summary and opinion

IS LAUGHING ON THE VERGE OF BEING LABELED? shaun mayberry
Shaun Mayberry· Main link: http://www.aim.org/aim-column/should-we-have-a-right-to-laugh/· Another link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/30/AR2008123002633.htmlIS LAUGHING ON THE VERGE OF BEING LABLED?Ø Summary:The article presents a message that the media is trying to program us into what we can and cannot laugh at. If it’s racial or aimed at certain parties, no matter the amount of humor, ithen it is considered unorthodox to laugh at. Using examples as, one of comedy central’s top shows, the Chappelle show, to glare their attention to the use of the “N” word and its limited usage among the shows audience. Is it fair, more or less, for a simple word to be only used among certain races? Or can a republican chairman candidate (Chip Saltsman) have his views be rejected just because of a simple song (which was appraised with bad reviews on its insensitivity to race and wrote with the same type of humor as, let’s say Dave Chappelle) or be criticized because of his position as a white republican?The media is basically giving the opinions of the people before they have the chance to make one themselves. “Don’t let the media tell you how to think or feel.” The question was presented, if the two ideals of Dave Chappelle and Chip Saltman were reversed, would the opinions of their audience’s change? Would they be less immediate to judge Chip Saltsman’s insensitivity towards race, or more? What if Chip Saltsman, came out with an, much more offensive, idea of the blind white supremacist. What would be the media’s, and possibly the audience's, view. Would it change? Would Chip Saltsman be afraid to speak at all in public?Liberal parties have been known for their factors on the color of who is saying what, and how. Their opinions and discussion are not on what is being said, but on who is saying it. But this brought up further chat on the Fairness doctrine, which restricts what can be said, and officially aired in the media, which also backed the two men and thier contrversial humor.Ø My opinion:I’m a fan of Dave Chappelle’s antics and especially his jokes. There are many stereotypes and things you can say about an individual because of their color or look, etc, but when those types of stereotypes show up on Dave Chappele’s show, you realize how dumb they really are. Even with its unorthodox approach, I think the Chappelle show gives the world a different perspective and shows us how dumb we are when it comes to indentifying people by stereotypes, which also makes us laugh at our own opinions and crude thoughts. It also gives you a humorous outlook on what the country is arguing about. It shows us how ridiculous we sound when it really comes down to it. When it comes to the media, however, and how they push us to act a certain way or feel, and think a certain way, I believe that’s “bologna.” People’s opinions might be slightly skewed but people are who they are, they don’t change by what some puts on TV.