Nothing Left to Lose
August 31, 2011 3:03 AM Subscribe
"At an improv comedy show on August 14, audience members were invited to step up to the microphone and tell a story that would inspire an improv set. Partway through the performance, a man who identifies himself as "Eric" begins to tell his story." This article, from NPR, describes the event which some considered an admission of rape (video of the monologue included in article). While there may be an argument about whether it was rape, George Carlin once addressed the another aspect of this story with his bit, Rape Can Be Funny. (Text version) [Explicit words from George Carlin, of course]
Can rape be funny or are there limits to the freedom of expression in comedic (or any other) art form?
Can rape be funny or are there limits to the freedom of expression in comedic (or any other) art form?
This post was deleted for the following reason: This needs to be framed in a much different way to make a good post for MetaFilter. -- jessamyn
The vast majority of rapists are heterosexuals. Just sayin'.
posted by Goofyy at 3:25 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by Goofyy at 3:25 AM on August 31, 2011
Ugh. This story is ugly enough but I'm really not at all wild about the "is rape funny or not funny oh hey a Carlin clip" framing. Flame-bait is an apt description. This post needs some aggressive trimming STAT. (and I think you meant Second City, not Second Life in the tags. Not sure what you're going for with "Yowie")
I'm a comedian - I've never done a rape joke and I doubt highly that I ever will. If other comics want to try them, that's there business but I must say, I've never seen one go over at my open mic and we've stopped inviting a couple guys back after they've bummed out a crowd with that kind of material.
Also, George Carlin wasn't addressing "the another aspect of this story" in the bit you linked because he wrote it years before this story happened. Also, it's certainly not his strongest work.
God, I hate this post.
posted by EatTheWeek at 3:31 AM on August 31, 2011 [3 favorites]
I'm a comedian - I've never done a rape joke and I doubt highly that I ever will. If other comics want to try them, that's there business but I must say, I've never seen one go over at my open mic and we've stopped inviting a couple guys back after they've bummed out a crowd with that kind of material.
Also, George Carlin wasn't addressing "the another aspect of this story" in the bit you linked because he wrote it years before this story happened. Also, it's certainly not his strongest work.
God, I hate this post.
posted by EatTheWeek at 3:31 AM on August 31, 2011 [3 favorites]
pH Indicating Socks: Agreed. I think this post is going to go rapidly downhill.
posted by Zarkonnen at 3:31 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by Zarkonnen at 3:31 AM on August 31, 2011
From the first article: Be aware before you watch the video, where Eric begins speaking at about the 38-minute mark
Is there any way of not downloading 38 minutes of stuff I don't care to see, just to get to the incriminating bit? The video in the "admission of rape" link seems to be borked.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:33 AM on August 31, 2011
Is there any way of not downloading 38 minutes of stuff I don't care to see, just to get to the incriminating bit? The video in the "admission of rape" link seems to be borked.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:33 AM on August 31, 2011
The vast majority of people are heterosexuals. Just sayin' also.
posted by the noob at 3:39 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by the noob at 3:39 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
The video in the NPR article actually does start at (and only includes) the "incriminating bit."
posted by ottimo at 3:40 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by ottimo at 3:40 AM on August 31, 2011
Tacking on the Carlin bit is nearly as creepy as thinking this story would get a laugh at the improv. I'm glad the NPR article was posted here though. It is a story worth knowing about.
posted by jwhite1979 at 3:42 AM on August 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by jwhite1979 at 3:42 AM on August 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
Talking about weird framing, NPR's roundabout attempt to focus on "the curse and the blessing of the instantly multiplied audience" doesn't win any awards, either.
posted by mediareport at 3:51 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by mediareport at 3:51 AM on August 31, 2011
Awful post. Should be heavily edited, or, for preference, taken down entirely.
posted by MadGastronomer at 3:53 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by MadGastronomer at 3:53 AM on August 31, 2011
Would the people chiming in just to criticize the poster flag it and move on or take it to MeTa, please?
posted by mediareport at 3:54 AM on August 31, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by mediareport at 3:54 AM on August 31, 2011 [4 favorites]
Is there an option for "hanging out in the thread and waiting for the deletion box"?
posted by pxe2000 at 3:55 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by pxe2000 at 3:55 AM on August 31, 2011
Can rape be funny or are there limits to the freedom of expression in comedic (or any other) art form?
These are two different questions, and they should not be linked together.
posted by dortmunder at 3:55 AM on August 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
These are two different questions, and they should not be linked together.
posted by dortmunder at 3:55 AM on August 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
Not sure what you're going for with "Yowie"
I think you'll find that question was answered pretty clearly in the first link of this FPP. But then you didn't actually read it, did you?
posted by hippybear at 4:01 AM on August 31, 2011
I think you'll find that question was answered pretty clearly in the first link of this FPP. But then you didn't actually read it, did you?
posted by hippybear at 4:01 AM on August 31, 2011
This is probably going to get pulled, but no, I can't think of any funny rapes offhand. I have seen innumerable rape jokes in Hollywood films and it's probably worth pointing out these have almost always been prison male-on-male rape jokes. These usually depress the hell out of me and make me feel a bit ashamed of being a guy.
posted by stinkycheese at 4:04 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by stinkycheese at 4:04 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
The video in the NPR article actually does start at (and only includes) the "incriminating bit."
Not here it doesn't. It's one hour, 55 minutes & 59 seconds long, and opens with a bunch of empty chairs on stage, applause, voiceover, and nothing much. As the article states, the guy apparently says his thing at 38 minutes in.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:07 AM on August 31, 2011
Not here it doesn't. It's one hour, 55 minutes & 59 seconds long, and opens with a bunch of empty chairs on stage, applause, voiceover, and nothing much. As the article states, the guy apparently says his thing at 38 minutes in.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:07 AM on August 31, 2011
"Here" where? When I click on the video in the NPR article, it starts with the guy who tells the story trying to find a microphone that works and only goes 10 min.
If that's not what you're getting, I guess you'll have to slide the bar down to the 38 min. mark.
posted by ottimo at 4:12 AM on August 31, 2011
If that's not what you're getting, I guess you'll have to slide the bar down to the 38 min. mark.
posted by ottimo at 4:12 AM on August 31, 2011
« Older Australia's High Court Rules The "Malaysian... | Amnesty International on Assad's Bloody Crackdown Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 3:17 AM on August 31, 2011