Jeff Dunham - puppet comic extraordinaire

What are your thoughts on Jeff Dunham

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Q

Qonas

I think you and Chuck and others who take offense at Dunham and don't find him funny because of "racism" need to unwad your panties.

I'm going to avoid the protracted argument as I'm going to quickly devolve into just yelling and insulting (it's why I can't go into any political thread, as much as I want to tell every single liberal how wrong they are), but it's like this. The best comedy comes from exaggeration of some sort. An exaggerated situation, leading to comical misunderstanding. Exaggerated emotions leading to unrealistic behavior. Slapstick is exaggerated violence. What Dunham has tapped into with his puppets is the exact same thing. It's not offensive because it's ludicrously funny. He's taken the most recognizable and easily exaggerated traits from a group of people (suicide bombers, old white men) and turned up the dial on overblowing the stereotype. Why? Because it's funny.

Sorry to break it to you Chuck but last I checked, I was not an uneducated yokel living in the boondocks of the middle of nowhere America laughing at Jeff Dunham between my missing teeth while polishing my old Chevy Duster and wishing the dishwasher on my lawn would work. (Hey look, "racist" comedy that no one ever finds offensive!) Neither are any of my friends who enjoy Jeff Dunham like I do. We simply don't think harmless comedy, meant to be laughed at and not ever taken seriously, is somehow throwing the civil right's movement back eighty years or is causing people to suddenly want "White", "Colored", and "Arab" bathrooms.
 
Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

I don't find him funny because he is just not very funny. The racism is there, too. Racism isn't only segregated bathrooms and lynchings. I think what Jeff Dunham does is more harmful than someone on the street calling someone a ******.
 
K

Kitty Sinatra

crono1224 said:
Grue, and yet neither of those are still touring / popular now, they maybe great but they aren't current.
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1) I make a lame joke
2) Gusto calls me on it
3) I play along for fun
4) You make serious reply
5) I am satisfied and quit the list
6) ???
7) Profit.
 
Enresshou

Enresshou

I just don't find him that funny. I'm not going to say he's 'racist', but his jokes all seem to fall along the lines of, 'Stereotype, but with puppets, so it's funny!'
 
AshburnerX

AshburnerX

Our opinions are mute, apparently... as he's getting a TV show on Comedy Central later this month. Not a special... a full on show.
 
Cajungal

Cajungal

Staff member
Comedy Central does weird things to comedians. Dmitri Martin is hilarious, but his show was kind of lame... same with Daniel Tosh's show about the internet.

---------- Post added at 08:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 PM ----------

...And let's not forget Carlos Mencia.
 
I

Iaculus

Qonas said:
I think you and Chuck and others who take offense at Dunham and don't find him funny because of "racism" need to unwad your panties.

I'm going to avoid the protracted argument as I'm going to quickly devolve into just yelling and insulting (it's why I can't go into any political thread, as much as I want to tell every single liberal how wrong they are)..
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And you were head of your school debate team? Damn. Wish I'd come up against you lot.

The issue with 'edgy' comedy, the way I see it, is how many lines you cross and how inventively you do it. Cross the line once, and you're spewing over-the-top racist propaganda. Go beyond that and cross it twice, and you're in the happy fantasy world of sublime absurdity.

The problem is that with many of these things, Poe's Law can hit you hard. When legitimate racist propaganda is as absurd as it has often been, it is difficult to differentiate spoof from reality. Just look at the whole LGBT business - how can you parody those prejudiced against homosexuality when the Westboro Baptist Church is playing your whole act straight (pun not intended)? I mean, I'm not saying it's impossible, but you have to be very good indeed to get it right, and Sturgeon's Law dictates that few are.

That's why people often don't find it funny - because they've too often seen very similar stuff delivered with an earnest 'See? That's how they really are!'.

... Well, that and sometimes it's just not very good, regardless of content.
 
Cajungal

Cajungal

Staff member
^Yep, Iaculus... The people who will probably be my future in-laws creep me out with how much outrageous parodies of other ethnicities ring absolutely true for them. I personally don't think that that's what Dunham is going for. I'm sure he doesn't think his old redneck character fairly depicts all Southerners. I know it's different, but his 'thing' is making these ridiculous, silly characters. Ahmed might not be in good taste, but I've laughed in an "it's funny because it's absurd way..." not "it's funny because it's true."

That doesn't prove his intentions, but I guess I think there are worse, more offensive things out there.. If people want to be bigoted and believe things that aren't true, they don't require the help of a tame ventriloquist comedian. They'll find any outlet they can.

---------- Post added at 08:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:49 PM ----------
Amorous Eyes said:
Was that guy ever funny to anyone?

Even all of his 'impersonations' sound alike as well.

Cannot stand him.
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I can't lie... I liked him in the very first special he did on Comedy Central, because he seemed a lot more earnest. Now he's got this whole, "Yeah, I said it! Look how edgy and funny I am!" thing going on... and that "dee dee dee" thing makes me want to stuff his mouth with used jockstraps.
 
B

BErt

Louis C.K., David Cross, Demetri Martin, Chris Rock, Norm MacDonald, Dave Chappelle, Brian Regan, Jim Gaffigan, Brian Posehn, Patton Oswalt, Jeff Ross, Nick Swardson, Daniel Tosh, Dave Attell, Zach Galifianakis, Mike Birbiglia, Dana Gould, Stephen Lynch, Greg Giraldo, Maria Bamford, Paul F. Thompkins, Robert Schimmel.

These are the comics that matter as of now.

Also, maybe Sarah Silverman.

Mitch Hedberg and George Carlin are currently more relevant that Jeff Dunham and they dead.

Fuck Dane Cook. And Carlos Mencia.
 
S

SeraRelm

Um, yeah, that's why I said "No, he just made a skit about it."

Am I taking crazy pills or something here?
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Really? I guess humor is subjective as I didn't find Chappelle's Show the least bit entertaining, but I chuckled a few times in the first two seasons of Mind of Mencia. :shrug:
 
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