If someone doesn’t find a joke funny, do you assume they have a lousy sense of humor or that the joke was flawed?

(Trigger warning – there is a mention of suicide when a standup comedian’s bit is quoted in this conversation.)

 

Humor is a touchy subject. What makes something funny or not funny? Is it okay to tell off-color jokes as long as you “know your audience” and everyone who happens to be in the room thinks it’s funny (I don’t think so).

 

Ed Samuel started our conversation off by sharing that when he worked in the corporate world, he was scared away from using humor for fear of offending someone.

 

Jim Tam talked about movies or videos where people do things that cause them to get hurt (slapstick humor?) – Is that funny?

 

Bill Dolan said something I thought was pretty powerful: “We usually tell jokes because we believe they're a gift. And we believe we're contributing something to either a life or a group that brings them joy, that brings them temporal happiness.”

 

But something that is funny in one context might not be funny in another.

 

I took a stand against the idea locker room type humor – that it’s okay to make fun of or degrade other people/groups of people as long as they don’t hear you. (I am NOT saying any of the gentlemen on this panel were condoning this).

 

I didn’t say it during this conversation but having been told growing up that I was “too thin skinned” I have a belief that I shouldn’t have to be so thick skinned that I am okay with you cutting me and laughing while I bleed.

 

What do you think? How do you decide if someone doesn’t have a sense of humor or if something wasn’t funny?

 

Connect with the panelists:

Jim Tam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimtam/

Is a Principal Client Director with Korn Ferry’s Digital group where he advises organizations on how to improve their sales effectiveness through using world-class sales methodology and technology. He is based in Dallas.

 

Ed Samuel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edsamuel/

Is a career coach at Sam Nova where he helps mid to senior leaders get to a better place, whether they are working or in transition.

 

Bill Dolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billdolan/

He is Virtual Event Director and Video Producer at Spirit Media where he has done Emmy-Nominated TV. He is a Marketing Strategist, an Author and a Coach: Helping people promote their brand stories

Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

Concierge High Performance Psychologist providing luxury level support to executives, entrepreneurs, celebrities, dignitaries and athletes as well as the Facilitator of the Quick Hits podcast

 

Want a summary of the Quick Hits I post every week, plus the links to the LinkedIn pages of each of the panelist to show up in your in-box every week? Just let me know where to send it: https://drrobynodegaard.com/quick-hits-notifications/

 

  #QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on pertinent subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.DrRobynOdegaard.com

 

#humor #RayRamono #NotFunny #jokes #makemelaugh