# Are Posts With Practical Jokes Ban-Worthy? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 12, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-posts-with-practical-jokes-ban-worthy/259524 "2004-08-12T12:56:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-posts-with-practical-jokes-ban-worthy/259524/1 "2004-08-12T12:56:52Z")
In [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=270951), the OP asks about the value of some antique toy that he found. Complete with pictures. I was going to respond, jokingly, that it was a rare & elusive toy that my mother had when she was a lass, and that she recently sold it to an antique dealer for $1,000. Then I was going to skip down a few lines and say I was just kidding. But then I thought better of it, since GQ is where the Fight Against Ignorance™ takes on almost religious significance. I don’t want to be piled on, chasitsed by a moderator, or even worse, banned :eek: . So anyway, would that type of “joke” post in GQ have brough about a smackdown? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-posts-with-practical-jokes-ban-worthy/259524/2 "2004-08-12T19:46:01Z")
It kind of depends on the nature of the joke and the situation. It also depends on whether the joke is clearly a joke, or can be misinterpreted as serious. Two obvious examples: - Jokes that hurt someone’s feelings (like, if someone in MPSIMS is crying about a romance break-up, then a completely insensitive insulting sarcastic joke would probably not be well-received.) - Jokes that could lead to awkward results (like, if someone asks how to clean bacon grease out of a frying pan, the sarcastic answer “light it afire and put it under a chair” would probably not be appreciated.) Your idea of causing excitement by a false valuation of an item would probably not go over well, and could violate both hurting someone feelings and leading to awkward consequences. Overview: we are not without a sense a humour, but we recognize that there is a time and place. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-posts-with-practical-jokes-ban-worthy/259524/3 "2004-08-12T21:21:26Z")
This would probably also be a good place to mention the ban that’s been placed on intentionally linking people to pages with infinite pop-ups that crash IE, or those pages where you have to “look for the hidden face” and the screen changes to a freaky looking bald screaming kid for a frame or two. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-posts-with-practical-jokes-ban-worthy/259524/4 "2004-08-13T01:08:05Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > In [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=270951), the OP asks about the value of some antique toy that he found. Complete with pictures. > > I was going to respond, jokingly, that it was a rare & elusive toy that my mother had when she was a lass, and that she recently sold it to an antique dealer for $1,000. Then I was going to skip down a few lines and say I was just kidding. > > But then I thought better of it, since GQ is where the Fight Against Ignorance™ takes on almost religious significance. I don’t want to be piled on, chasitsed by a moderator, or even worse, banned :eek: . > > So anyway, would that type of “joke” post in GQ have brough about a smackdown? After reviewing the post you linked to, any practical joke you had planned would have been worth it. :eek: :dubious: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-posts-with-practical-jokes-ban-worthy/259524/5 "2004-08-13T12:07:11Z")
Basic Principle: If in doubt, email a moderator for a ruling. It may take a bit – there may need to be some discussion amongst the moderators – but you’ll be on the safe side of the line. Of course, that’s a problem for any jokes that will lose their humor if they’re not posted for two-days, but then, if you’re really in doubt, you probably shouldn’t do it anyhow. \< grin \>