Definition Essay-Humor Is A Powerful Device

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Humor is great. Humor is a powerful device. Humor is a weapon. A relief of stress, a way to connect with people, a method to bring a smile to someone’s face. However, humor can also increase stress, hurt relationships, and cause a frown instead of a smile. It’s a free country. There is no “thought police” to censor what you do or do not make jokes about. You can say whatever you want. But, should you? At some point in life, almost everyone encounters a situation where a joke is told that makes them uncomfortable. During a comedic routine by Daniel Tosh at the Laugh Factory, an unnamed audience member felt particularly disturbed by one of Tosh’s jokes. After Tosh told one of his famous rape jokes, she pointed out to him and the audience that “rape jokes are never funny.” He was quick to respond, saying that it would be funny if she was raped right there. Although her …show more content…

#deadbabies.” Yes there are many awful things in the world, and yes you can make jokes about them. However, dead baby jokes and rape jokes are not equal. Just like your mom jokes and racist jokes are not equal. There is a certain poise and maturity that must go into making jokes about touchy subjects, a poise that Tosh certainly did not have when he was making his rape joke. Later in the article, the author, Lindsay West, makes this point: “If people don’t want to be