# Ellen Cherry, question about the jokes in the Dark Knight shooting thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 20, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855 "2012-07-20T14:57:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/121 "2012-07-22T20:15:28Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I propose the following unambiguous formula for determining waiting time before jokes: > > ## (log(initial body count) \* 20 minutes) + ((number of babies confirmed dead ^ .5) \* 7 minutes) > > (distance from USA \* 3 minutes) Good, but it needs a line to include colour of victims’ skin. [145 dead in last week’s ferry sinking in Tanzania = not a peep](http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/22/tanzania-ferry-idINL6E8IM2M820120722); twelve Batman fans = OMG I SAW A BOB DENVER CHRISTMAS SPECIAL ONCE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ME ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/122 "2012-07-22T20:16:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Uh, so you think you can judge humor on an objective scale? That your analysis of what is funny is the scale that applies to all humans? I neither think that, nor said that, in fact. But I do think it’s telling that it’s always inanely stupid humor. Just an observation, not a tsar like wish to rule all humor, sorry to disappoint. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/123 "2012-07-22T20:21:00Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Is no one going to address the elephant in the room? > > Fine I’ll do it! Why, oh why, is the offensive inserted joke, never, ever actually funny? Why is it always lame, lame, lame? Unfailingly, it seems to me. > > Even if you believe passionately in the principle, you don’t find it a little coincidental that it’s always unsophisticated, cheap, lame humour, you’re defending? Lemme guess. Your parents were wealthy socialites of Gotham City. You were eight at the time and were out together for the screening of “The Mask of Zorro” until a gang of clowns came in and told jokes. Your parents, being uptight folks, tried to stifle their laughs and ended up dying of brain embolisms. From then on you were determined to set an injustice right and clean up all areas of funny things. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/124 "2012-07-22T20:46:17Z")
> [@Beastly\_Rotter](#): > > Good, but it needs a line to include colour of victims’ skin. [145 dead in last week’s ferry sinking in Tanzania = not a peep](http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/22/tanzania-ferry-idINL6E8IM2M820120722); twelve Batman fans = OMG I SAW A BOB DENVER CHRISTMAS SPECIAL ONCE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ME True, formula to be revised as follows: -(distance from white of average victim skin color \* 6.5 minutes) But in my defense, the original formula did account for distance from USA, which partially handles the Tanzania incident. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/125 "2012-07-22T20:47:58Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I neither think that, nor said that, in fact. > > But I do think it’s telling that it’s always inanely stupid humor. Just an observation, not a tsar like wish to rule all humor, sorry to disappoint. Ok, then how do you know whether the jokes are funny or not to most on the board? To you they may not be and to others they may be hilarious and to others somewhere in between. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/126 "2012-07-22T21:57:09Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > In most situations, a day seems not unreasonable. > > And please note, we don’t need an exact timeframe if we’re not issuing warnings. We’re just politely asking people to please be considerate for a while. > > So, in this as in all things, it’s a matter of individual situations – remembering that our goal is the creation of an online “community” with reasonable degrees of courtesy and respect for each other. First, please let me know that I really do appreciate the reasonable tone taken so far. Would that all mod-member interactions could be handled this way. However, one of the aspects of dark humor is that it almost always has to come “too soon”. Once people are reconciled to an event, the humor either fades (assuming, unlike **elbows** , you thought there was humor there to begin with) or becomes predictable. It’s been mentioned earlier in the thread, but to me, the difference here is location: MPSIMS - No crass jokes for at least a day (if ever) The Pit - Free-fire zone from minute one to eternity Personally I could live with that as a general guideline… ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/127 "2012-07-22T22:35:06Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Nope. Too late. > mmm Dammit! But that’s the only “tragedy” joke I remember when I was in the 6th grade. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/128 "2012-07-22T22:36:09Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Grading fail. F+? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/129 "2012-07-23T00:26:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Ok, then how do you know whether the jokes are funny or not to most on the board? I never claimed to ‘know whether the jokes are funny or not to most of the board’. I was simply making an observation. Sincerely. No ulterior motive, I promise. I’m not trying to decide any thing, speak for anyone else, or any other sinister thing you’re imagining. I simply made the observation that it seems to be always, lame, sophomoric and not funny, when it does happen. You may feel otherwise. I am okay with that, truly. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/130 "2012-07-23T02:36:16Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > I don’t know why it should be _totally_ different for people who aren’t physically present. You don’t think that people can be shocked by what they see in news coverage, and have similar coping devices? > > Which is not to say that shock and coping are behind all such joking, either in person or at a distance. But who are you to rule it out? Upon thinking it over some, I see your point and agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/131 "2012-07-24T05:10:19Z")
I’d like to think that if I were in the theater at the time I’d try to talk the guy into shooting older, fatter, uglier people than me. But if I were at the movie, odds are good I would be the oldest fattest, ugliest target there. So I’d like to think my last words would be telling him that his mama’s so fat she needs an assault rifle to scratch her ass. I’d like to think that, but I’d probably be huddled down pissing my pants. I agree with the OP. There is no too soon here. And if I was there outside the theater, I would have been asking, “Where the FUCK was Batman?” Then we would find out if any of the survivors were carrying concealed weapons. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/132 "2012-07-24T09:48:34Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > If you have a burning desire to share, go right ahead. Nobody will flame you. You sir, are an evil bastard. And I’m laughing like a loon ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/133 "2012-07-24T10:21:53Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Really? Because I have a baby in my hand that JUST DIED!!! Note to self: do NOT go to see **Nzinga** ’s ventriloquist act. Still too soon? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/134 "2012-07-24T13:58:04Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > It’s been mentioned earlier in the thread, but to me, the difference here is location: > MPSIMS - No crass jokes for at least a day (if ever) > The Pit - Free-fire zone from minute one to eternity > > Personally I could live with that as a general guideline… Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/135 "2012-07-25T23:01:46Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > [Now stop that!](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v180/Soileau/scoldingapron.jpg) Oh god, you’re hot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/136 "2012-07-26T14:28:15Z")
I’m going to pretend that you posted that after seeing a real photo of me, so I can feel all worshiped and everything. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![oxpictus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b19c9b/32.png) [@oxpictus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oxpictus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855/137 "2012-07-28T00:41:29Z")
I think it is a matter of taste. Dark humor about the general state of woe of the human race seems acceptable. Gallows humor has always been around, but making light of a blatant massacre is in poor taste, IMHO. Unsuspecting people were murdered. Families were changed horribly, forever. Imagine one of your loved ones being in the line of fire. Devastating. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ellen-cherry-question-about-the-jokes-in-the-dark-knight-shooting-thread/628855.md?page=6)