Comments on: Round Table on Mormon Humor, Round Two http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/ A Mormon Blog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:27:40 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Elisabeth http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31128 Elisabeth Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31128 This great, thanks! And I agree that Mormons are CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP. No more is this cheapness glaringly obvious than in the standard Mormon wedding reception hosted in the Ward "cultural hall". Basketball hoops? Costco mints and kool aid? By the way, if your reception was held in the cultural hall, I'm sure you made it beautiful. But Mormons don't, on the whole, seem to save their money and spend it on a big bash to celebrate their wedding. Not sure if this says anything about how Mormons view weddings in particular, and it could very well be that sans alcohol, no one really wants to stick around for very long at the reception anyway. But dinner and dancing at Mormon weddings are rare. Awesome series, guys! This great, thanks!

And I agree that Mormons are CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP.
No more is this cheapness glaringly obvious than in the standard Mormon wedding reception hosted in the Ward “cultural hall”. Basketball hoops? Costco mints and kool aid?

By the way, if your reception was held in the cultural hall, I’m sure you made it beautiful. But Mormons don’t, on the whole, seem to save their money and spend it on a big bash to celebrate their wedding. Not sure if this says anything about how Mormons view weddings in particular, and it could very well be that sans alcohol, no one really wants to stick around for very long at the reception anyway. But dinner and dancing at Mormon weddings are rare.

Awesome series, guys!

]]> By: Steve Evans http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31129 Steve Evans Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31129 Elisabeth, I couldn't agree more. We are sooo cheap when it comes to weddings. Is that because we have so many of them? The worst gifts, the worst food, everything. I recall a wedding where the food consisted of a chicken breast, a sacrament cup of coleslaw and three pringles. Each plate had three! I kid you not. Elisabeth, I couldn’t agree more. We are sooo cheap when it comes to weddings. Is that because we have so many of them? The worst gifts, the worst food, everything.

I recall a wedding where the food consisted of a chicken breast, a sacrament cup of coleslaw and three pringles. Each plate had three! I kid you not.

]]> By: John H http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31130 John H Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31130 Not to derail the thread further, but I think Mormons don't spend a lot on weddings because they are such somber, solemn occasions in our culture. My wife works for a photo studio and the weddings where a lot of money is spent, is done for the location to make everything as nice looking as possible. It's sorta like the temple - we make it look really nice and blow plenty of dough on it, but what happens in it is pretty serious and not an occasion for celebration. Mormon party-weddings are rare, unlike outside of the culture. My cousin's recent wedding in Portland - man, you've never seen such a good time. Not to derail the thread further, but I think Mormons don’t spend a lot on weddings because they are such somber, solemn occasions in our culture. My wife works for a photo studio and the weddings where a lot of money is spent, is done for the location to make everything as nice looking as possible. It’s sorta like the temple – we make it look really nice and blow plenty of dough on it, but what happens in it is pretty serious and not an occasion for celebration.

Mormon party-weddings are rare, unlike outside of the culture. My cousin’s recent wedding in Portland – man, you’ve never seen such a good time.

]]> By: John Mansfield http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31131 John Mansfield Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31131 Maybe it's just me, but this round seems pretty dire. The concept seems to be that humor is primarily a coping mechanism for enduring the terrible, awful burden that is life and all its lesser subparts. Maybe it’s just me, but this round seems pretty dire. The concept seems to be that humor is primarily a coping mechanism for enduring the terrible, awful burden that is life and all its lesser subparts.

]]> By: Steve Evans http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31132 Steve Evans Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31132 John M., I think you could be right, both as a summary of the round and a concept. That's largely how I view the role of humor generally - it is there to both highlight and smooth over the incongruities of life and society. It's more than a coping mechanism, though, IMHO -- it also serves as a tool for change. As for the round being dire, well, blame Todd. John M., I think you could be right, both as a summary of the round and a concept. That’s largely how I view the role of humor generally – it is there to both highlight and smooth over the incongruities of life and society. It’s more than a coping mechanism, though, IMHO — it also serves as a tool for change.

As for the round being dire, well, blame Todd.

