Unabomber jokes
Charlie Robinson
As a public service I am offering this proposed canonical form
for unabomber jokes:
Q. Why (did/didn’t) the unabomber send a letter to (X)?
A. Answer should contain some element of humor: e.g. irony, surprise,
wordplay or just plain meanness.
Example 1:
Q. Why did the unabomber send a letter to Big Ben?
A. To blow its hands off.
In this example wordplay and surprise are provided by the unexpected
substitution of clock hands for human hands. Rather innocuous.
Example 2:
Q. Why did the unabomber send a letter to Helen Keller?
A. He wanted to silence her.
This is a rich example in the "sick" genre. The intended imagery is that
of a signing person with no hands. It features significant components of
meanness with additional irony focused on the word silence.
Example 3:
Q. Why did the unabomber send a letter to Bob Vila?
A. I can’t.
OK, there really isn’t anything very funny about the idea of blowing off
Bob Vila’s hands. He is a living and very decent person with a fine TV show.
Blowing off Tim Allen’s hands might be funnier.
Finally as a negative example of the form:
Q. Why didn’t the unabomber send a letter to Bob Dole?
A. Bec
Opps, I must go. I think I hear someone at the door. Perhaps the people with
the other net.
Charlie
"Life is like a sewer, what you get out of it depends on what you put into
it."
Tom Lehrer
Alan Glazer
Could someone please tell me why the Unabomber is acceptable material for
jokes. Lots of dead and injured, lots of fear for many years, yet Leno,
Letterman, and others have been using this subject to get laughs. Even
heard one on National Public Radio.
I'm not adverse to black humor, use it all the time, but some things seem
inappropriate; this certainly does.
Could you imagine the networks allowing jokes about the Oklahoma City or
Israeli bus stop bombings? I'm sure there are but not in the mainstream.
I'm interested in hearing (reading) some theories.
Thanks
ar...@pipeline.com
-Lurch-
What rock you been hiding under? Joke for all the above have appeared
here in quantities. Anything is fair game for humor, if done
properly....
Joe Garzik
A: A unacycle
--
Joe Garzik
"She never cried when Old Yeller died, so do you think I'll cry when
she's gone?"
-- another great country music lyric
Tye Leslie Sanders
>04/14/96
>
>Could someone please tell me why the Unabomber is acceptable material for
>jokes. Lots of dead and injured, lots of fear for many years, yet Leno,
>Letterman, and others have been using this subject to get laughs. Even
>heard one on National Public Radio.
>I'm interested in hearing (reading) some theories.
>
> Thanks
> ar...@pipeline.com
The human mind is a very complex and sophisticated device. Each one
is different and some react differently to particular situations
to others.
With *many* people one way of dealing with a tradgedy is to make
light of it. This is not done out of disrespect, but as a way of
making the world not seem as harsh as some would try to make it
appear.
There have always been jokes about things that some people would
consider to be bad taste and in some instances, it is because the
joke is in bad taste that some consider it to be funny. Many jokes
are told for shock value and the reaction that people give when
such jokes are told to them.
Just about every historical event, from the crucifixion of Christ
to the shooting of Presedent Kennedy, from the taking of baby Azaria
Chamberlain by a wild dog in Australia to the assassination of the
president of Israel has had joke made about it. It is not malice,
it is just human nature. People are not being insensitive to the
situation, they are dealing with it in the easiest way they can.
There a very few jokes that do not have some target to their humour
and no matter what, there will always be someone who will feel
insensed at a joke. The important thing is not to take life too
seriously. The ones that do are usually the ones you see leaping
off a bridge.
ObJoke:
It's been so long since I've had sex, I can't remember who gets
tied up.
--
#############################################################
# T. Leslie Sanders # "It's true that there's #
#les...@brisbane.DIALix.oz.au # a fool born every minute... #
# Brisbane, # It's also true that they #
# Queensland, # don't die that fast." #
# Australia # - John Laws #
#############################################################
bkh
les...@brisbane.DIALix.oz.au (Tye Leslie Sanders) wrote:
> ar...@usa.pipeline.com(Alan Glazer) writes:
>
> >04/14/96
> >
> >Could someone please tell me why the Unabomber is acceptable material for
> >jokes.
