Study: Why Telling Bad Jokes is a Bad Idea

[NJmaverick]

Bad jokes really can cause social harm. New research found that failed attempts at humor can provoke surprisingly rude responses, with the harshest reactions coming from friends and family.

SNIP

Another reason listeners may get angry is that a bad joke implies an insult to the audience's sense of humor, if the joke-teller really thought the listener would appreciate the bad joke.


"It's offensive to them," Bell said. "It means, you think I'm an idiot, huh?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090127/sc_livescience/studywhytellingbadjokesisabadidea

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. I'm pretty sure that there is some truth to that.

Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by saying, 'And yesterday, three Brazilian soldiers were killed.

' 'OH NO!'
Mr. Bush exclaims. 'That's terrible!'

His staff sits stunned at this sudden outward display of emotion, nervously watching as the president sits, head in hands, almost sobbing.

Finally, the president looks up and asks, 'Just how many is a brazillion, anyway?'

[blondeatlast]

3. I believe that joke is no longer with us; witness:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8142260&mesg_id=8142260

[Fire Walk With Me]

4. Obsolete jokes are the worst kind.

[blondeatlast]

5. It is a tragedy, it really is. Good government may well be the death of

some great comedy.

[Ptah]

6. .

Another reason listeners may get angry is that a bad joke implies an insult to the audience's sense of humor, if the joke-teller really thought the listener would appreciate the bad joke.


"It's offensive to them," Bell said. "It means, you think I'm an idiot, huh?"

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. Experts agree: I have zero redeeming qualities.

Edit: Excepting the fact that I should have also put the Brazillion joke here.

[skygazer]

2. Is this some kind of joke?

:wtf:

[NJmaverick]

7. Perhaps the real joke is that money, time and effort

was spent studying this