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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that there's nothing funnier than people falling over?

299 replies

PiddlePoo · 26/02/2015 17:11

Inspired by Madonna's fall at last nights Brits. I can't remember the last time I've laughed so much at a live TV event, it was hilarious. Even the reporter on Sky News was trying not laugh whilst talking about it later on in the evening, and myself and my colleagues have been laughing about it all day today.

A few years ago during the bad snowfall we had there was a clip shown on ITV news of a group of people slipping over on the same patch of ice on a pavement. That made me howl as well.

What is it about people falling over that makes it so amusing?

OP posts:
Longdistance · 26/02/2015 22:59

Yeah. Fallings down the stairs is fucking hilarious. Especially when you break your tib and fib and have to have major surgery resulting in two metal plates and 19 screws Hmm

bigbluestars · 26/02/2015 23:00

" I don't do sympathy or empathy"

"However my brain does not allow sympathetic or empathetic feelings "

Which allows you to laugh when bad things happen to others.

pineappleshortbread · 26/02/2015 23:02

You may laugh in the future longdistance I know I laugh about a broken femur two surgeries wheelchair a nd crutches aged 11. Trust me all these years on it is hilarious and I'm being serious

YiIKEA · 26/02/2015 23:03

Obviously people damaging themselves isn't amusing to anyone but falling is inherently ridiculous and as such can be funny. That disconnect between wAlking along then being flat on your arse and having to get up is sometimes funny. We understand the value of appearance and how a fall breaks the rules, and anything that is embarrassing can have humour potential in the right circumstances. Ice skating is fun...partly because you fall on your bum...not funny if it is a scared child, not funny if it's a face plant or head whack but hysterical when it's the staggered dancing topple or the cool teen suddenly flailing and going down.

I have some physical quirks that mean I fall pretty regularly, have had fractures, breaks and concussion. I can still cry with laughter at the memory of sone of these falls...most friends have a funny fall story that involves me. I landed on my arse in asda last week and split my jeans from the weird squat then topple backward manoeuvre - it was funny.thank goodness I find it funny

Just reading about the person bouncing downstairs on his bum is enough to make me laugh, reading about the mum wetting herself as she laughed at an unfortunate husband makes me chortle...I am not a bad person just like the ridiculous drama of the unexpected prat fall.

pineappleshortbread · 26/02/2015 23:03

Exactly but I'm not a bad person I'm not nasty to others I don't start fights or insult people. I am a generally caring and nice person who will go out or her way to help others.

Rollergirl1 · 26/02/2015 23:05

I was at a School PTA event about a year ago, an evening music event. There was dancing and I happened to fall over, I don't know how. It wasn't through being drunk. Anyway, I was feeling a total tit on my own and it didn't help that two other Mum's thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world and stood there pointing at me and laughing. I just remember thinking at that moment what horrible cunts they were.

Penguinsaresmall · 26/02/2015 23:07

My favourite is the one where someone is trying to walk on icy ground and they do that 'trying to stay upright' little dance, so don't actually fall over but nearly do.

I'm sniggering to myself just imagining it Grin

pineappleshortbread · 26/02/2015 23:08

I like those who are too busy on their phone and end up walking into something ha gets me everytime

ManOfSpiel · 26/02/2015 23:10

I guess there must be two separate camps then. I completely understand the distress thing but often the funniest ones are when there is very little distress other than pride.

My girls wanted to do ice skating and there was no way my wife was doing it so muggins had to, despite my never skating before. The girls had to be accompanied by an adult so that was me. The things you do for your kids!

I did eventually get the hang of it but not before doing a Scooby doo impersonation and falling flat on my backside. It killed but it was pure hilarity to my wife. That doesn't make her uncaring at all. She loves me, honest!

Penguinsaresmall · 26/02/2015 23:12

My mum & I once did the classic thing years ago of seeing ourselves on a tv screen in a shop window as we were walking along - and both smacked straight into a bus shelter.

