# how many days have to pass before it is acceptable to have a joke about tragedy
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [March 24, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833 "2003-03-24T18:32:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/21 "2003-03-25T17:11:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Tamex \*
> **The thread (on another message board, but there was a link here) a few weeks ago that put captions underneath the government’s ambiguous pictures telling you what to do in case of terrorist attack were, IMO, funny as hell.**
You mean [these](http://houstonjusticenotwar.org/articles/terrorist_attack/index.html)? 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Janie\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janie_Jones)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/22 "2003-03-25T17:13:51Z")
I think it’s safe to tell this joke:
“Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you find the play?”
But just barely.
---
### Author:  [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/23 "2003-03-26T01:52:08Z")
10 years ago, right around the 30th anniversary of JFK’s assassination, they had a character on Saturday Night Live named “Head Wound Harry” who got invited to a party but grossed everyone out with his huge head wound. It was exactly like JFK’s wound.
I wonder what the 40th anniversary will bring this year. Maybe a skit with Harry’s son “Crash” flying him over to Martha’s Vineyard at night during a hurricane in a single engine Cessna.
I’m ashamed.
---
### Author:  [@green\_dragon\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_dragon_1)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/24 "2003-03-26T03:30:57Z")
I have to say I’m in agreement with the majority here, that jokes about tragedy are not necessarily a bad thing and tend to be a coping tool, however I followed the link in the OP and I have to say i am disgusted, especially with the shuttle stuff. How would the relatives of those who died in these horrible circumstances feel on seeing images of their loved ones mocked like this?
I think that site went too far.
---
### Author:  [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/25 "2003-03-26T04:03:55Z")
I looked at the subject and immediately thought of [somethingawful.com](http://somethingawful.com). I think that it is ok because if go to the website you know there are going to be jokes about 9-11 and anything else distasteful. Here it might be innapropriate.
---
### Author:  [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/26 "2003-03-26T04:56:07Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by green\_dragon \*
> \*\*How would the relatives of those who died in these horrible circumstances feel on seeing images of their loved ones mocked like this?
>
> I think that site went too far. \*\*
I have a sneaking suspicion that none of them have ever even heard of “Something Awful”.
---
### Author:  [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/27 "2003-03-26T05:03:05Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by green\_dragon \*
> \*\*How would the relatives of those who died in these horrible circumstances feel on seeing images of their loved ones mocked like this?
>
> I think that site went too far. \*\*
I have a sneaking suspicion that none of them have ever even heard of “Something Awful”. I also suspect that the only people who would visit SA are those whose idea of humor includes such poking fun of tragedy.
In my opinion, the only person at fault here is your friend, who I hope apologized to you for misjudging what you think is appropriate.
---
### Author:  [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/28 "2003-03-26T09:22:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by IrishMeg \*
> \*\*This site was sent to me by a friend who must have thought this was funny. \*\*
Your friend is cooler than you.
---
### Author:  [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/29 "2003-03-26T09:22:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by IrishMeg \*
> \*\*This site was sent to me by a friend who must have thought this was funny. \*\*
Your friend is cooler than you.
---
### Author:  [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/30 "2003-03-26T13:58:58Z")
I heard that having your convoy make a wrong turn and get captured by the Iraqis is what happens when you let a woman drive.
Clearly this is an insensitive comment and inappropriate water cooler banter.
---
### Author:  [@green\_dragon\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_dragon_1)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/31 "2003-03-26T18:44:55Z")
When i said ‘how would the relatives feel if…’
Well perhaps I should’ve been more specific. What I meant was that I didn’t find it funny, and putting myself in the shoes of someone who had been directly influenced by said events made the whole thing just plain bad taste.
I think the difference here (cos I HAVE laughed at 9/11 jokes before now) is the images of people - especailly the space shuttle one with the smiling pilots I think that’s jsut plain out of order.
I do concede that anyone likely to be upset/offended probably wouldn’t be there, but I still think there should be a line of some sort.
---
### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/32 "2003-03-26T20:51:37Z")
You have to know your audience. I wouldn’t make a gallows humor joke in front of someone I knew had lost someone in the WTC tragedy, but I can crack wise around my dad and my sister because I know them and they know me.
---
### Author:  [@purgepro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purgepro)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833/33 "2003-03-27T18:09:53Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Revtim \*
> \*\* “He must be dead, he’s never this quiet!” \*\*
**Revtim** , when someone can make a comment like this about someone she just lost, ya know the healing has started. Your mom is a wonderfully funny person.
I try to see the funny side to most things and I resort to humor to move away from the tragic. One of my favorite jokes:
Jesus is nailed to the cross. He calls out to Peter. “Peter, Peter.”
Peter climbs up the cross and says, “yes Lord?”
Jesus replies, “Peter, I can see your house from here.”
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-have-to-pass-before-it-is-acceptable-to-have-a-joke-about-tragedy/163833.md?page=1)