Ever seen a comedian tell a joke that gets no reaction? What do they do? They just soldier on and tell another joke. Sometimes they recover. Sometimes their entire set bombs.
The point is that even the best comedians haven't figured this out yet.
So if you like telling strangers jokes, then don't despair when one doesn't land.
Even the best comedians will do sets in little comedy clubs or at backroom open mics while they're writing material for their next tour to see what works. Failure is, after all, the first step to success.
I'd leave the people at the next table in the cafe alone though. They're no there for some random guys inner monologue.
Also, the same joke can get the audience rolling or completely bomb depending on the audience and everything leading up to the joke. Even the best comedians at the height of their careers bomb sometimes.
I don't think there's any such thing as an audience that objectively sucks. Humor is subjective, and I think there's a mental trap of "I think this joke is funny, therefore it is objectively funny and anyone who disagrees is just too stupid to get it" that some comedians fall into, especially if they have a small niche of people who also vibe with their brand of humor. But that attitude prevents you from critically analyzing why jokes are funny, why different things are funny to different audiences, why some jokes fit better in a riff while others can stand alone, etc. Humor is a collaborative craft and part of being good at it is being able to hear your audience say "no, not that one" and believe them.
I agree with you from the perspective of craft, and furthermore I don't believe in objectivity, but when we're talking about two pepfl people it could just be that they are sucky compared to the general mix you get at a comedy show.
Sure, could be. Who knows why they didn't laugh. Maybe they had just had a big fight and were trying to make nice. Maybe they were on their way to a funeral. Maybe the joker had been staring uncomfortably at them before telling the joke. Maybe they just suck as humans, who can say. I guess my point is that it's hard to know why someone doesn't laugh at a joke, and jumping to "those people just suck" as a first resort is a thing that people do when they don't want to think critically about how they are received by other people.
Agreed the purpose of saying they suck is to stop thinking critically about how the joke was received [and move on without doing too much mindreading].
Honestly, it's like an unsolicited dic pic for conversation. I don't want you to butt into my life with some mundane captain obvious joke and I don't want to talk about the weather.
Give me an honest smile and a simple hello though and you've won my heart.
That's an unfair comparison. OOP wasn't rude, they weren't being flirty, it doesn't even have to be treated as friendly, and most certainly they weren't being overtly sexual (which a dick pic certainly is)
Also here ;)
::: spoiler Tap for spoiler
This is an unsolicited Dick pic 😂
Nobody bats 1.000. You might catch people on an off day and get a fizzle instead of a bang but they'll forget about it long before you do. Getting a good one to land makes up for it though, people will remember and re-tell them for years if you're lucky. The world ought to be funnier than it is.
The original comment wasn't meant to include the person in the picture
This person replied in a way that made it sound like it did (the "joke")
The other people were not amused by this playful rupture of social barriers
the dude is a total weirdo for doing that tbh. im trying to think of any location where this would actually be funny and i cant. like is this at a restaurant?
It's not the location. He has to be handsome enough in relation to the couple that they humor the intrusion but not too handsome in a way that threatens the bf.
The backfire that OP is feeling comes from him being aware of his unexpectedly low handsomeness level.
Here's the tip: say it like you don't give any fucks what they think. The trick is to not give a fuck, which is the hard part. Once you've got that down, then you can deadpan the most absurd shit into comedy.
Here's my follow up tip: to learn how to not give a fuck, first you need to give way too many fucks. Start throwing yourself into the fire and Jeb Bush yourself until you develop Melodram Patheticism. After you adopt "please clap" as your motto, you will become too powerful to ignore.
If you wanna double down in the worst way possible say, "somebody's grumpy this morning!"
Generally I find the best thing to do is to sort of snicker at your own joke to make it clear it was just a little joke then don't say anything else if they didn't react well.
yea, from what I've seen it used to be dance videos, but nowadays people just stick their face in front of other people's content with some robo-voiced commentary 🤷
P.S. I'm not on Tiktok either - had to use it a bit for work a few years ago, but it was so exhausting
53 Comments
logicbomb@lemmy.world · 71 pts · 336d
Ever seen a comedian tell a joke that gets no reaction? What do they do? They just soldier on and tell another joke. Sometimes they recover. Sometimes their entire set bombs.
