[Polar Bear]

I'm already bracing myself for the feedback I will receive for this post. But I finally figured I'd post it anyway. And I want to stress...the following is strictly my opinion.

I love humor. I think I have a pretty good sense of humor. I love humor in other people. Comedy is my favorite form of media. That being said, I have an observation regarding humor on ToTV...

It seems that the attempted use of humor on ToTV has seen a dramatic increase lately. That would be fine, except in my opinion, there are a couple of reasons it is not so fine. Humor is an art. Many factors play into whether humor is effective, or should I say...well...funny. Timing, appropriateness, content, audience, and many other factors determine how effective attempts at humor are. There's the rub. Just saying something intended to be funny does not make it funny. And there is such a thing as too much...not too much humor, but too much trying to be funny. The best humor comes naturally and is used a bit sparingly in my opinion. Constant attempts which are mostly borderline or simply lame even diminish those that might be truly funny.

This is not intended to be taken personally by anyone on ToTV. It's just my honest feelings about a recent trend. I'm seeing more and more of what appears to failed attempts at humor on ToTV for two reasons:

1) Many of the jokes...remember...my opinion only...are simply not funny. With respect to humor, this is obviously very important. Humor isn't a game like baseball, where if you succeed a small percentage of the time you're considered successful. One potentially good joke gets lost among many failures. A sense of quality must be maintained, or it's just throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks. Very few people like sifting through lame attempts to find the occasional, mildly funny post.

2) Possibly even more important because it has the potential to irritate and/or offend people...the "jokes" are at a time when they are simply not appropriate, either posted inappropriately in a serious thread, or at a time within any thread that is simply inappropriate in the context posted. Don't get me wrong. I think humor is great therapy, and can be used in the most serious of situations. But even then, some sense of timing and appropriateness is essential.

I'll never forget Saturday Night Live, the first show after the terrible events of 9/11. Early in the show, after an opening segment about the attacks, SNL Producer Lorne Michaels looked at his guest, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and asked "Can we be funny?". Giuliani looked at Michaels and said "Why start now?" Hilarious. And it got a great laugh from the New York audience. But it was after a very serious, touching and reverent opening and an appropriate lead in. They didn't just come on the air and start making fun. It was a great TV moment...and very funny in spite of the horrific events of just a few days earlier. All due to timing, respect, and attention to appropriateness.

Bring on the humor. Everybody should laugh every day. But make sure it is appropriate, respectful, and...well...funny.

Okay. I have my flack jacket on. But I feel better getting it off my chest.

[kittygilchrist]

Like.

[looneycat]

yes and innuendo is often missed in print and is shoved, well, right innue.....

[tomwed]

Like

[raynan]

Like and totally agree.

[Taltarzac725]

"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
--Will Rogers


Hope people like this one.

[RickeyD]

What, me worry ?

[Barefoot]

No flak jacket needed.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

I'm already bracing myself for the feedback I will receive for this post. But I finally figured I'd post it anyway. And I want to stress...the following is strictly my opinion.

I love humor. I think I have a pretty good sense of humor. I love humor in other people. Comedy is my favorite form of media. That being said, I have an observation regarding humor on ToTV...

It seems that the attempted use of humor on ToTV has seen a dramatic increase lately. That would be fine, except in my opinion, there are a couple of reasons it is not so fine. Humor is an art. Many factors play into whether humor is effective, or should I say...well...funny. Timing, appropriateness, content, audience, and many other factors determine how effective attempts at humor are. There's the rub. Just saying something intended to be funny does not make it funny. And there is such a thing as too much...not too much humor, but too much trying to be funny. The best humor comes naturally and is used a bit sparingly in my opinion. Constant attempts which are mostly borderline or simply lame even diminish those that might be truly funny.

This is not intended to be taken personally by anyone on ToTV. It's just my honest feelings about a recent trend. I'm seeing more and more of what appears to failed attempts at humor on ToTV for two reasons:

1) Many of the jokes...remember...my opinion only...are simply not funny. With respect to humor, this is obviously very important. Humor isn't a game like baseball, where if you succeed a small percentage of the time you're considered successful. One potentially good joke gets lost among many failures. A sense of quality must be maintained, or it's just throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks. Very few people like sifting through lame attempts to find the occasional, mildly funny post.

2) Possibly even more important because it has the potential to irritate and/or offend people...the "jokes" are at a time when they are simply not appropriate, either posted inappropriately in a serious thread, or at a time within any thread that is simply inappropriate in the context posted. Don't get me wrong. I think humor is great therapy, and can be used in the most serious of situations. But even then, some sense of timing and appropriateness is essential.

I'll never forget Saturday Night Live, the first show after the horrific events of 9/11. Early in the show, after an opening segment about the attacks, SNL Producer Lorne Michaels looked at his guest, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and asked "Can we be funny?". Giuliani looked at Michaels and said "Why start now?" Hilarious. And it got a great laugh from the New York audience. But it was after a very serious, touching and reverent opening and an appropriate lead in. They didn't just come on the air and start making fun. It was a great TV moment...and very funny in spite of the horrific events of just a few days earlier. All due to timing, respect, and attention to appropriateness.

Bring on the humor. Everybody should laugh every day. But make sure it is appropriate, respectful, and...well...funny.

Okay. I have my flack jacket on. But I feel better getting it off my chest.

I'm also bracing myself for the feedback I will receive for this post. But I finally figured I'd post it anyway. And I want to stress...the following is strictly my opinion.

