Okay, first off. Fine, I admit it. On Sundays I usually go to my parent's house for dinner, and sometimes afterwards we watch America's Funniest Home Videos. At least Bob Saget isn't the host anymore!

So tonight they had this segment of car-related "funny" videos, and they showed a guy come down the diving turn, and go head on into an MR2 that had done a 180 at the bottom of the hill. Would somebody please help me understand how this is funny? I've always thought I have a good sense of humor, but this one eludes me. Oh well, at least road course racing got some air time on network TV....

 

[QUOTE=speedracer33] At least Bob Saget isn't the host anymore![QUOTE]

Man, he is horrible!!

 

The fact that people are entertained by wrecks bothers me...a lot. Did they add in the voices of the drivers?

Anyway, Bob Sagat actually has some pretty funny standup.

 

[QUOTE=GSpeedR
Anyway, Bob Sagat actually has some pretty funny standup. [/QUOTE]

Ok I'll give him that, but he sucked bad on the 'funniest vids' show.

 

...and rodeo cowboys get pissed when you laugh at them getting pronged in the *** by some bull. Should we go back through the history of hysterical stuff that's been posted here and check it with the sensitiv-o-meter? Some guy getting hurt by a drift car is a laugh riot? It's always funny when we can't sympathize with the victim. When we can, we expect everyone to see it our way?

K

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by speedracer33 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">On Sundays I usually go to my parent's house for dinner, and sometimes afterwards we watch America's Funniest Home Videos </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...and rodeo cowboys get pissed when you laugh at them getting pronged in the *** by some bull. ...Some guy getting hurt by a drift car is a laugh riot? </TD></TR></TABLE>
your 2 examples both have basic elements of comedy. (Believe it or not, comedy does have a "formula", there have been many books written on the subject)
A high speed car wreck does not, or not that I can see. so if you can, please share.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...and rodeo cowboys get pissed when you laugh at them getting pronged in the *** by some bull. Should we go back through the history of hysterical stuff that's been posted here and check it with the sensitiv-o-meter? Some guy getting hurt by a drift car is a laugh riot? It's always funny when we can't sympathize with the victim. When we can, we expect everyone to see it our way?

K</TD></TR></TABLE>

I totally disagree Kirk. In the case of the bull... getting hit by the bull, or close to hit, IS the sport. That is the purpose for the person being there, and if it happens, I don't mind laughing at it. Why? That is what the person signed up for. Car races are not the same, because the goal is to be faster and NOT hit each other. You don't start a race with one car going the other way to see if they can avoid each other. The exception? Figure 8 races or demolition derbys, in which case I'll laugh.

As for the guy in the drift video, if he had hit somebody else it wouldn't be funny at all. The fact that the driver ran over himself is just absolutely hysterical.

 

*yawn* I think RJ already beat that one to death.

 

Because people LOVE to see race cars wreck.
The only people who don't love it is... Us.

When was the last time any of you saw a commercial for NASCAR, F1, Grand Am, SWC, WRC... Whatever. That didn't include a wreck. Usually the most violent and ugly one they can get their hands on.
Thats what out fellow man loves to sit down and watch on a Sunday afternoon.

Do some of these people actually find it funny? Sure. I'm sure they do.
I don't think watching a grown man take a line drive to the nuts is funny in the least, but I'm apparently in the minority because its actually a fuggin laugh riot.


Scott, who is going to jab something in his eyes and ears if Speed doesn't quit running the Dust in the Wind Tribeca commercial soon. I'd rather watch an MR2 crash at Lime Rock.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Because people LOVE to see race cars wreck.
The only people who don't love it is... Us.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I can see people using the word entertaining in describing a racecar wreck, though I don't agree. The word I won't agree to is "funny". I don't see how a head-on collision is "funny". Apparently the guy driving the car that hit him thought it was, or he wouldn't have submitted the tape, but come on....

The sad thing is that it reminds me of the South Park version of the show, where the winner was "Little Boy Gets Hit By Train".

 

Yeah I saw that bit too, and didn't think it was that funny. I've had several incidents where people in front of my have spun, and the natural inclination is to pass on the outside since you see their car pointing inward. But I realized when someone spins always pass on the inside since it's unlikely the spinning car will turn tighter.

Looks like that guy couldn't make up his mind which way to go.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by speedracer33 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I totally disagree Kirk. In the case of the bull... getting hit by the bull, or close to hit, IS the sport. That is the purpose for the person being there, and if it happens, I don't mind laughing at it. Why? That is what the person signed up for. ...</TD></TR></TABLE>

A perfect illustration, thank you!

Your misconceptions about rodeo are the basis for your thinking the bull example is a chuckle. The idea is to ride the thing and most specifically to get the hell away from it when that exercise is completed. You think it's funny because you don't understand and can't identify with the actual situation. My cousin was a PBR guy for a long time so when I see that stuff, I imagine someone I know getting crippled. Not hard.

Most people have the same abstract - or misguided - understanding of OUR game as you have illustrated about bull riding. They think the crashing is part of the game - rather than what we are all trying like hell to avoid - so they think just like you do. They think that is "what we signed up for."

