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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

have I had a sense of humour failure, or is this not funny?

26 replies

IneedAgoldenNickname · 07/03/2013 21:08

Prepared to be told iabu, although I'm not sure I am. Grin

Lots of my friends on fb are currently 'sharing' a picture of mammy brown (Mrs browns boys for those who don't know) with a caption about us getting t ripped off by water suppliers, because they can supply a whole village in Africa with water for £5 per month. and that we should change supplier.

Now part of me thinks that it water is expensive, and we possibly do get charged more than we should. When I asked one friend, she said that she resents posting so much for 'waste water' as ours not her fault there's a leak in the pipes somewhere on her road. (I thought waste water was what we flush away maybe I'm thick)

But then I think, those villages in Africa probably have only 1 tap for the whole village, they will have to walk to it, and if it stops working they are stuffed. On the other hand, we have taps in kitchens, bathrooms, showers for many people
Flushing toilets, and therefore no cause to complain.

Oh crikey, I'm being a bore aren't I?

OP posts:
Lilithmoon · 07/03/2013 21:25

YANBU, that would bother me as well OP. Thoughtless and unfunny joke.

HorryIsUpduffed · 07/03/2013 21:25

Mrs Brown's Boys isn't remotely funny.

Water issues kill millions each year.

Waste water treatment is how we get clean water. There's surface drainage or something which is different.

Your friend is a dick on several counts.

ginmakesitallok · 07/03/2013 21:26

Well I think it's funny.

Lilithmoon · 07/03/2013 21:37

What is funny about people having limited or no access to clean water gin?

Original poster
IneedAgoldenNickname · 07/03/2013 21:40

Thanks, I didn't think I was bu, but sometimes you never know Grin

Fwiw, I find most of Mrs brown funny, just the occasional bit I don't. I don't think this picture has anything to do with Mrs brown officially though, more that someone just used the picture.

OP posts:
LemonPeculiarJones · 07/03/2013 21:40

I suppose people think its funny in a 'laugh at the stupid person' kind of way, because the comment is so ignorant.

It is a shit joke though and makes light of an extremely serious issue.

CloudsAndTrees · 07/03/2013 21:45

It's not funny, but I'd have to try really really hard to be offended too.

The whole Mrs Brown thing is shite, and the constant pictures on FB with their oh so witty comments are annoying.

EverybodysSootyEyed · 07/03/2013 21:46

your friend doesn't understand what she is paying for. she should therefore not really comment until she bothers to understand her bill

water could well be the next big conflict in the world so a serious issue

as a flippant joke it is funny, as a political point it is complete nonsense.

WorraLiberty · 07/03/2013 21:49

I think it's funny and it's not at all trying to offend.

It's taking the piss out of people who think in an overly simplistic manner...bordering on ridiculous.

Things like that are funny to me.

For example my Aunt told my Dad she resents having to pay water rates because "Water is God's natural drink" Shock

My Dad said, "Jaysus but God doesn't lay the bloody pipes and clean the stuff does he?" Grin

Original poster
IneedAgoldenNickname · 07/03/2013 21:50

Oh don't worry clouds, im not offended, was just thinking I was weird as everyone else I know (well lots of them) seem to think it's funny.

OP posts:
Nagoo · 07/03/2013 21:54

I agree, with sootyeyed, as a flippant joke, yes funny, but not to pursue as some sort of agenda. It doesn't hold up to comments about it.

Original poster
IneedAgoldenNickname · 07/03/2013 21:54

worra so it's funny because it's taking the piss out of people who think the world is that simple (badly worded, so I hope you know what I mean). And funny because those people are the people who share the picture? Is that what you mean? Sorry, I'm confused. (easily done Grin)

And your dads comment made me laugh.

OP posts:
ginmakesitallok · 07/03/2013 22:01

There's nothing funny people not having water, but that's not what the joke is about? The joke is about Mrs brown being naive enough to think that £5 is enough to supply her with fresh water?

CocacolaMum · 07/03/2013 22:04

I don't think its funny but I agree with Gin as to what the joke is about..

Original poster
IneedAgoldenNickname · 07/03/2013 22:09

Ohhhhh! I see, thanks for explaining it gin it makes sense now! [thicko]

OP posts:
DoJo · 07/03/2013 22:13

I can see why people might think it's funny but as a poorly rehashed version of many similar jokes it does nothing for me. The water issue is a red herring really - it could just as easily be 'I'll have a new loo for £50/I'd like to feed our whole village for £20/if I gave you £75 would you dig a well in my garden' type jokes.

Original poster
IneedAgoldenNickname · 07/03/2013 22:16

Should have said I still don't find it funny though!

OP posts:
aldiwhore · 07/03/2013 22:26

Do you think it may actually be satire? To raise awareness for Comic Relief? Many jokes to do the CR are purposefully bad taste funny to make you think, and dop into your pocket.

That's how I'd see it.

aldiwhore · 07/03/2013 22:27

*dip

Or dop!

WorraLiberty · 07/03/2013 22:29

I don't think the people sharing the picture really think the water board is going to supply their houses for a fiver a month.

But Mrs Brown...with the way her character thinks definitely would IYSWIM? Grin

WorraLiberty · 07/03/2013 22:31

And now it's been so over explained, it's no longer funny....

Reminds me of my old Nan

We took her to see a comedian at the local British Legion and spent all night explaining every bloody joke.... Grin

EverybodysSootyEyed · 07/03/2013 22:33

i got the impression from the op that it was being forwarded in a 'too right, let's picket the water board' type way

Original poster
IneedAgoldenNickname · 07/03/2013 22:42

Yes worra, that makes sense. I don't think the people sharing it actually think they could get water for a fiver, although they might!

OP posts:
FakePlasticLobsters · 07/03/2013 22:59

Perhaps they are liking and sharing in a "it's funny because it's not true" kind of a way?

They know they aren't going to get water for £5 a month, and they know it's not really that simple to provide a tap for a village in Africa either, and the joke would be to believe that it was that easy and could be that cheap if only we could change to the African water supplier.

I haven't seen it, and I cannot stand Mrs Brown so I might not have read the caption even if I'd seen the picture, but I don't think many people would honestly take it at face value and believe that it was possible to do what it's suggesting.

Original poster
IneedAgoldenNickname · 07/03/2013 23:02

I think you are probably right lobsters seems like I missed the point then Grin

OP posts:
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