The point is that even the best comedians haven't figured this out yet.
So if you like telling strangers jokes, then don't despair when one doesn't land.
OriginalUsername7@lemmy.world · 42 pts · 336d
Even the best comedians will do sets in little comedy clubs or at backroom open mics while they're writing material for their next tour to see what works. Failure is, after all, the first step to success.
I'd leave the people at the next table in the cafe alone though. They're no there for some random guys inner monologue.
snooggums@piefed.world · 21 pts · 336d
Also, the same joke can get the audience rolling or completely bomb depending on the audience and everything leading up to the joke. Even the best comedians at the height of their careers bomb sometimes.
SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 335d
well that's why they say "read the room". That is also a skill you need to hone.
snooggums@piefed.world · 3 pts · 335d
Which is honed by bombing!
lugal@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 336d
Just one more
lanejokeILikeTraaaains@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 336d
Adding more
lanesjokes will eventually fix it.SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 335d
If not, bury in tunnels.
EtherWhack@lemmy.world · 57 pts · 336d
Nah, they were just grumps
oddlyqueer@lemmy.ml · 36 pts · 336d
Blaming the audience for not laughing at your jokes is the hallmark of the poor comedian.
grrgyle@slrpnk.net · 58 pts · 336d
But what if your audience actually sucks
alaphic@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 336d
Fair question.
verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works · 8 pts · 336d
Example: The Philadelphia Incident, Bill Burr, 2005.
oddlyqueer@lemmy.ml · -2 pts · 336d
I don't think there's any such thing as an audience that objectively sucks. Humor is subjective, and I think there's a mental trap of "I think this joke is funny, therefore it is objectively funny and anyone who disagrees is just too stupid to get it" that some comedians fall into, especially if they have a small niche of people who also vibe with their brand of humor. But that attitude prevents you from critically analyzing why jokes are funny, why different things are funny to different audiences, why some jokes fit better in a riff while others can stand alone, etc. Humor is a collaborative craft and part of being good at it is being able to hear your audience say "no, not that one" and believe them.
grrgyle@slrpnk.net · 10 pts · 336d
I agree with you from the perspective of craft, and furthermore I don't believe in objectivity, but when we're talking about two pepfl people it could just be that they are sucky compared to the general mix you get at a comedy show.
oddlyqueer@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 336d
Sure, could be. Who knows why they didn't laugh. Maybe they had just had a big fight and were trying to make nice. Maybe they were on their way to a funeral. Maybe the joker had been staring uncomfortably at them before telling the joke. Maybe they just suck as humans, who can say. I guess my point is that it's hard to know why someone doesn't laugh at a joke, and jumping to "those people just suck" as a first resort is a thing that people do when they don't want to think critically about how they are received by other people.
grrgyle@slrpnk.net · 4 pts · 336d
Agreed the purpose of saying they suck is to stop thinking critically about how the joke was received [and move on without doing too much mindreading].
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 3 pts · 336d
As per Bernadette Peters.
"The only true sin is playing too hip for the room."
Gnugit@aussie.zone · 34 pts · 336d
I often blank stare people who randomly spit out annoying jokes or tell me unsolicited life stories so I can relate well to this couple.
alaphic@lemmy.world · 27 pts · 336d
Well, I think we've identified our early favorite for "Most Congenial Lemming"...
Psst... It's you. You're that person.
Gnugit@aussie.zone · 16 pts · 336d
😐
alaphic@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 336d
OOOHHH LOOK! HE'S DOING THE THING!
Gnugit@aussie.zone · 4 pts · 336d
Honestly, it's like an unsolicited dic pic for conversation. I don't want you to butt into my life with some mundane captain obvious joke and I don't want to talk about the weather.
Give me an honest smile and a simple hello though and you've won my heart.