We did actually piss ourselves laughing.

pineappleshortbread · 26/02/2015 23:17

Has anyone seen the video of the women in a mobility scooter try to up an escalator? I know it must of hurt (she did get up and walk away mind you) but I had to laugh purely at her stupidity for thinking you can go up an escalator in a mobility scooter

YiIKEA · 26/02/2015 23:22

But roller girl they were being horrible, their response was horrid if they had laughed and helped you up and been kind it wouldn't have been so bad. Some people are just twats.

I reckon manofspiel she loves you more because you have the gumption to get out there. My dh appreciates my comedy spills...obviously I could never be with a man who valued appearance and coolness...

I would have laughed with you penguins, I once smacked into a big pebble dashed litter bin so hard I was left spread eagled over the top of it like I was trying to lie on top of it. It was in a really busy town and I can still smirk at the memory of how surprised everyone looked.

Rollergirl1 · 26/02/2015 23:23

ManOfSpiel: Well if you describe that kind of scenario obviously I wouldn't mind my DH and kids laughing at me if i fell on my arse. Grin

Also I accept there is a difference between watching and finding someone falling funny when you are not there and watching remotely.

Even so I still didnt' have it in me to find Madonna's fall last night funny. I just felt sorry for her.

anya79 · 26/02/2015 23:27

Can you imagine a hard fall on concrete outside head first, not funny i've seen it occur twice. Once an old lady and second time my friend no one laughed because they were hard falls.

a little trip up can be funny especially if the person is showing off but not falling maybe im boring i just see the dangerous side of it.

Rollergirl1 · 26/02/2015 23:29

Yikea: Yes, they were being horrible. And so by the same token the people that are "remotely" laughing and pointing at Madonna for falling are doing exactly the same thing. They are laughing at her misfortune. It's nasty shit.

HappenstanceMarmite · 26/02/2015 23:35

Good to see the pious out in force tonight

ManOfSpiel · 26/02/2015 23:36

Rollergirl1

I still haven't seen the incident so am not sure if it's worthy of humour.

fattymcfatfat · 26/02/2015 23:39

I laughed at the thought of pushing my ex through the upstairs window when he was cleaning them once...not because I wanted to hurt him, I wasnt actually thinking about the landing, just that it would be funny to see him fall Blush
in hindsight I wish I had pushed the twat

Greenrememberedhills · 26/02/2015 23:41

How weird, laughing at other people's injuries. I just don't get it.

NorksWar · 26/02/2015 23:42

I'm amazed that there are so many people who don't find falling over funny! I'm crying with laughter at some of these posts!

My Nan died from a fall and I've got permanent damage from fracturing my pelvis during a fall years ago, but I still wet myself laughing last week when I skidded down the icy driveway clinging on to my wheelie bin then fell on my face in the road!

SnapeChat · 26/02/2015 23:52

This reply has been deleted

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Rollergirl1 · 26/02/2015 23:55

I'm not pious. I broke my arm at the age of 34 whilst drunken arm-wrestling with a friend and still (have to) see the funny side of that. The 4 inch scar on my arm makes sure of that.

I would hazard a guess that the rule is, if the person falling finds it funny then it's okay to laugh. If they don't then it's cruel.

Still

JassyRadlett · 26/02/2015 23:58

Good to see the pious out in force tonight

Eh? People don't find something funny that you do, and explain why?

Yep. It's unacceptable. I bow to your clearly superior personality.

(I still don't get why it's inherently funny, unless it's amusement at someone's pride being dented? I don't even get that, really.)

Bean89 · 27/02/2015 00:01

I always thought I found falling quite funny, until I saw my OH fall over. He didnt hurt himself, but I was heavily pregnant and the look of shock and embarrassment on his face just made me cry loads.
However I thought Madonna falling was dead funny because I think she's a bad dickhead.

rebelfor · 27/02/2015 00:01

I wouldn't laugh at a leg breaker, but a stumble which makes the person do an 'ooohh' noise and have that really panicked look on their face for .3 of a second when they think 'shittt!!' makes me supress a giggle, but only because I'm mortified if it happens to me.

More like a nervous laughter, I suppose.