Protect humor....

Have you noticed that the freedom of speech seems to be hampered when it comes to humor?

Start with a joke, for the good order of things.

Q: How many Jews does it take to replace a Light bulb?
A: Jews don't replace used merchandise

It's funny, if one get's the humor. It's fine that I tell it because my family's Jewish (I don't consider myself to be, so…) but seriously, in order to crack a joke about an ethnic group, you damn well better be part of that ethnic group.

For example, if Simone Schleu, a nice and very talented lady from Germany, told the same joke I just told, she might be considered "Anti-Semitic" and, assuming she was a celebrity (like she deserves to be), she'd be sued for it, she'd be hounded by a bloodthirsty media… geez… for cracking a light bulb joke containing Jews?

And don't tell me I'm exaggerating. ESPN broadcaster Bob Griese has been suspended for one week for a stereotypical crack he made about NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya. During a recent ESPN broadcast, a graphic appeared listing the top drivers in a NASCAR competition. When fellow analyst Chris Spielman asked where was Montoya, Griese replied he was "out having a taco."

For THAT, the guy got suspended?

Come on!

I agree, racism should never be condoned. Any sort of ethnic separation should be. We're all humans. Biologically speaking, that's the one true ethnicity we have.

But humor? Good grief! I can't do the damndest little thing about the Arian Brotherhood calling for my death simply because of the religion my parents belong to, but I could ruin Arnold Schwarznegger's career, what's left of it, if he cracked a Jew Joke?

Isn't something here a little bit off?


I want to be able to tell African-American jokes without fear. I want Chris Rock to be able to tell Jew jokes without fear.

I want Simone Schleu to be able to do as Mel Brooks did without fear of being labeled as Anti-Semitic.

Humor should not be limited. Even if it's offensive. There's a difference between being offensive (which is a matter of taste) and being racist. And not anyone telling an offensive joke about some other ethnic group is immediately classified as a racist....

unless you'd tell me that everyone in Europe and the States who's not Polish is racist? I mean, I've not heard anyone complaining about Polish jokes....