Welcome back Trippi..
You didn't miss much. I tried to be funny, but I guess I'm not. Anyhow, meaning no malice doesn't excuse my judgement. I should be more sensitive toward others upon the assumption they've suffered more of life than I and have more right to be protected from being the brunt of a "joke." I was whacked over the head for having bad taste. Actually, that was a rather gentle reprimand as most people just come right out and call me a sick son-of-an-un-circumcised-mother. (Moslem curse) To which I usually respond, "Ya, so what? What's your point?" The joke remains intact; even if others don't think its “funny.” Taste is a matter of, well, ... who's telling and who's listening and the degrees of malice (or lack of sensitivity) that are intended and accepted by both toward the humor's brunt - be it persons, values, beliefs, or ideals. Good and bad taste must deal with the vagaries of moral ill-humor. If the joke is “on us all,” then the question becomes more complex. Often people deliberately go out of their way telling jokes in bad taste to see what sort of reaction they'll receive. In which case the listener either reacts offended, laughs with, or laughs back at the attempt of the teller to offend. The teller then, hopefully, has some idea of the intellect of the person who's listening. Is my friend here a mere mortal or a God before whom I'm transparent?
Anyhow, poor Harold Lehman got in the middle of this and was called an asshole when that title should be mine as I worked at least as hard as Harold for it. Jokes made in bad taste may make assholes of us as much as calling people assholes is a sign of good form and “class.” I call others assholes all the time. Dear me!
I've got no taste, nor class! And yet I'm told that we're all “equals.” I guess that's my only comfort and consolation.
Unforgiven,
Marty
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