To think SIL just doesn't have a sense of humour

[Angree]

Not a hugely important issue (or even an issue at all), but just thought I'd share to get the views of MN'ers.

I came across this clip on YouTube and thought it was very funny, playing on the stereotypical thoughts of how Women should be from the 40s/50s. I sent it to my SIL who just didn't think it was funny at all and said it just perpetuated a sexist stereotype and she would just not accept that it was at all funny. She is one of those people who, I think just likes "face level" humour like why did the X do X, then an answer, and not satire.

What do you think-funny or a stereotype?

I LOVE those sketches. The driving one is very funny too.

I like the diagrams about the effects of education. My brain does, in fact, operate like that most of the time I think...

YANBU

I LOVE this sketch. It is funny and not IMO sexist. The woman's opinion was intelligent and more thought out than the men's (after all the gold standard is a thing of the past). This means that the men were in the wrong to discount her thoughts. She wasn't being stupid, they were. It is supposed to be showing up the idiocy of old-fashioned sexism, not endorsing it. I am a humourless Feminist and I find it funny.

Although, by explaining it I have just made it a LOT less funny!

yeah, to be honest, it isn't funny.....just like racism isn't funny, laughing about sexism, not funny.

meh. not piss you pants funny, but the humor in the sketch doesn't escape me. Think your sil needs to get out more!

Is it laughing about sexism, or laughing at sexist people and illustrating how ridiculous it is?

Its hardly endorsing it, is it?

Whether is actually funny or not is in the eye of the beholder though

I don't know if it's laughing at sexism, sexist people or ridiculing it. I, however, was made uncomfortable by the commentary about her bringing shame on herself by voicing her opinion. I thought it was horrible.

YANBU it is funny, or at least as I guess humour is subjective, I find it funny.

However, I think you'll find the majority will think YABU

Have a look at this thread and you'll see what I mean!

YANBU - it's satire. The purpose of satire, is to show up the ridiculousness and danger of people's failings in a humourous way - which takes some of the sting out of it, but has the effect of humbling the perpetrator. Jonathan Swift said "Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own." If she didn't get it, I'd buy her a 'Housewives Manual' for Christmas...

Get me with me dimly remembered English A-Level facts...

I agree with your sil, 100%.

You need to get out more.

And yes sexism is a very important issue, anyone like the fact that women can earn up to 20 percent more, just because they are women?

Hark at you Indiana. As Bill Hicks would say, "we got ourselves a reader".

YANBU

I agree completely with Katey:

"It is supposed to be showing up the idiocy of old-fashioned sexism, not endorsing it. I am a humourless Feminist and I find it funny."

If you think it's sexist, it's because you've failed to understand the sketch properly.

THANKYOU everything.

It just tells me that sexism is funny when it is actually, really harmful and degrading.

Exactly everything, exactly.

The film wouldn't load for me but I'm assuming it's the Harry Enfield sketch? If so, yeah, funny, not pee your pants funny, as mentioned but DH and I always chuckle at them.

Not funny to me.
But then again, it´s Harry Enfield.

I understand the sketch just fine thanks. Did you understand minstrels? That's not racism, it's funny right.

I think it's funny if you live among folks who don't think like that - nice liberal men, you might see it as outdated and quaint. If however, you have to suffer that kind of crap from blokes (who would 'woot woot' at a sketch like that) every day then it rapidly becomes very unfunny.

What?

How can you compare the minstrels (which was out and out patronising racism) with this sketch, the only purpose of which was to highlight the sheer stupid, myopic idiocy of conventional sexism?

ok so it doesn't compare but iMO it's still taking the piss out of women.

And i'm sure Harry Enfield may well fit into the first category but it doesn't make it funny. And imagine sitting next to some bloke howling with laughter at it

Having said that, i clearly am humourless because much as i love Vic and Bob and most of the new series of shooting stars, the 'score keeper' makes me feel uncomfortable as i think they are mocking people with special needs - like you'd pull a face at school. And again, maybe they don't know anyone like that....

I do have a sense of humour, honest...