Deconstructing

I don't know how versed you all are in American stand-up comedy. In case you are not versed at all let me fill you in. There will be times when a white stand-up comedian will make a racial or racist joke regarding black people. Sometimes the audience doesn't laugh or doesn't laugh right away. The comedian will than usually say something like, "You're waiting to see if the two black guys in the audience laugh so you know it's OK to laugh." I have to admit sometimes the white people are waiting for the black people to laugh first, but also sometimes the joke isn't funny.

Now here's the interesting part (to me anyway.) Last night prior to my set a comedian got on stage and made some joke that began with "When women find out I'm engaged they all ask the same question, 'How did you propose?'" Note that he contorted his voice to be dreamy and yet idiotic to portray the women's question. I found it interesting that no one in the audience looked at us two token females to see if we were laughing (which we weren't) to see if it was OK for them to laugh. How is it that we are scared of showing ourselves to be racists but not masogynists? Is it because black people won't sleep with a racist but women will sleep with anyone?

I didn't like the joke because I as a women didn't care how this dude proposed to his girlfriend. All I could think about when he said he was engaged was, "Who the fuck agreed to marry him? Really? He's going to get married and I'm alone? You've got to be kidding me."

Tomorrow tune back in when I explain why a woman can't be president.

Comments

well said. although im admittedly a total sucker for asking the "how did you propose" question. usually the story that follows is cheesy and annoying and staves off those same feelings of "HOW am i alone when every other asshole's all paired up with some other asshole??"

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