5 ms·

To provide context: Neil Patrick Harris made a joke that Edward Snowden "couldn't be there for some treason". I firmly believe all puns are uncalled for in Ame

by hawkice 12y ago

To provide context: Neil Patrick Harris made a joke that Edward Snowden "couldn't be there for some treason". I firmly believe all puns are uncalled for in America (except by dads, who call for as many puns as possible). But sometimes we get the humor we deserve, not the humor we ask for.

jimktrains2 12y ago
Was that what he said? I didn't hear the "t". Without the "t" it's much more amusing, with it's sad because it plays on a line of thought that is sad, small, and wrong.
- rootbear 12y ago
  The closed caption that I saw printed "treason" and that's what I heard. But then, they also mangled Ed Catmull's name into something like "at maul", so I don't consider it definitive.
  - brute 12y ago
    Brief reminder that what you hear is being reinterpreted by your brain to match the things that you see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0
ChuckMcM 12y ago
Joking about what is, or isn't treasonous, is to my way of thinking in just as much poor taste as joking about sexual orientation or race. I "get" the freedom of speech thing, there isn't any law against it, but I dislike it because the topic of encryption and privacy are things I consider important. Neil could have just as easily joked that Turing would still be around if he had been a bit more discreet about his "tastes." And I would be equally offended. So when you have people who have put their liberty and their life on the line for something they believe in, I think it is important for us to treat what they did with respect and not make jokes about it.
- vonklaus 12y ago
  It seems like you agree that you support free speech, but were still offended. This is a totally fair point. > things I consider important I am glad to see that you realize that virtually everything falls under the category of "important" to one person or another. Jokes are jokes and frankly I think nothing should be off limits. Freedom, ironically, is the absolute core of this argument and what Edward Snowden fought for personallly.
  - acjohnson55 12y ago
    I personally thought the joke was funny, even if it made light of my deeply held political sensibilities. But what do you mean by "nothing should be off limits"? Are you saying that no joke or form of speech should be beyond criticism, no matter the venue? I don't think anyone has a right to someone else's platform to make any sort of speech they like. Even though I found the treason joke within my limits of taste for an Oscar's broadcast, I respect the prerogative of the original poster to voice criticism. That's part of free speech too, although interestingly some are trying to silence that person with downvotes.
    - sroerick 12y ago
      It's a funny joke. I didn't see the broadcast, but laughed at just the description. However, in the context of the Oscars, its humor will be lost on a large performance of the Audience. In the context of the narrative of the evening, the result of the joke is that a lot of viewers will be able to dismiss CITIZENFOUR without watching. But it was a good joke.
      - acjohnson55 12y ago
        In the context of the broadcast the joke was so quick, and it came after an impassioned speech by Laura Poitras. I can't even imagine someone being inspired to see the movie by either its Oscar win or the acceptance speech and being thrown of course by the quick little one-liner that followed it.
    - 12y ago
qznc 12y ago
Neil Patrick Harris is a dad.

by hawkice 12y ago

jimktrains2 12y ago

Was that what he said? I didn't hear the "t". Without the "t" it's much more amusing, with it's sad because it plays on a line of thought that is sad, small, and wrong.

rootbear 12y ago
The closed caption that I saw printed "treason" and that's what I heard. But then, they also mangled Ed Catmull's name into something like "at maul", so I don't consider it definitive.
- brute 12y ago
  Brief reminder that what you hear is being reinterpreted by your brain to match the things that you see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0

ChuckMcM 12y ago

Joking about what is, or isn't treasonous, is to my way of thinking in just as much poor taste as joking about sexual orientation or race. I "get" the freedom of speech thing, there isn't any law against it, but I dislike it because the topic of encryption and privacy are things I consider important. Neil could have just as easily joked that Turing would still be around if he had been a bit more discreet about his "tastes." And I would be equally offended. So when you have people who have put their liberty and their life on the line for something they believe in, I think it is important for us to treat what they did with respect and not make jokes about it.

vonklaus 12y ago
It seems like you agree that you support free speech, but were still offended. This is a totally fair point. > things I consider important I am glad to see that you realize that virtually everything falls under the category of "important" to one person or another. Jokes are jokes and frankly I think nothing should be off limits. Freedom, ironically, is the absolute core of this argument and what Edward Snowden fought for personallly.
- acjohnson55 12y ago
  I personally thought the joke was funny, even if it made light of my deeply held political sensibilities. But what do you mean by "nothing should be off limits"? Are you saying that no joke or form of speech should be beyond criticism, no matter the venue? I don't think anyone has a right to someone else's platform to make any sort of speech they like. Even though I found the treason joke within my limits of taste for an Oscar's broadcast, I respect the prerogative of the original poster to voice criticism. That's part of free speech too, although interestingly some are trying to silence that person with downvotes.
  - sroerick 12y ago
    It's a funny joke. I didn't see the broadcast, but laughed at just the description. However, in the context of the Oscars, its humor will be lost on a large performance of the Audience. In the context of the narrative of the evening, the result of the joke is that a lot of viewers will be able to dismiss CITIZENFOUR without watching. But it was a good joke.
    - acjohnson55 12y ago
      In the context of the broadcast the joke was so quick, and it came after an impassioned speech by Laura Poitras. I can't even imagine someone being inspired to see the movie by either its Oscar win or the acceptance speech and being thrown of course by the quick little one-liner that followed it.
  - 12y ago

qznc 12y ago

Neil Patrick Harris is a dad.