I was watching a family sitcom the other day, one of the ones with the traditional doofy husband and the ever-so-much-wiser wife who is always frustrated by him.

He's about to say something that will ruin some manipulative plan of hers, so what does she do? Elbows him right in the jewels.  Ha ha, he keels over in pain, and much laughter ensues.

Why is this funny, yet if the situation were reversed and she was about to say something he didn't like and he slapped her to shut her up, not so funny?

I've seen this kind of thing on other sitcoms as well (there's another one where the wife regularly applies titty-twisters to her husband).  I'm not saying he should be able to slap her, but why is it ok for her to hit him?  And I know it's not "ok", but why is this even presented as a humorous situation?

Unexpected shots to the balls are funny. Pimp slaps to mouthy wives, not so much.

I didn't make the rules. I just spout them off on cue.

Quote from: TechnomancerI was watching a family sitcom the other day, one of the ones with the traditional doofy husband and the ever-so-much-wiser wife who is always frustrated by him.

He's about to say something that will ruin some manipulative plan of hers, so what does she do? Elbows him right in the jewels.  Ha ha, he keels over in pain, and much laughter ensues.

Why is this funny, yet if the situation were reversed and she was about to say something he didn't like and he slapped her to shut her up, not so funny?

I've seen this kind of thing on other sitcoms as well (there's another one where the wife regularly applies titty-twisters to her husband).  I'm not saying he should be able to slap her, but why is it ok for her to hit him?  And I know it's not "ok", but why is this even presented as a humorous situation?

First off, there hasn't been a funny new sitcom written in the last decade, at least. Personally, I haven't laughed at a sitcom since Frazier went off the air.

Second, spousal abuse only applies to women being beaten by men. Men who are physically abused by women are just twerps and obviously deserve it. If you feel sympathy for them, you must be some kind of twerp yourself.



-clash

The same reason that the bumbling police officer, the dopey boss, the inept politician, the arrogant doctor, the pompous rich guy, and the sleazy lawyer are such popular sitcom tropes, and why all of the above are depicted as being routinely shown-up by subordinates and 'regular folks': It's safely poking fun at an established power group.

Populist pandering? Maybe. But it plays a lot better in Middle America than the same TV husband berating, demeaning, and backhanding his old lady would.

Quote from: flyingmiceFirst off, there hasn't been a funny new sitcom written in the last decade, at least. Personally, I haven't laughed at a sitcom since Frazier went off the air.

Scrubs? Spaced? Black Books?

I think laffingboy has it.  Subverting a power relationship is funny.  However, I'm surprised that marriage is still being seen as a power relationship...

Technomancer: which sitcoms and when were they written?

Quote from: Hastur T. FannonScrubs? Spaced? Black Books?

:emot-geno:

-clash

It's called Political Correctness.

It's OK to bust on males, especially white ones, but everyone else is "Protected".

It's not just a gender issue either. Imagine this scene in a sitcom:

Cool loud black guy to overweight white guy: "Damn, you auditioning for da next star wars movie as jabba wan kenobi? Haw haw haw!'

Now that'd be "funny" and oK with everyone, right? But what if this happened?

Overweight white guy to cool loud black guy: "Oh, a fat joke about me. That's pretty witty and clever, I guess, for someone who's grandparents had tails."

Oh, now that would be "hate speech" and, of course, "RACIST!!!" even tho it was only made in reply to an unprovoked hateful remark. But that's PC for you. Females can bust on males but not the other way around, blacks can bust on whites but not the other way around and so on.

So the guy gets whacked in the jewels, it's Ok, it's funny because it's directed at a  designated target for abuse. Guy slaps woman for abusing him, it's a "crime".

Hypocrisy, plain and simple.

Nox, you ignorant slut.  Once again you miss the point like a cross-eyed marksman (which is, yes, "hate speech" against the visually impaired).  And if you don't see the problem with a leap from a fat joke to a racial slur, then...well, then...  Oh, crap. :rolleyes:

The humor is all in the context, in the situation.  That's why they're called "sitcoms" -- it's all about the setup.  As laffingboy pointed out, most people enjoy seeing the tables turned on the one usually in power.  The sensible wife shutting down the blowhard husband with a jab to the nards.  Everyone serves The Man and likes to see him brought low.

