comedy is supposed to mean something, people

April 25, 2007

Parts of Cho Seung-Hui’s video, which he sent to NBC in between rounds of shooting people, are available on YouTube:

That’s not the weird part. Look in the righthand column next to the video: a dozen other videos from teenagers, all entitled “Re: Virginia Tech Shooter Home Video NBC News Cho Seung-Hui.”

It’s not a public debate, people! To begin a public debate, one needs … a thesis, and some arguments, preferably accompanied by evidence. Also, the gunman is dead. What purpose does this serve? Are these teenagers all stymied debate-team members?*

On a related note, I was chastised in my own comments for making “school shooting jokes” when, you know, people are dead. Does anyone remember the 9/11 issue of the Onion? “Suicide bomber shocked to find self in hell”? A more welcome injection of humor I never did see.

In any case, please give me some credit for doing better than, you know, “orange and maroon and red all over.”

I specifically wanted to discuss the fact that this is, to my knowledge, the first mass murder than was interrupted halfway through to conduct a PR campaign.

While that does seem to indicate that we have finally and fully become a nation of fame-whores (yes, I know: pot, kettle, black), I think this is a salutary trend in crime-fighting: I live in kind of a bad neighborhood, and if I ever find myself getting gang-raped, I’m going to suggest that the gang members take a time-out and, you know, go design a logo. And check their Alexa rankings.

*Not enough pinstripes and acne.

Posted by jen | Filed Under Jen says 

Comments

4 Responses to “comedy is supposed to mean something, people”

  1. hoverFrog on April 25th, 2007 2:39 pm

    Perhaps it is simply too close for comfort for some people. I for one am eager to hear (or read) anything amusing about the situation. Just because I can’t think of anything funny doesn’t mean that your insights aren’t welcome.

  2. Matt Penn on April 25th, 2007 3:45 pm

    I agree with hoverfrog. As someone who lost a loved one five years ago to a random act of violence that was then sensationalized by the New York tabloids, I detest what the various media outlets do to make celebrities of cowards like suicide bombers and this latest nutjob.

    As hoverfrog said, I think that it’s a little too close for comfort for some people. And remember–if brevity is the soul of wit (I know: pot, kettle, black), discretion is also the better part of valor!

  3. Jen2.0 on April 25th, 2007 4:18 pm

    As a 2005 graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, or Virginia Tech for short, (NOT Virginia Tech University or University of Virginia Tech that the media so lovingly called us), I think that jokes at this point are welcome. We’re sick of being pitied and we’re ready to move on.

    I know that after a certain period of time, I need humor to cope. As long as it’s not “maroon, orange, and red all over,” then have at it. Joke about the shooter, joke about the survivors, but I don’t think that even those who use humor to cope would find joking about the deceased victims acceptable.

    For instance, I found myself giggling over a couple of new Facebook groups: COLIN GODDARD - MAN OF STEEL and COLIN GOT SHOT AND ALL HE GOT WAS THIS LOUSY X-BOX. A blurb from the X-BOX group:Colin Goddard received multiple gunshot wounds to the leg, shoulder, and buttocks (for those of you who know Colin you know he has no ‘buttocks’, but for stories sake..). He is currently in the hospital in Blacksburg recovering from his most recent surgery (and interview with Oprah so I’m told), and has a long and painful recovery ahead of him.

    That is why I have started this group/fund. I will temporarily be using my website to host a donation service for Colin. Hopefully we can gather enough money to buy him an XBOX 360 to help with his recovery, but if not I’m sure we can buy him a really nice donut!

    THIS is the kind of humor that I, as a Hokie, find comforting at this time. It shows that we’re moving on and not dwelling on the actions of some deranged individual. Some people may be too sensitive and think that this is too much too soon. For that, I say fuck ‘em; bring on the laughs! :-)

    GO HOKIES!

  4. Matt Penn on April 25th, 2007 5:24 pm

    Does anyone remember the 9/11 issue of the Onion? “Suicide bomber shocked to find self in hell”? A more welcome injection of humor I never did see.

    You make a lot of good points in your post, Jen. If laughter helped you cope with the tragedy that was 9/11, fine. Whatever gets you through the night, as John Lennon would have said, before he himself (truly ironically) was assassinated by a celebrated nutbag.

    For my part, though, I just happen to think that, while humor may indeed come as a relief for many, for others there is a recognition that if we must mourn the dead, we also must mourn the death of propriety and discretion in our culture of excess. Ours has become a cynical society, where every tabloid headline turns into punchline fodder in short order, but that doesn’t mean that solemnity and propriety SHOULDN’T occupy their proper places; rather, it just means that, sadly, they don’t.

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