]]> By: Bengt Washburn http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31133 Bengt Washburn Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31133 Hey Steve, I love the Ali G idea. How about we call him Golly-Gee? Bengt Hey Steve,
I love the Ali G idea. How about we call him Golly-Gee?
Bengt

]]> By: Ben S. http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31134 Ben S. Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31134 "But Mormons don't, on the whole, seem to save their money and spend it on a big bash to celebrate their wedding." I agree, but have a counter-example. I have some LDS relatives who took out a second mortgage on their house to pay for a daughter's almost-six-figures wedding reception. I think that's insane, myself. My wife and I got married for under $4000, did not hold the reception in the chapel, and it was beautiful. “But Mormons don’t, on the whole, seem to save their money and spend it on a big bash to celebrate their wedding.”

I agree, but have a counter-example. I have some LDS relatives who took out a second mortgage on their house to pay for a daughter’s almost-six-figures wedding reception.

I think that’s insane, myself.

My wife and I got married for under $4000, did not hold the reception in the chapel, and it was beautiful.

]]> By: Karen http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31135 Karen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31135 I think it is humorous when we suspect we feel more comfortable with something than others would. It feels edgy, and there is something about humor that is very "I'm in the know...so it's funny." An example of this is Kirby's "crow" joke from the last part. Another source of "in the know" humor comes from identifying some bit of unique mormon-ness. We think it's funny because we get the joke and others don't. An example: A Mormon bishop dies and goes to see St. Peter at the pearly gates. Peter informs him "I'm sorry, you Mormons had it wrong all these years, you need to wait here for the devil to take you down to hell." The devil comes and takes him to the first level of hell, and it's hot and miserable. The devil tells him "you can't stay here, you have to go farther..." They go to the second level of hell and it is searing and horribly awfully hot. The devil smiles and says "you have to go down further." They get down to the third level and it's absolutely unbearable. The devil grins, and says "this is where you're staying" while he opens the door... onto a beautiful lush meadow with streams and flowers and birds singing. The devil stamps his foot and cusses "damn Mormons have been irrigating again!" I think it is humorous when we suspect we feel more comfortable with something than others would. It feels edgy, and there is something about humor that is very “I’m in the know…so it’s funny.” An example of this is Kirby’s “crow” joke from the last part.

Another source of “in the know” humor comes from identifying some bit of unique mormon-ness. We think it’s funny because we get the joke and others don’t. An example:

A Mormon bishop dies and goes to see St. Peter at the pearly gates. Peter informs him “I’m sorry, you Mormons had it wrong all these years, you need to wait here for the devil to take you down to hell.”

The devil comes and takes him to the first level of hell, and it’s hot and miserable. The devil tells him “you can’t stay here, you have to go farther…” They go to the second level of hell and it is searing and horribly awfully hot. The devil smiles and says “you have to go down further.” They get down to the third level and it’s absolutely unbearable. The devil grins, and says “this is where you’re staying” while he opens the door…

onto a beautiful lush meadow with streams and flowers and birds singing. The devil stamps his foot and cusses “damn Mormons have been irrigating again!”

]]> By: Steve Evans http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31136 Steve Evans Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31136 Bengt -- GREAT idea. Can you imagine Borat Among the Nephites? Holy Moley. Bengt — GREAT idea. Can you imagine Borat Among the Nephites? Holy Moley.

]]> By: Geoff J http://bycommonconsent.com/2005/09/28/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31137 Geoff J Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://centaur.nocdirect.com/~jbycommo/2005/09/round-table-on-mormon-humor-round-two/#comment-31137 Todd: <i>You'll never, never, never hear an LDS church talk on how mothers need to quit scrapbooking and clean the kitchen. Similarly you'll never hear a talk describing the perfect father, who could even manage to take it down a notch, and still cover his duties.</i> Ha! [Homer] It's soooo true! [/Homer] I liked this round maybe even better than the first round, Steve and all. Todd: You’ll never, never, never hear an LDS church talk on how mothers need to quit scrapbooking and clean the kitchen. Similarly you’ll never hear a talk describing the perfect father, who could even manage to take it down a notch, and still cover his duties.

Ha! [Homer] It’s soooo true! [/Homer]

I liked this round maybe even better than the first round, Steve and all.

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