WHAT’S WRONG WITH VULGARITY IN THE CLASSROOM AND WORKPLACE?

VULGARITY
Telling jokes with vulgar images and sounds for laughs belongs in a comedy club or a Jim Carrey movie, but not in your classroom or workplace. Similarly, any music or video clips containing vulgar material is out of bounds.

EXAMPLES: Who can’t forget the flatulence and toilet humor in Blazing Saddles, the Nutty Professor, and the animated PG-rated Shrek and Shrek 2? Most recently, the TV cable series Jackass takes the prize for “Extremely Vulgar.” What an honor. The parents of executive producer Trip Taylor must be so proud. (Note: Sarcasm is excusable when writing about vulgarity.)

SENSITIVE PERSONAL ISSUES
Many years ago, Jay Leno launched a relentless joke attack night after night on former New York Yankee Darryl Strawberry’s cocaine addiction. The jokes were so cruel and inappropriate that they still stand out in my mind as one example of “humor” in this category. He probably is still doing those types of jokes with other celebrities now.

Entertainment, political, and sports personalities are especially vulnerable to jocular barbs about divorce, abortion, sexual infidelity, cosmetic surgery, DUI arrests, alcoholism, drug addiction, HIV/AIDS, and personal tragedies. This category also includes what are called “sick jokes” in the humor literature, which make fun of death, disease, dysfunction, or deformity, usually following a significant disaster or tragedy.

CELEBRITY TARGETS: Individuals who engage in humor on these topics or disseminate those types of YouTube videos in the classroom or workplace exhibit screamingly bad taste. The jabs at entertainers and sports celebrities, such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Tiger Woods, and all the politicians, religious leaders, and talk-show comedians (aka David Letterman) guilty of sexual indiscretions are examples of this type of derisive humor by talk-show comedians? Steer clear of this category. DO NOT jab your students, co-workers, or celebrities.

FINALE: My next final blog in this long-winded series on offensive material will address how to Mirandize your students and co-workers on rules for humor and media to minimize the chances of offending them. Refreshments will be provided.

COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC