# The Right Wing and the redefinition/misuse of the word "joke" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 9, 2026, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725 "2026-11-09T04:03:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/1 "2026-11-09T04:03:02Z")
The comment/suggestion is put out there by someone on the right and either 1. Not enough opposition to it arises and it goes through, or 2. A giant wave of “WTF did they just propose?!?” washes over the land and, instead of backing off and admitting that a mistake may have been made, suddenly the proposal becomes a “joke” and the Right (and some of the left) are _totally_ flabbergasted that we took it seriously. Latest example: Trump proposed that UFC Prez Dana White takes over the job of Press Secretary. We know that was the Dana White he (perhaps mistaken) meant and nobody of consequence on either side of the aisle thought this was the most brilliant of ideas. “WTF did he just propose?!?” was heard from most…and suddenly the announcement from Trump is “Just kidding!!” [Trump says Dana White press secretary offer was a joke](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/trump-says-dana-white-press-secretary-offer-was-a-joke/ar-AA2h1Vis?ocid=BingNewsSerp). Am I the only one seeing this problem? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/2 "2026-11-09T04:50:10Z")
The whole point of trolling is trying to get people to believe what you’re saying. ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/3 "2026-11-09T04:50:30Z")
I’m not sure why you think it’s a problem. A president as verbally incontinent, and as totally unmoored from reality, as Trump is will inevitably, from time to time, come out with things that even his most toadying lickspittles cannot bring themselves to pretend are not batshit insane. In such a case the president needs an off-ramp, and it’s the “Ha ha! That was a joke!” routine. We know it was not a joke. He knows — in so far as he knows anything at all — that we know that it was not a joke. The toadying lickspittles have an opportunity to prove their spinelessness by pretending to beleve that it was a joke. We know that this is a pretence. They know that we know that it is a pretence. Everybody — except possibly the president — understands the position perfectly well. Nobody is misled. So where’s the problem? Sure, it’s dishonest and humiliating for the president, and the fact that the president and everyone around him is indifferent to honesty and positively embraces humiliation _is_ a problem, but there are much, much more worrying manifestations of that problem that this “it’s a joke!” routine. Obligatory Blackadder quote: Blackadder: Dr. Johnson left in the highest of spirits, sir. He is utterly thrilled at your promise to patronise his Dictionary. Prince George: I told him to sod off, didn’t I? Blackadder: Yes, sir, but that was a joke…surely. Prince George: Was it? Blackadder: Certainly! and a brilliant one once more. Prince George: (happy at the idea he managed to pull off a joke, pretends that it was his intention all along) Yes, yes! I…er…suppose it was, rather, wasn’t it… Blackadder: So may I deliver your note of patronage to Dr. Johnson as promised? Prince George: Well, of course. If that’s what I promised, then that’s what I must do. …and I remember promising it distinctly. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/4 "2026-11-09T04:58:05Z")
Let’s also point out that Trump seems to have no actual sense of humor and doesn’t really understand what a “joke” is. Even when he is given jokes written by other people for him, he doesn’t know how to deliver them and ends up just talking about and criticizing them. > **[Why Trump’s jokes fall flat](https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/5492518-why-trumps-jokes-fall-flat/amp/)** > > His deep insecurity and fear-based rhetoric isn’t suited to classy presidential humor. > Presidential wit works best when it acknowledges vulnerability without surrendering authority. But Trump just doesn’t have the personality for it, even though it might help his sagging poll numbers. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-do-none-of-trumps-jokes-feel-like-jokes/2020/07/03/bdcc053a-bca1-11ea-bdaf-a129f921026f\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-do-none-of-trumps-jokes-feel-like-jokes/2020/07/03/bdcc053a-bca1-11ea-bdaf-a129f921026f_story.html) > Yet, when it comes to telling an actual joke, **Trump is fairly hopeless**. He knows what the _definition_ of the word “joke” is, but doesn’t understand them enough to know what normal people would accept as a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/5 "2026-11-09T04:59:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. A giant wave of “WTF did they just propose?!?” washes over the land and, instead of backing off and admitting that a mistake may have been made, suddenly the proposal becomes a “joke” and the Right (and some of the left) are _totally_ flabbergasted that we took it seriously. One thing MAGA and Trump himself can’t stand is being mocked. They’re equipped to deal with your anger but they don’t have defense against laughter, so they come up with some weak excuse that their idiotic behavior was a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/6 "2026-11-09T05:26:08Z")
I’m not sure how it’s either a redefinition or misuse. It’s a lie that it was a joke because it was either a trial balloon to gauge public response or just cover for Trump’s remaining neurons misfiring, but it being a joke would be the completely standard usage of the term. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/7 "2026-11-09T06:15:10Z")
> **[Schrödinger's douchebag - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger's_douchebag)** > (_[Canada](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Canada#English "Canada"), [US](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/American_English#English "American English")_, _[slang](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary#slang "Appendix:Glossary")_, _[idiomatic](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary#idiomatic "Appendix:Glossary")_, _[derogatory](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/derogatory#English "derogatory")_, _[vulgar](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary#vulgar "Appendix:Glossary")_) A person who makes [offensive](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/offensive#English "offensive") or [inflammatory](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/inflammatory#English "inflammatory") remarks and characterizes these statements as either [sincere](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sincere#English "sincere") or [joking](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/joking#English "joking") based on the reactions of others. You really have to understand how to deal with Cluster B personality disorders and dark triad traits to navigate Trump and the republicans. Their tactics are right out of a domestic abusers playbook. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/8 "2026-11-09T07:39:37Z")
