. You should go to a comedy show and forget bout everything for that one hour and just take nothing personal.

[The Sandman]

Lots of comics push this limit like this, the difference is, Daniel Tosh is a fucking hack. This guy sucks balls.

yes yes yes!!

+1000000

The comic is irrelevant, the question is whether or not it's okay to make such jokes

You do contradict yourself with this point though.

If it was funny, there wouldn't be a problem. Simple.

[AxlisOld]

Rape isn't funny? Then don't fucking watch a guy who makes rape jokes. If you get offended, just stay inside your cozy little bubble and never venture out into the world. Sunny, you don't want to be called the "N word," don't talk to people who say it. People that force their values on others are why people get so pissed off about religion or the government getting involved in their lives. Tosh has freedom of speech the same way anyone else does. If I were in the audience I would have laughed by that.

Blah blah blah something about fat people. Wouldn't it be funny if that guy got fat? It's just a retort, and one at a heckler at that. I've heard Tosh isn't funny live anymore, he just goes for shock value, well he got it.

[Dan H.]

Lots of comics push this limit like this, the difference is, Daniel Tosh is a fucking hack. This guy sucks balls.

yes yes yes!!

+1000000

The comic is irrelevant, the question is whether or not it's okay to make such jokes

You do contradict yourself with this point though.

If it was funny, there wouldn't be a problem. Simple.

What you find funny and what I find funny may be two totally different things.

I'm asking if there is anything off limits in comedy? Some people may laugh at a rape joke by one comedy but get offended by one from a different comedian because they are not a fan of that particular comedian.