Aedis@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 336d
That's an unfair comparison. OOP wasn't rude, they weren't being flirty, it doesn't even have to be treated as friendly, and most certainly they weren't being overtly sexual (which a dick pic certainly is)
Also here ;)
::: spoiler Tap for spoiler This is an unsolicited Dick pic 😂
:::
Gnugit@aussie.zone · 12 pts · 336d
Actually i think you're right, it was an unfair analogy.
betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 336d
Tricky.
village604@adultswim.fan · 3 pts · 336d
Lame, I was expecting the dick that blasted in that guys face.
verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 336d
Well played.
Cold_Brew_Enema@lemmy.world · -1 pts · 336d
You sound lovely
grrgyle@slrpnk.net · 14 pts · 336d
I often blank stare people because I forget to turn my face on.
Gnugit@aussie.zone · 5 pts · 336d
The older I get and the more I see of the world the harder it is to flip that switch.
Visstix@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 336d
Retail job?
village604@adultswim.fan · -6 pts · 336d
You must be fun at parties.
Gnugit@aussie.zone · 4 pts · 336d
Thank you Captain Obvious.
butternuts@piefed.zip · 4 pts · 336d
😐
betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 336d
Nobody bats 1.000. You might catch people on an off day and get a fizzle instead of a bang but they'll forget about it long before you do. Getting a good one to land makes up for it though, people will remember and re-tell them for years if you're lucky. The world ought to be funnier than it is.
argh_another_username@lemmy.ca · 19 pts · 336d
Sorry to say, I don’t get it.
grrgyle@slrpnk.net · 20 pts · 336d
The original comment wasn't meant to include the person in the picture
This person replied in a way that made it sound like it did (the "joke")
The other people were not amused by this playful rupture of social barriers
alaphic@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 336d
I venture that the other people are - and this is a technical term, so forgive me if I mispronounce it, but - douche canoes
ngdev@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 335d
the dude is a total weirdo for doing that tbh. im trying to think of any location where this would actually be funny and i cant. like is this at a restaurant?
plyth@feddit.org · 1 pts · 335d
It's not the location. He has to be handsome enough in relation to the couple that they humor the intrusion but not too handsome in a way that threatens the bf.
The backfire that OP is feeling comes from him being aware of his unexpectedly low handsomeness level.
ngdev@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 335d
i think if he looked like sloth from the goonies itd be peak
callouscomic@lemmy.zip · 18 pts · 336d
Tell jokes for yourself. Norm MacDonald style.
Fuck everyone else.
FreddiesLantern@leminal.space · 11 pts · 335d
Double down:
Go get your own, sit back next to them.
“I suppose you don’t want a bite of this one instead?”
Zozano@aussie.zone · 10 pts · 335d
Here's the tip: say it like you don't give any fucks what they think. The trick is to not give a fuck, which is the hard part. Once you've got that down, then you can deadpan the most absurd shit into comedy.
Here's my follow up tip: to learn how to not give a fuck, first you need to give way too many fucks. Start throwing yourself into the fire and Jeb Bush yourself until you develop Melodram Patheticism. After you adopt "please clap" as your motto, you will become too powerful to ignore.
JackbyDev@programming.dev · 8 pts · 336d
If you wanna double down in the worst way possible say, "somebody's grumpy this morning!"
Generally I find the best thing to do is to sort of snicker at your own joke to make it clear it was just a little joke then don't say anything else if they didn't react well.
ininewcrow@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 336d
Keep poking and prodding ..... not with the same people tho
Eventually over time, you'll find people who share the same sense of humor as you.
ivanafterall@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 335d
"Fine, does anybody else want to share their scone with me? Apparently these people aren't in a sharing mood?"
sundray@lemmus.org · 5 pts · 336d
jjjalljs@ttrpg.network · 4 pts · 336d
This format of text over face is kind of weird. I feel like it's the "motivational poster" template of the mid 2020s.
kazerniel@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 336d
I think it is (or meant to look like) a still from a Tiktok video?
jjjalljs@ttrpg.network · 3 pts · 336d
Is this what tiktok is? I've never delved into that slop
kazerniel@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 335d
yea, from what I've seen it used to be dance videos, but nowadays people just stick their face in front of other people's content with some robo-voiced commentary 🤷
P.S. I'm not on Tiktok either - had to use it a bit for work a few years ago, but it was so exhausting