On the Game Page 2

Quote: AngieBaby @ September 30 2010, 11:34 PM BST

As a woman, I'd probablly suggest something subtler like 'Well they don't have to take 5 days off when they're on the blob.'

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In a comedy drama (or even a non-comedy drama) that would be a really good line.

In a sketch written by a woman, I'd think it a bit near the knuckle but acceptable.

If a man wrote it, I'd feel less comfortable.

But I'm not laying down the rules of comedy here.

I'm stating my own personal feelings.

Quote: Ponderer @ September 30 2010, 11:04 PM BST

i'm intrigued by your coyness about the menstrual cycle when the joke is about pre-pubescent prostitution.

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It's a question of good taste, I believe

There are certain comedy topics that the lowest comedians on Earth appear to revel in - and bodily functions (especially those of women) often take pride of place among those topics.

That's not to suggest that high-grade comedians should not broach such topics. They should - if they can be funny rather than just-plain-vulgar about them.

With a high-grade comedian, the intention is always to be funny and/or to provoke worthwhile thought among the audience. With the low-grade comedian, the intention is essentially to humiliate the subject of the joke.

Pre-pubescent prozzies are not people I often write about comedically but, if I do, I can offer justification by saying what I write is funny (at least to me) and it highlights a growing social problem.

Jokes told by men about menstruation (unless genuinely clever) are much more difficult to justify.

I guess we all have our unique sensibilities. The point about simple crassness and crudity is well made. I think I'd make that comment generally about a wide range of bodily functions, I've never really understood why masturbation is seen by many comics as funny in itself without feeling the need to add any wit or insight.

Now, dare I post my 'time of the month' sketch..

I encourage it.

Quote: Ming the Mirthless @ October 1 2010, 12:02 AM BST

In a sketch written by a woman, I'd think it a bit near the knuckle but acceptable.

If a man wrote it, I'd feel less comfortable.

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Please explain why the gender of the writer makes this less or more uncomfortable?

Quote: AngieBaby @ October 1 2010, 11:12 PM BST

Please explain why the gender of the writer makes this less or more uncomfortable?

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I didn't say it made it less or more comfortable per se (i.e. for all who read it): I said it made me (personally) less comfortable.

I'm sure my own personal feelings are of little interest to most BCG readers and so I'll summarise briefly as follows:

When a woman writes comedically about blobdom, it's highly probable she's writing from the heart about a subject she both knows and understands very well. When a man writes comedically about it, it's highly probable he's talking out of his arse with no small degree of prurience on a subject about which he knows little and understands even less.

Why the obsession with prostitution, Ming?
I'm not quite sure what the comic point you're making with these sketches?

Quote: chipolata @ October 2 2010, 11:17 AM BST

Why the obsession with prostitution, Ming?
I'm not quite sure what the comic point you're making with these sketches?

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I'm not sure two sketches indicate an obsession, do they?

And as for making comic points, you flatter me. I'm far too low on the comedy food chain to even think about such things.

Quote: Ming the Mirthless @ October 2 2010, 10:41 AM BST

I didn't say it made it less or more comfortable per se (i.e. for all who read it): I said it made me (personally) less comfortable.

I'm sure my own personal feelings are of little interest to most BCG readers and so I'll summarise briefly as follows:

When a woman writes comedically about blobdom, it's highly probable she's writing from the heart about a subject she both knows and understands very well. When a man writes comedically about it, it's highly probable he's talking out of his arse with no small degree of prurience on a subject about which he knows little and understands even less.

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When you put it that way, you make it sound like you establish the gender of the writer prior to reading a script. What do you do with gender-neutral names?