Why is it so hard to stand above the situation and understand that their ignorance might make them think a big hit is funny? Or is this just a statement about what is "right" and what is "wrong" on that front?

K


Modified by Knestis at 10:10 AM 10/24/2005

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Most people have the same abstract - or misguided - understanding of OUR game as you have illustrated about bull riding. They think the crashing is part of the game - rather than what we are all trying like hell to avoid - so they think just like you do. They think that is "what we signed up for."
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Give that man a prize.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by speedracer33 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">getting hit by the bull, or close to hit, IS the sport. That is the purpose for the person being there</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm betting something like 100% of rodeo cowboys would disagree mightily with this this statement. You know, kind of like you disagree about crashes being the reason for racing.
I honestly don't think those guys have "signed up" to be gored by a bull and I don't think thats very funny either. But maybe thats just me.

 

I can totally see how some people will think that car crashes are entertaining, AND funny.

Let's take the rodeo for example. To me, tying a rope around a bull/stallion's ***** to **** him off and then getting on top of it to see how long you can hand on is, well, dumb.
So, when the bull/horse gets a shot in, I tend to cheer for the animal. So sue me.

So, when other people see us getting strapped in a car, going as fast as we possible can with a bunch of other people similarly strapped in their cars trying to go even faster so that they can cross a finish line first - they probably think we are also idiots. and then they laugh when our dumb asses get wrecked.

not charitable, but I think it's human nature to laugh at other's stupidity. And we ARE idiots - no doubt about it. Nothing about this hobby is smart/sensible. We spent stupid amounts of money, burn up natural resources, pollute the atmosphere, and take chances with our lives so we can go around in a glorified circle at stupid fast speeds (well, except for the ITC folks ) - all that for the adrenaline rush and a $2 plaque. Dumb. But I never pretended to be a smart man. And that's all I got to say about that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Your misconceptions about rodeo are the basis for your thinking the bull example is a chuckle. The idea is to ride the thing and most specifically to get the hell away from it when that exercise is completed. </TD></TR></TABLE>

D'oh. My bad, I was thinking bull fighting when you said that, not rodeo. Switch my example to bull fighting and it makes sense, but you do make a good point of people not understanding our sport. I just have trouble imagining anybody not realizing the seriousness of a head-on collision....

 

Why do you think NASCAR is so popular? NASCAR is like hockey but instead of waiting for a fight people are waiting for a wreck. Yes there are other reasons why the sport if popular but the wrecks are one of them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
if Speed doesn't quit running the Dust in the Wind Tribeca commercial soon. I'd rather watch an MR2 crash at Lime Rock.</TD></TR></TABLE>


YEah me too. I hate that ugly car and that commercial.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SJR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

not charitable, but I think it's human nature to laugh at other's stupidity. And we ARE idiots - no doubt about it. Nothing about this hobby is smart/sensible. We spent stupid amounts of money, burn up natural resources, pollute the atmosphere, and take chances with our lives so we can go around in a glorified circle at stupid fast speeds (well, except for the ITC folks ) -</TD></TR></TABLE>

HEY!!!. I resemble that remark

All I can say is , it is the train wreck syndrome.

Spanky
#03 ITC 1990 Honda Civic WDCR

 

Hmmm ... here's a good test for everyone ... is it funny or not?

http://media.putfile.com/matwtf

 

Hmmm. How does that one fare against the "what he signed up for" criterion?

K

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gjdavis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hmmm ... here's a good test for everyone ... is it funny or not?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not.

Running yourself over = funny.

Gored by bull = not funny.

Head on collision = not funny.

NASCAR pileup at Daytona = not funny.

Bookler+toy plant = funny.

 

Hit in the nuts with a baseball - Not funny

Slipping and falling, even in a wedding dress - Not funny

"Hey yall, watch this!" - Funny


Basically, IMO an accident is never funny. Even if its a race car crash, its still an accident. The goal of those involved is NOT to crash, regardless of what some people may believe.
Now, if you get injured or bust up your **** as the result of being a dumbass (running over yourself while getting your dorifto on, taunting a bear, playing with fire/explosives to impress your friends, laying down in the middle of a highway...), now that **** is FUNNY. Pop some popcorn 'cause I can't get enough of that shizzy.

 

My wife and I caught that episode and both remarked about the LRP crash. The lame comment that accompanied it was something along the lines of "Gran Turismo wasn't enough or didn't prepare him for this" wasn't even funny, actually even a step down the old Saget routine.

But we also caught a few other things from that episode that didn't seem quite right, IE the child using the bicycle pump to mock inflate his *****? WTF was all that about? How did that make prime time, and ya gotta wonder where the kid got that particular idea from.

Must be a sign of the times.

I have to disagree though that a baseball to the nutz, or Grandma taking a header off the roof, or some wannabe skater straddling a hand rail after a failed move are quite laugh inducing though.

The wreck in question and the poor pumping kid on the other hand = not funny.

 

Now on the other hand, funny? The best one EVER was the Jack Russell Terrier jumping into the lake and popping up with a big ol' catfish in its mouth.

Take away the injury factor and I'm all over Scott's definition of "Hey, y'all..." I liked the guy who pulled the bumper off of his car trying to yank it out of his snowy driveway.

K