It’s the same definition of joke that people used back when I was a kid, where someone would say something deliberately mean and then if you looked remotely angry they’d say “just joking.” Also, I like the theory that Trump was recommended a completely different Dana White: > **[The other Dana White responds to Trump’s surprise White House press secretary...](https://nypost.com/2026/11/08/us-news/other-dana-white-responds-to-trumps-surprise-white-house-press-secretary-announcement/)** > > “So what are the chances someone suggested this Dana White and Trump pulled a Four Seasons Total Landscaping?” an X user joked. (yeah, it’s the NYP, but it details the theory and even shows a quote from the woman herself.) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/9 "2026-11-09T09:33:14Z")
They have refined… actually their idol has redefined a number of other words, chief among them fake. Why not joke, too? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/10 "2026-11-09T10:11:25Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It’s the same definition of joke that people used back when I was a kid, where someone would say something deliberately mean and then if you looked remotely angry they’d say “just joking.” This is the best summary of the situation. We’re dealing with an administration that is stuck in the third grade, with third-grade insults. “Tala-freak-o,” “_Mohammad_ El-Sayed,” “Adam Schitt,” “Barack _Hussein_ Obama,” “Crooked Hillary,” “Sleepy Joe Biden,” and so on. And just like third-graders, when a joke or name backfires, it’s time to pull out the “just kidding” excuse. _Mohammad_ El-Sayed? I meant to say _Abdul_ El-Sayed. Just joking!" “Dana White of the UFC for Press Secretary? Awright, he’d bring some enforcers!” “Um … sir, maybe they mean Dana W. White, of the Pentagon.” “Yeah, just kidding about the UFC guy!” Time for the Trump administration to grow up, get long past the third-grade, and admit and accept when it makes a mistake. And it stops trying to cover its error up with “Just kidding!” ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/11 "2026-11-09T12:46:08Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > They have refined… actually their idol has redefined a number of other words, chief among them fake. Why not joke, too? But it’s not anything new, it’s garden-variety trolling for lulz. The fact that Trump sometimes turns his trolling into reality (Lake America?) is beside the point. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/12 "2026-11-09T12:56:48Z")
It’s a trial balloon. They float a balloon of an idea up, if it gets shot down, they then just say it was a joke, if it isn’t shot down, then they go with the plan. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/13 "2026-11-09T13:04:20Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > > [@BigT](#): > > > > It’s the same definition of joke that people used back when I was a kid, where someone would say something deliberately mean and then if you looked remotely angry they’d say “just joking.” > > This is the best summary of the situation. We’re dealing with an administration that is stuck in the third grade, with third-grade insults. “Tala-freak-o,” “_Mohammad_ El-Sayed,” “Adam Schitt,” “Barack _Hussein_ Obama,” “Crooked Hillary,” “Sleepy Joe Biden,” and so on. Yep, it’s classic bully behavior. When they get any kind of pushback, they say “aw gee whiz, I was just joking. Can’t you take a joke?”. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/14 "2026-11-09T13:51:59Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > The whole point of trolling is trying to get people to believe what you’re saying. Au contraire! As an accomplished troll, I would say the point is to deliver a bolus of information that is just unsettlingly questionable enough that a reader is vexed with the choice to just leave that disturbance in the fabric of spacetime alone, or posit a counterpoint sufficiently stated and documented that an onlooker will not buy the bogus claim. Success is measured on a scale from ‘walk away’ (total troll failure) to ‘head implodes’ (the goal). In short, ‘to try and get people to believe _someone else_ will believe what you’re saying.’ As for Trump and the Dana White thing, the fact is [THIS DANA WHITE](https://www.war.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/1170857/dana-w-white/) appeared on a short list provided to President Trump of potential press secretaries. President Trump, having a fairly narrow scope of interests, thought [THIS DANA WHITE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_White) belonged to the name on the list. Predictably sloppy brainwork by The President, but in the end just a misunderstanding. Now, what President Trump had to say about it simply speaks to his ability to admit to making an error. Describing something as a ‘joke you wouldn’t understand’ leaves him in control in a way that, ‘Oopsie!’ doesn’t. In a broader view, “Aw, can’t you take a joke?” has been the callow comic’s escape hatch since the dawn of time. It’s not a new tactic. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-wing-and-the-redefinition-misuse-of-the-word-joke/1034725/15 "2026-11-09T16:27:24Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > _Mohammad_ El-Sayed? I meant to say _Abdul_ El-Sayed. Just joking!" His middle name **is** Mohamed though (full name Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed). The same way that Barrack Obama’s middle name is Hussein. Bigots just emphasize the middle name in order to stoke Islamophobic fears against a Democratic politician, but it’s not really an insult to give what is actually part of a person’s name, even if they’re trying to make that name seem sinister. I don’t think bringing up a person’s actual middle name is in the same realm as a mocking nickname; it’s not like Hillary’s middle name is Crooked (it’s actually Diane). For that matter, “Abdul” is technically a nickname (as a contraction of his full first name).