# Why the hate for mimes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 22, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396 "2009-01-22T02:47:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396/61 "2009-01-24T17:49:29Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Request for cite seconded. I already heard of this (along with the practice of deliberately deforming young children), but I’ve wondered if it were true. Well, there were castrati, so I can see that “they” were in the habit of occasionally altering children to become entertainers. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396/62 "2009-01-24T22:29:22Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > I’ve never seen a live mime. … Have you seen a dead one? ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396/63 "2009-01-24T22:44:10Z")
> [@Hunter\_Hawk](#): > > IMO it’s an instance of the “uncanny valley” phenomenon. That’s an interesting thought. For anyone that doesn’t know, the “uncanny valley” refers to the phenomena where human-like things (robots etc.) begin to make us uncomfortable as they get closer and closer to exact copies. The idea is that a clearly non-human robot with some human features(or alternatively, a talking animal) will be seen as cool or cute, because we see them as a robot(or animal) plus some human characteristics. When they become too human-like, however, we instead see them as a human minus whatever features are still imperfect. This causes a feeling of aversion and disgust. I can see how this could apply to mimes, in the same way it applies to zombies(or corpses in general). They’re humans that lack something inherently human, namely vocal communication. And yes, this was mentioned in _30 rock_ as a reason why it’s impossible to create a successful porn video game. ---
**Author:** ![terrymiff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@terrymiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terrymiff)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396/64 "2009-01-25T05:54:40Z")
Lord Havelock Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series got it right. From Wiki: “Despite being technically a dictator, Lord Vetinari does not exercise the despotic rule that characterised some of his predecessors. He is, in fact, the archetype of a benevolent dictator, in a chilly, inscrutable way. In The Truth, he permits the emergence of a free press, and has rarely, if ever, been known to drag innocent people off to dungeons without trial. The notable exception to this rule are mimes, whom Vetinari despises. Vetinari banned all mime performances from Ankh-Morpork shortly after taking power. Mimes who violate the ban usually find themselves trying to climb invisible ladders out of Vetinari’s scorpion pit whilst reading a sign saying ‘learn the words.’” ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396/65 "2009-01-25T06:38:02Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > Case in point: the origin of the huge red painted smile dates back to the middle ages when children were kidnapped and their cheeks cut open so that they literally would “smile” from ear to ear, at which point they were sold as court jesters. Urban legend much? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396/66 "2009-01-25T16:46:27Z")
I love mimes. I especially love the way they thrash and soundlessly scream after you shoot them in the knees. The way their corpses burst into flames after you crush the relatively fragile skulls with a ballpeen hammer is cool too. ---
**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:** [January 25, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396/67 "2009-01-25T17:06:32Z")
Mmmm. Hmmm umph errrr grkkk #$%%%! Krrrg? ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396/68 "2009-01-25T22:25:27Z")
It’s just a cultural thing, like throwing dwarves or dead baby jokes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-mimes/482396.md?page=3)