Lost a dear friend from high school not long after we graduated when his father had a heart attack at the controls of a small plane. Larry's last words over the plane's radio sounded something like the screaming guy in the video. So even from a distance of three decades, I just cannot find it in me to laugh at the "prank."
Um...Anonymous, sometimes things touch a little too close to to the bone.I certainly never meant to open any old wounds for anyone, and I apologize if I did so.
However, the point to be made here is that the heart of almost all humor is someone else's misfortunes. Chaplin understood this very well.
There's a story about him in this context. In one of his films, he was supposed to slip on a banana peel and fall down. Instead, he changed the script to have the Tramp see the banana peel, step around it while smirking at his own cleverness...and fall down a manhole instead.
And Rob, I echo the sentiment you express. I suppose that had i not lost someone to just that scenario, I might have found the matter truly funny. Instead I was chilled to the bone.
I also think that there is the context issue. I might have actually found such a thing mildly amusing in the context of a greater storyline. But standing alone it was jarring -- and being done for real seems gratuitously cruel.
"However the point to be made here is the heart of almost all humor is someone else's misfortunes." This is so true. Also, the misfortune has to be something that is believeable that it could actually happen to someone. In addition, it seems to me that things are even funnier when I watch it thinking it could have been me. Sometimes it was me. I just was fortunate enough not to get caught on camera doing the very thing that I'm laughing about. Maybe its just me.
Funny? Not in the least.
ReplyDeleteLost a dear friend from high school not long after we graduated when his father had a heart attack at the controls of a small plane. Larry's last words over the plane's radio sounded something like the screaming guy in the video. So even from a distance of three decades, I just cannot find it in me to laugh at the "prank."
Go to Wal-Mart and buy a sense of humor. This was hysterically funny, even though I know it's quasi-evil.
ReplyDeleteUm...Anonymous, sometimes things touch a little too close to to the bone.I certainly never meant to open any old wounds for anyone, and I apologize if I did so.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the point to be made here is that the heart of almost all humor is someone else's misfortunes. Chaplin understood this very well.
There's a story about him in this context. In one of his films, he was supposed to slip on a banana peel and fall down. Instead, he changed the script to have the Tramp see the banana peel, step around it while smirking at his own cleverness...and fall down a manhole instead.
Regards,
Rob
And Rob, I echo the sentiment you express. I suppose that had i not lost someone to just that scenario, I might have found the matter truly funny. Instead I was chilled to the bone.
ReplyDeleteI also think that there is the context issue. I might have actually found such a thing mildly amusing in the context of a greater storyline. But standing alone it was jarring -- and being done for real seems gratuitously cruel.
Rob,
ReplyDelete"However the point to be made here is the heart of almost all humor is someone else's misfortunes." This is so true. Also, the misfortune has to be something that is believeable that it could actually happen to someone. In addition, it seems to me that things are even funnier when I watch it thinking it could have been me. Sometimes it was me. I just was fortunate enough not to get caught on camera doing the very thing that I'm laughing about. Maybe its just me.
Rymes with Right,
I'm so sorry to learn about your loss.