# This is to the humorless lawyer I came across **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 11, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917 "2004-01-11T03:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917/21 "2004-01-12T14:06:29Z")
The crux of the matter. Defendant, being unable or unwilling to procure said joke, is hereby found guilty and sentenced to a strangling-with-dignity. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917/22 "2004-01-12T14:08:07Z")
This is to the humorless lawyer I came across Fuck you!!! Here’s what happened. So I’m in court for my speeding ticket (all right so I’m guilty). I sit down 2 seats down from a guy with a big briefcase, It’s pretty obvious who he is. So anyways finally the judge comes in very late and I silently (I mean quietly) crack a joke to the lawyer - “Fucking asshole is late . Do you see that. Treating us like shit. Wish they didn’t have that metal detector outside. I could have brung me a gun.” [sup]\*[/sup] The lawyer looks up at me, stares deeply into my eyes for around two seconds and then says with the most emotionless face I have ever seen “That was so funny”. And then continues to stare me in the eye. [sup]\*[/sup] As yet unconfirmed. Still awaiting official joke transcript. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917/23 "2004-01-12T14:14:47Z")
If it was a law-related joke, the lawyer has probably heard it many, many times from people who each thought they were being terribly witty and original. It’s like tall people being asked about “the weather up there” or postal workers being teased about “going postal” (I happen to be married to a tall postal worker, heh). Not only that, but he probably didn’t think that was exactly a good time and place to be joking. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917/24 "2004-01-12T14:58:13Z")
I guess I’m in the minority, because I can relate to **eman77**. Sometimes a quip is just a verbal greeting, a way to make a small social connection. These kind of jokes really shouldn’t be judged on how humorous they are. If you’re sharing some situation, i.e. being made to wait, a little joke just says, “we’re in this together.” The lawyers response says, “Yes, we’re both here, but we’re not together because _you_ are a contemptible peon.” So unless the joke was particularly crude or inappropriate, I think the lawyer was being a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2004, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917/25 "2004-01-13T06:28:51Z")
No love for the O.P. here… Dude, you were in **court**. Sit there and look smug, or crack jokes, and see how well-disposed the judge becomes toward you. I have seen a man held in contempt and taken into custody during _jury selection_ for being a jackass when a judge was present. Did you really want your attorney having a giggle fit while he’s trying to save yer ass? ---
**Author:** ![WILLASS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/54ee81/32.png) [@WILLASS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WILLASS)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917/26 "2004-01-13T17:32:39Z")
Picture yourself as the Lawyer: You work on a daily basis with wise cracking defendents (quite likeley to be criminals) who feel it is appropriate to make jokes just before going to trial and you are probabley one of a long list of smartasses that this guy has seen in his career, now unless the joke was absolutley brain tinglingley amusing (unless you post it we’ll have to assume it was crap) can you really blame him for his reaction? Court is not really the place for hilarity IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917/27 "2004-01-13T19:01:45Z")
I love that I’m being asked to agree with an action that isn’t described. Can you yada-yada a joke? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917/28 "2004-01-13T19:49:42Z")
I’m unsympathetic, but for an entirely different reason. Had the lawyer done that to me, I probably would’ve burst into helpless giggles. What can I say? I love both deadpan humor and pompous gasbags; whichever the lawyer was would’ve cracked me up. Daniel [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-to-the-humorless-lawyer-i-came-across/223917.md?page=1)