So, I've gotten some negative reactions regarding the joke that I liked. But I'm not going to apologize for it. I'm not. I still think that it's funny.
But I don't want you to hate me for it. See, I think it's okay if we have differing senses of humor. It doesn't make one of us bad, one of us good. It just makes us different.
See, I think I've been avoiding updating for awhile because I don't want people to think negatively of me. I don't want those negative vibes coming my way. (I've been really into universal energy lately, and, believe me, I don't want any of your bad mojo coming my way.) You don't have to love me. Just, please, don't hate me because of it. Just be neutral.
Be open-minded to the fact that we might not have the same sense of humor. We might not feel the same way about birth, vaccinations, child-raising, whatever. And that's okay. Let's just all be accepting of one another and our differences!
Yes, I liked that joke. I'm not going to pretend that I didn't. I like blue humor. I love how comedians "go too far" in Comedy Central roasts. I loved the movie The Aristocrats (and please, if you didn't like my joke, stay FAR, FAR away from the movie The Aristocrats). I love Sarah Silverman and her raunchy sense of humor.
I don't want to come across as judgmental anymore. I really don't care if you like medicated births, bottle feed, or (GASP!) circumcise. I accept our differences and love you all just the same.
Here are some wise words from my husband, Vernon:
As for the joke... you really don't understand why people don't like it? It's highly inappropriate, not really the thing you just throw out there for anyone to read (at least in my opinion). I mean of all the crimes people can think of, that's got to be pretty much at the top of the ones that people will feel is the most deplorable and disgusting and will create a visceral reaction. It's more of something you share in a smaller setting (if at all) with people you are pretty sure might react okay to it or at least feel aren't going to judge you if they don't like it. Just one of those things where just because we think it, doesn't mean it has to be shared with the world. Sarah Silverman or others can get away with stuff like that because they've taken the time to create that public personality and a career based on that. People kind of shrug it off, because oh it's just that Sarah Silverman being inappropriate again. Her character isn't really real to people. There's an (unconscious?) understanding that she's performing, and within a performance, a separation from reality exists which allows her to get away with things. I bet there's another Sarah Silverman when she's not performing. Oh... that crazy age of the Internet in which we live... changes the ways and maybe some of the rules about how we communicate. Allows everyone to voice an opinion and often times without any consequences thanks to anonymous postings.
What I need is to cultivate my online persona some more. Where you can read a joke like that and say, "Oh, that's just Allison." Yeah, that's what I need to do. You all just don't know me. I LIKE BLUE HUMOR! And I will continue to enjoy jokes that are uncomfortable. I will continue to laugh at YouTube videos where little kids get hurt. And I will continue to write charade clues that include the phrase "raping my dead grandma" whenever I play charades. Because that's who I am, people! That's who I am!
(Please love me.)
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8 comments:
I am with you on this one. I saw the movie and thought it was a cleverly written joke. And I laughed when I read it on your blog. Does it mean I think in REAL life it would be funny? NO! A joke's a joke because it's a joke, not because we would want it to be real and then really laugh about it.
Sending you positive love and laughter vibes! Celebrate your sense of humor, whatever color it is!
Ya, I still don't get it. Sarah Silverman isn't sharing recipes and pics of her kids. What we see of her, well just isn't *her*. She's got a schtick...and it works for her. It's not about hating you...it just seems like you tried to hard to be something you are not...and that's funny with raunchy humor. It works for Sarah...you should stick with recipes, natural remedies, kids & goofy humor. I guess you seem kinda mixed up, half shtick half real. Maybe make up your mind and pick one...that's what Sarah did!
I know nothing about the joke (guess I missed it but that's how I Roll!) but if you're recieving lots of comments like the one above (from anonymous) I can see where you need to defend yourself. Hey it's your blog you can do anything you want with it! I know I do that w/mine. I post real life shit that ppl don't want others to blog about- how shitty life can get and how we struggle w/it. And I also post openly about my OP on whatever floats my boat, the good times in our family, and my kids' doctors appts. You're not mixed up, your real and ppl don't like real. And if it offends them they don't have to read/follow you! They should suck it.