I love golf. I think I have(had) a pretty good golf game. I love when other people play golf. Golf is my favorite form of sports. That being said, I have an observation regarding golf at TV

It seems that the attempted use of a golf swing on at TV has seen a dramatic decline lately. That would be fine, except in my opinion, there are a couple of reasons it is not so fine. Golf is a skill. Many factors play into whether the golf swing is effective, or should I say...well...good. Timing, rhythm, contact, club speed, and many other factors determine how effective attempts at a golf swing are. There's the rub. Just saying something intended to be a good swing does not make it a good swing. And there is such a thing as too much...not too much golf, but too much trying to be good at it. The best golf swing comes naturally and is used on the course, in my opinion. Constant attempts which are mostly borderline or simply lame even diminish those that might be truly good swings.

This is not intended to be taken personally by anyone on ToTV. It's just my honest feelings about a recent trend. I'm seeing more and more of what appears to failed attempts at golf swing at TV for two reasons:

1) Many of the golf swings...remember...my opinion only...are simply not good. With respect to golf, this is obviously very important. Golf isn't a game like baseball, where if you succeed a small percentage of the time you're considered successful. One potentially good swing gets lost among many failures. A sense of quality must be maintained, or it's just hacking around the course . Very few people like sitting through lame attempts to find the occasional, mildly acceptable swing.

2) Possibly even more important because it has the potential to irritate and/or offend people...the "bad swings" are at a time when they are simply not appropriate, either swung inappropriately in a serious game, or at a time within any game that is simply ugly in the extreme. Don't get me wrong. I think golf is great sport, and can be played in the most serious of conditions. But even then, some sense of proficiency is essential.

Bring on the golf. Everybody should golf every day. But make sure it is athletic, artistic, and...well...good.

Okay. I have my flack jacket on. But I feel better getting it off my chest

I hope my point isn't too subtle. You start by saying you love something, then criticize anything that doesn't fit your standard of what that something should be. It sounds, in my opinion, that you feel comedy is best left to professionals on a stage at a comedy club, and then only pertaining to subjects you deme appropriate. But I have seen Robin Williams and Rodney Dangerfield flop at those venues on occasion.
I quickly read through the last 300 posts today, and there were 74 "jokes" by 15 different posters. But since it looks like I'm near the top of your list, I felt I would take the lead in responding.
While I commend you on a very articulate post, and certainly you are entitled to your opinion, it really isn't much different than a post that starts "I love the Villages, but...." and then goes on to slam "the developers", or the sales team, or GG for defending them.
You seem to feel that a "good" joke can be lost among the not so good jokes. Ask a golf professional about their round. They will tell you if he hit one, just one shot exactly the way he wanted to, it was an accomplishment. I view humor the same way, sometimes you have to take the good along with the bad. It's like saying you love art, especially Rembrandt, and therefore Monet, Van Gogh, and Picasso should have confined themselves to 2 or 3 paintings each, to meet the Rembrandt standard.
TOTV is a great site. The information is invaluable. But I also find the off topic posts and "attempts" at humor very entertaining as well. Plus I love that little rofl emoticon.
So to be true to form, I leave you with the following thought-------
Polar Bear, chill out

[kittygilchrist]

Does this mean I get a break from being censored and censured?

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Does this mean I get a break from being censored and censured?

Looks that way.
Unless I can make a "lame" joke

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Looks that way.
Unless I can make a "lame" joke

Seems to me, after a long career in medicine, that you have that right.


Plus your left arm is gimpy.


Sorry.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Seems to me, after a long career in medicine, that you have that right.


Plus your left arm is gimpy.


Sorry.

Don't be. He's entitled to his opinion (No matter how wrong it is)
Now it's even more fun than before.

[tomwed]

I don't know if joke censorship is the intention of the OP.

Sometimes I roll my eyes at what I wrote the night before and I delete it first thing in the morning hoping not too many read it. People let you know if you come up with something original enough or corny enough fairly soon after you write it. And that's a rush for me when they do. Expect more bombs than hits.

I also watch out for preachiness or a sense of know-it-all-ism. I delete them ASAP.

Many times I'll write something. Sometimes taking a half hour only to push delete because I realize it doesn't add a thing to the conversation or may be taken the wrong way. I give it a little wait and see period. I'll always reread, edit and hopefully shorten. I try to put the funny word as the last word.

I think the OP is asking for proof-joking, sort of like proof-reading. That's all.

[soon to be deleted for preachiness or a sense of know-it-all-ism.]

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by tomwed

I don't know if joke censorship is the intention of the OP.

Sometimes I roll my eyes at what I wrote the night before and I delete it first thing in the morning hoping not too many read it. People let you know if you come up with something original enough or corny enough fairly soon after you write it. And that's a rush for me when they do. Expect more bombs than hits.

I also watch out for preachiness or a sense of know-it-all-ism. I delete them ASAP.

Many times I'll write something. Sometimes taking a half hour only to push delete because I realize it doesn't add a thing to the conversation or may be taken the wrong way. I give it a little wait and see period. I'll always reread, edit and hopefully shorten. I try to put the funny word as the last word.

I think the OP is asking for proof-joking, sort of like proof-reading. That's all.

[soon to be deleted for preachiness]

Like I said, he is entitled to his opinion. But if YOU are editing YOUR posts because of what someone else is setting as a standard, then that is a form of censorship, no matter what you call it. If you were going to edit it anyway because you didn't like it, that's fine. There is a huge difference between the two. I think you should get back to your jokes---at least I like them