Humor is a simple defense mechanism and an equalizer that makes it
easier for us all to cope with insanities and horrors that make no sense.
It's a perfectly appropriate response. Any psychologist, sociologist or
behaviorist will take the same position.
Chris M.
>04/14/96
>
>Could someone please tell me why the Unabomber is acceptable material for
>jokes.
>I'm interested in hearing (reading) some theories.
>
Perhaps you should post this in rec.humor.d
whereas d stands for discussion
OJ
Q - What does dracula take for a cold?
A - Coffin Drops
Gregory Harper
Sanders) wrote about Re: Unabomber jokes
>ar...@usa.pipeline.com(Alan Glazer) writes:
>>04/14/96
>>
>>Could someone please tell me why the Unabomber is acceptable material for
>>jokes. Lots of dead and injured, lots of fear for many years, yet Leno,
>>Letterman, and others have been using this subject to get laughs. Even
>>heard one on National Public Radio.
>>I'm interested in hearing (reading) some theories.
>With *many* people one way of dealing with a tradgedy is to make
>light of it. This is not done out of disrespect, but as a way of
>making the world not seem as harsh as some would try to make it
>appear.
Exactly. You just have to look at one of the best tv shows of all
time, M*A*S*H*. Hawkeye and Trapper John were always crcking jokes,
even during some of the darkest moments. Humour is one of the best
ways in dealing with tragedy.
Greg Harper
Fritz Owens
Get stuffed. And while you're at it, POST A JOKE like this:
There was an old prophet named Moses,
Who once said, "A girl is a fool who supposes
That a man, as a rule
Can boast of a tool
Proportionately long as his foot is."
Keep the theories for rec.humor.d
__ _ . ___ ___
|_ |_) | | /
| | \ | | /__
fo...@www.gnofn.org
-------------------------original message below-------------
On 14 Apr 1996, Alan Glazer wrote:
> 04/14/96
>
> Could someone please tell me why the Unabomber is acceptable material for
> jokes. Lots of dead and injured, lots of fear for many years, yet Leno,
> Letterman, and others have been using this subject to get laughs. Even
> heard one on National Public Radio.
>
> I'm not adverse to black humor, use it all the time, but some things seem
> inappropriate; this certainly does.
>
> Could you imagine the networks allowing jokes about the Oklahoma City or
> Israeli bus stop bombings? I'm sure there are but not in the mainstream.
>
> I'm interested in hearing (reading) some theories.
>
> Thanks
> ar...@pipeline.com
>
>
Keith Blair
: > Could someone please tell me why the Unabomber is acceptable material for
: > jokes. Lots of dead and injured, lots of fear for many years, yet Leno,
: > Letterman, and others have been using this subject to get laughs. Even
: > heard one on National Public Radio.
My guess is that people have always made humor of the things that
frighten them. Besides, it's some people's way of saying "Nananabooboo we
got you.."
--
----------------------------------------------------------------
Keith Blair the...@netcom.com
http://www.concentric.net/~crtvecon/ crtv...@concentric.net
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PGP Key: http://www.concentric.net/~crtvecon/pgp-nfo.htm
Meyer
Perhaps it is because some things are so hard to accept that it is easier to make a jokto lighten up
the atmosphere.
Come to South Africa, we've been doing it for years to help us deal with our problems.
Here's one homegrown: A man named Mcbride bombed a busy popular beachfront pub sometime
in the 80's The bars name was McGoos. they also apparently had a parrot there. Soon after that
horrific event the following joke made it's rounds
What's the last thing the McGoo's Parrot said: "Duck!"
: > jThe worst of the joke of course is that McBride is now a South African Ambassador.
The moral of the story, Paraphrased " Just a spoonfull of humour helps the pain go down"
------
Clair Meyer
South Africa