I for one enjoy reading blogs all "over the place" makes them interesting- and I get bored too easily of the ones that are.always.the.same.topic.And very quickly stop following. (I don't believe your life, Mrs. Blogger is THAT perfect- I'm reading only to see you crash and burn. Totally not talking to you here Goofy- just those that live a perfect fairy tale.)
Wow this is the longest comment I've written in a long time- I just hate adult cyber bullies!
Went back to find the joke. Didn't think it was funny at all.
But then again, I do care if you circumcise. Not your penis and all...
In response to, "What I need is to cultivate my online persona some more."
The problem with that statement is that an online persona would by definition be different than who you are offline. Would you say that's consistently true about the voice of your blog? I don't think your previous postings have been just an attempt to manufacture a fake personality that doesn't have to be responsible for the the words put into print?
I agree with Anonymous above. You connect with people through this blog when you are real and writing things from your real experiences. That's not to say that liking a joke is not a real experience, but I think it could have been shared differently.
For example, writing a blog post about the surprising types of things you find funny or not funny would be real and be more likely to connect with people. In a posting like that you could even say something like, "An example of the some of the way-over-the-line things I laugh at is the joke that was told in the movie Blue Valentine." Then you could have a)shared it with a reminder that you heard it in the context of a movie and with a very strong WARNING that it's completely inappropriate and may very likely offend readers... READ AT YOUR OWN RISK or b)stated that due to the nature of the joke and that it would likely offend some readers that you will not share the joke on the blog but that anyone interested may email you for the joke. Then that put's the responsibility on the reader. After all, you warned them.
I think that may have connected with readers more and they would be more likely to overlook the offensive joke within the context of a post that shared something about yourself and gave them fair warning that they may be offended. More than just saying something is the funniest joke in the world, which especially in this case, is extremely subjective and alienates people who thought they resonated with the voice of you blog.
In response to "Where you can read a joke like that and say, "Oh, that's just Allison." Yeah, that's what I need to do. You all just don't know me."
Again, do you want people to say, Oh that's just Allison. Or do you want them to say, Oh that's just "Allison" (Allison with air quotes) because there's a difference. I'm pretty sure we've all thought we've been reading Allison's (without air quotes) blog. I think readers feel like they do know the real you which is what can make it confusing when you veer away from the voice that they have connected with.
Oh and also... I love you.
Well, I didn't think the joke was funny either, but I don't hate you for it. I really like you and I know what we find funny is very different. That could be just what makes me like you so much. i like your blog for it's variety. you are a very interesting person. I like you for your honesty and imperfection. I like real and that's who you are to me. I'm sure you know just why the joke was not funny at all to me, but I still like you! no bad karma here!
Hey. I've been reading your blog for awhile, and I think that my personal reaction to the joke when I read it was more along the lines of what you said you wish would happen. I didn't really think it was funny (though I wasn't as offended as some of the commenters), and my reaction was "I really don't get Allison's sense of humor at all. It's so different from mine! But whatever! She's still good peeps." See, I knew that it was just your sense of humor. And I got that from reading your blog over time. I don't really know you much in person.
My take on your "cultivating your online persona" comment is that you feel that if people are so shocked by that joke coming from you, then you think that maybe people haven't picked up on all the many facets of your personality from reading your blog. Maybe you need to show all sides a little more so they don't feel it's out of left field when you let your sense of humor show. I didn't think you were saying that you feel you need to cultivate some fake persona just for the blog.
As a former Blogger I was relieved to give it up. Writing online started out fun but turned into an unreal world requiring constant management. An online persona is just a thin shadow of your real personality. and it's easily twisted. Better to focus on what is real and tangible in your life. I still have mixed feelings about it but maybe being more busy, getting a job or hobby in one's real community is preferable to an online community.
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