Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Need second opinion and feedback on a joke i'm writing. (self.Blind)
submitted by BakaHuman
I was in the middle of writing a short comedy sketch regarding two people, where one guy is reading a book very closely upon which his friend complains that he should get a eye test.
The guy scoffingly agrees to take it and fails to read a single letter, upon which his friend jokes "I knew you had eye problems !" , to which the guy's response is "I'm not blind, I'm just illiterate !"
So I wanted to know if the joke feels insensitive or hurtful and if it does , is there a way for me to fix it ?
I would like to finish the skit but dont want it to be hurtful towards anyone.
The guy scoffingly agrees to take it and fails to read a single letter, upon which his friend jokes "I knew you had eye problems !" , to which the guy's response is "I'm not blind, I'm just illiterate !"
So I wanted to know if the joke feels insensitive or hurtful and if it does , is there a way for me to fix it ?
I would like to finish the skit but dont want it to be hurtful towards anyone.
Laser_Lens_4 2 points 3y ago
I don't personally think it's offensive, but it's just not funny. As I understand it, the joke here is that he can't read. That feels pretty lazy at best and offensive at worst.
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My stance on these kind of jokes (blind jokes in particular) is that they have to have more effort than simply "it's funny because they're blind", and the latter is basically what you've done here, except with illiteracy instead of blindness.
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My stance on these kind of jokes (blind jokes in particular) is that they have to have more effort than simply "it's funny because they're blind", and the latter is basically what you've done here, except with illiteracy instead of blindness.
BakaHuman [OP] 1 points 3y ago
ahh gotcha, thanks.
bradley22 2 points 3y ago
It wouldn’t bother me.
AlbertFlintstein 2 points 3y ago
I'm not personally bothered by it from a vision impairment standpoint. My dad is near-illiterate due to severe dyslexia, though, and I can tell you with a fair bit of confidence that hearing this joke in a comedy routine would leave him psychologically wrecked for at least a week. I respectfully suggest that you focus on other jokes in your routine.
BakaHuman [OP] 2 points 3y ago
Oh my god, I did not thought it would be that hurtful, I genuinely just wanted to make a simple comic strip.
I didnt intended it to be targeted towards anyone's impairment whatsover, it was more like the guy disclosing to his friend about his lack of education , due to which he can't read.
If I make the punchline
"I don't have eye problems, I just never learned how to read !"
would that make it better ?
also,thanks for taking your time to educate me on stuff like this, really appreciate it.
I didnt intended it to be targeted towards anyone's impairment whatsover, it was more like the guy disclosing to his friend about his lack of education , due to which he can't read.
If I make the punchline
"I don't have eye problems, I just never learned how to read !"
would that make it better ?
also,thanks for taking your time to educate me on stuff like this, really appreciate it.
AlbertFlintstein 1 points 3y ago
What about, "I don't have eye problems, I'm just used to watching TV," or something like that? That way it's more of a joke about laziness than about a problem people are often very embarrassed about having.
BakaHuman [OP] 1 points 3y ago
tbh it wouldnt really work in the current context of the joke but I can see a lot of potential if I reworked the joke a bit
It would be mroe like "I'm just more used to watching TV okay !" stating the fact that he doesnt really read that much since he mostly watches tv.
thanks for the advice !
It would be mroe like "I'm just more used to watching TV okay !" stating the fact that he doesnt really read that much since he mostly watches tv.
thanks for the advice !
oncenightvaler 1 points 3y ago
nah I would watch that, I like listening a lot to BBC radio comedy especially the work of John Finnemore.
But watch out for the dyslexic or illiterate communities haha.
But watch out for the dyslexic or illiterate communities haha.
BakaHuman [OP] 1 points 3y ago
yeah, I was just told about that.
I geniunely did not even thought about that when making the comic.
thanks for the feedback and also for letting me know about John Finnemore !
Just heard his new friend skit, he sounds really hilarious lol
I geniunely did not even thought about that when making the comic.
thanks for the feedback and also for letting me know about John Finnemore !
Just heard his new friend skit, he sounds really hilarious lol
noaimpara 1 points 3y ago
Useless anecdote no one asked for but last year I was a camp counselor for the youngest section of my scout thing (ages 6 to 8) and for some reasons I thought it would just be easier to tell them I didn’t know how to read rather than explain I have a visual impairment. It honestly worked pretty well until an actual adult came in a week later and clocked me.
BakaHuman [OP] 1 points 3y ago
why would an adult hit you for that !?
noaimpara 1 points 3y ago
Oh they didn’t actually hit me! I meant clocked me as in, they revealed the truth. I thought that’s what it meant in English haha.
BakaHuman [OP] 1 points 3y ago
ahhh, well I guess I've heard it being used that way somewhere.
but in recent memory clocked for me means being punched HARD.
I need to stop watching gangster movies lol
but in recent memory clocked for me means being punched HARD.
I need to stop watching gangster movies lol
noaimpara 1 points 3y ago
Oh no they would have never punched me, especially in front of the kids haha
gowashanelephant 1 points 3y ago
It was a good impulse to ask. This sounds like it would be pretty insensitive. Do a Google search on “punching down” to see why that kind of humor tends to be a problem.
BakaHuman [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Thanks for your reply, If possible are there any specific parts that feel more insensitive ?
I just want to make a silly comic about a guy finally disclosing a secret to his friend that he never learned how to read rather than a jab at anyone.
Instead, if the punchline was "I don't have eye problems , I just never learned how to read !" would that be better ?
I just want to make a silly comic about a guy finally disclosing a secret to his friend that he never learned how to read rather than a jab at anyone.
Instead, if the punchline was "I don't have eye problems , I just never learned how to read !" would that be better ?
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