Is it o.k. to laugh at racist jokes?

Question

I have dark skin & think Dave Chapelle & Chris Rock are hillarious. My white husband likes Chris Rock but thinks Dave Chapelle & his over the top humour is not funny. He gets angry and says that dark skinned people can laugh & make jokes about themselves and white people,but when white people do they are called racists. Anyway ,I dont understand how anyone could think Dave Chapelle is not funny but I do think he has a point. My family laugh at jokes about any race & yet if a white person tells a racist joke It just doesnt seem as funny. Does anyone else think this is true? and am I a racist for thinking this? Please dont say racist jokes are offensive- I do already know that. I can take a joke & I think almost nothing is sacred for the sake of a good laugh- unless it is grotesque.

Answer 1

it is if you can laugh at the racist joke in the presence of people of that race. "the man who blushes is already guilty," by that I mean if you would feel uncomfortable saying that joke in front of people of that race then your conscience is telling you that you probably shouldn't say it all. Sometimes making light of a serious issue is how we deal with being uncomfortable while bringing up something that needs to be addressed, and makes everyone feel at ease. Usually people can tell the difference between this type of humor and a real put down

Answer 2

well, you've probably heard, but part of the reason dave chapelle stopped doing his show is that he started worrying that he was ENFORCING stereotypes more than he was fighting them and making fun of them.

if black comedians can ONLY do race related humor, then yes, it's racist.

for example, i don't think carlos mencia is funny. all he does is spout racial stereotypes constantly and act like a clown. he's not being funny, he's just acting out stereotypes that already exist and have existed for years.

comedy is supposed to reflect life. and yes, race is a part of life. and you can't fight racism with ignorance. the fact is, some people are black, brown, white, etc, and you can't pretend that we're all the same color. but if you're a comedian, and race is the only thing your entire act is based on, then you need to expand your subject matter.

Answer 3

I think if it's a professional comedian doing this, it's ok because it's impersonal and that's their job right? You wouldn't make a joke about another race though if you were around them at work. It's just not right. But people shouldn't take things so seriously. Stereotypes mean that everyone of the same race is alike, but usually, there are a lot of people that fit it...and that's why it's funny. But it's wrong to use it as your method of judging people.

YOU CAN LAUGH AT RACIST JOKES. But yes it does suck if someone else makes fun of your race as opposed to your own race poking fun at themselves. Like if you were fat and said "I'm fat", it would be ok, but if someone said "yeah you are fat" then it would make you mad. Same with race.

Comedians like DL Hughley suck though, because all they talk about is white people do this, black people do this. Chapelle is a great comedian--he talks about everyone. Kind of like the Simpsons--they steoreotype everyone, and it's ok. They don't leave anyone out.

Answer 4

i think there's a difference between laughing at a racist joke with your buddies, and actually believing the prejudices in that joke. to me, there's nothing wrong with finding a racist joke funny every once in a while. but if you find a joke funny because you actually have some negative disposition towards the race the joke is targeting, THEN something's wrong with you. but if it means anything, we're all hoping you're not a racist jerk. you dont seem like one...

Answer 5

I am a white Southerner.6ft.8".320lbs. when I used to hear a black joke. I look at them and say hey I AM black.then I pause and laugh along with the joke.people should laugh at themselves.people tell me tall. and big jokes all the times. and I laugh.Lenny Bruce the great comedian told jokes many years ago about blacks so people would laugh and not be racist.it was a good way to break the ice so to speak when it came to race relations back fifty years ago. he had the right idea. if we laugh at our differences then were not so serious. and things get better.between races.we should all try to have a good sense of humor about things in life.and try not to be so serious, thats for sure.I love to tell jokes about dumb Yankees. Ha Ha Ha ,Peace

Answer 6

I feel that there is a fine line making fun of someone in a bad way or making fun of someone in a lighthearted way,for example Dave Chappele never says "go to hell al you stupid crackers",but he makes fun of blacks and whites.Like I said its all about that fine line thats hard to define and diffrent for everyone.

P.S I don't find that Dav Chappele dwells on race to much at allmost of his jokes are about other stuff but the ones about race get the most attention.

Answer 7

its only though humour we can ever get past racism. exp

faulty towers
black adder
step toe and son
Ali g
borat
the kumars
chubby brown

its better to laugh at it, rather then shun it, and pretend it doesn't exist.

When I was in school we had a big race issue, and the way we all got around it was to call them "black **** holes, niggers, spear chucker, jig boo" and they would call us "lily-white, whitey, Casper, white trash"
It was our way to rise above it, to joke about it. We never said it nastily or maliciously, we made some of the most racist insults known, laughable. And that’s the way it should be.

Answer 8

I think it good to laugh.
It is when they start the PC crap people got all uptight.
Mel Brooks doesn't mind making Jewish jokes and he is Jewish.


I think we all do a whole lot better if we just lighten up and have a good laugh.

Mind of Manica on Comedy Centeral is a good example.

Answer 9

Yes, that's why they exist.

Stereotypes are based on truth, so why not make light of them. Hell, I'm white and can't dance for ****.

Answer 10

If you are alone it is.