Who was it who said that the essence of good humour is that it should happen to somebody else?
Anyway, have you noticed the type of humour where people taking offence is built in to the joke? For example, the other day I told the old epileptic joke. You know the one:
Question: What do you do if you see an epileptic having a fit in the bath?
Answer: Throw your washing in!
When I told this joke one of the group took offence because his brother has been an epileptic and he died in the bath. Of course I apologised and said I didn't realised his brother had drowned. Well, it turns out he didn't drown. He choked on a sock.
My mate pulled off a belter in a Glasgow pub, deep in the east end, known as a gangster hangout(also his friends)
At a party my mate got one of the guests to ask one of the gangsters about his sister piano playing abilities. It was a set up start to finish, led into it like a sheep to slaughter.
Gangster says.
Think thats funny ??, think you're having a F***** laugh ?? with the straightest face ever. And it went on like that for a bit before he says, My Sister has thalidomide.
Mortification from the party guest, mate says he didnt know what to do. Though he was going to get stabbed or shot or something till my mate burst into laughter.
Oh those east end party jokes, a real laugh
Same mate when we visited a pub that was pretty much just working fishermen, and we all were pleasure sailing in full hobby sailing attire. bit of a ruckus starts, one of what seemed like the biggest guy in there coming out with a fair bit of sarcasm, could have gotten nasty until my mate grabbed this guy by his belly fat, and went flooby flooby flooby.
Place went quiet, then the big guy burst out laughing. All ok after that.