!i!

Right Nox, I'm going to do you a favour and show you where you deviate from human norms.

Quote from: Dominus NoxIt's called Political Correctness.

Ok, given your past history this is a worrying start.  However that's only because its you and we all know how you feel about PC and the kind of post that's going to follow.

QuoteIt's OK to bust on males, especially white ones, but everyone else is "Protected".

It's not just a gender issue either. Imagine this scene in a sitcom:

Setting the scene, so far no harm no foul

QuoteCool loud black guy to overweight white guy: "Damn, you auditioning for da next star wars movie as jabba wan kenobi? Haw haw haw!'

Now that'd be "funny" and oK with everyone, right? But what if this happened?

Now I'm actually with you on this.  I think there is a woeful hypocrisy of rights and discrimination (that's probably too strong for what I mean) of everyone versus white blokes.  Not that I've got anything against any other group, I can just recognise when the rules aren't applied across the board.

QuoteOverweight white guy to cool loud black guy: "Oh, a fat joke about me. That's pretty witty and clever, I guess, for someone who's grandparents had tails."

What the fuck are you on?  what do you think the coccyx is?  We all had tails way back when.  Or is this a monkey/ape dig.  In this one instance you go from shaky nox argument/rant into undisguised hate speech.

QuoteOh, now that would be "hate speech" and, of course, "RACIST!!!" even tho it was only made in reply to an unprovoked hateful remark. But that's PC for you. Females can bust on males but not the other way around, blacks can bust on whites but not the other way around and so on.

You made the argument.  It's not like you've taken an example from real life, you pulled it out of your diseased little head.  And so no matter what good points you might inadvertently raise the rest of it is drowned out by the noise of a scumbag.

QuoteSo the guy gets whacked in the jewels, it's Ok, it's funny because it's directed at a  designated target for abuse. Guy slaps woman for abusing him, it's a "crime".

Hypocrisy, plain and simple.

Guy getting whacked in the nads funny.  Internet forum kkkbitch, not so much.

"Guys like me we had it made,
Those were the days."

And I thought this was a thread where I could complain that I had to sit in the same room while Grey´s Anatomy was on...

I really hate that show.

Quote from: SettembriniAnd I thought this was a thread where I could complain that I had to sit in the same room while Grey´s Anatomy was on...

I really hate that show.

Dude, that's a pretty bad case of spousal abuse.In fact it's almost as bad as the poor slob who had to be in the room while his wife watched "Dr. Quinn, medicine woman."

Damn, set, aren't you on your knees sobbing grateful thanks to god you weren't THAT poor sunuvabitch?

Quote from: Hastur T. FannonTechnomancer: which sitcoms and when were they written?

Gonna make me say it huh? All right, the first (with the nut-jab) was Everybody Loves Raymond, and the second (with the titty-twister) was The King of Queens.  I admit both of the title characters in question deserve to be beaten severely, although the wives on each are equally annoying.

I can't stand either of those shows, but my fiance likes them so I know more about them than many of the shows I actually do like

At least I've managed to wean her off Golden Girls.

Quote from: TechnomancerAll right, the first (with the nut-jab) was Everybody Loves Raymond, and the second (with the titty-twister) was The King of Queens

I've just checked imdb and they're both contemporary.  I'm surprised, from what I've seen of them (which has mostly been ads or glimpses while surfing), the style of writing was so dated that I'd assumed they'd been written at least 10 years ago

Just goes to show, I guess

Quote from: TechnomancerGonna make me say it huh? All right, the first (with the nut-jab) was Everybody Loves Raymond, and the second (with the titty-twister) was The King of Queens.

Oh, you bitch.  You sad, sad bitch.  Aren't they pretty much the same show?  Right down to their perky Rachel-Ray-esque better halves?

!i!