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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Spoofs, Jokes and Trolls

999 replies

Hullygully · 27/03/2013 16:47

Right.

I want a serious debate about this.

I started a joke thread, in my own name as usual, about a neighbour stealing a spoon.

It was questioned as "trolling" and I got told off by Rebecca at MNHQ.

Are spoofs and/or jokes no longer allowed?

Since when?

And why?

What do people think about spoofs, jokes and trolls and the difference theereof?

OP posts:
MNHQ
HelenMumsnet · 27/03/2013 17:53

@UnChartered

i slightly disagree with that Helen, about reporting and personal attacks

recently i had an 'altercation' with a MNer, and we sorted it out on thread - no harm done.

Until some nosey twat decided to report us both and with the deletions it is left looking like it was a nasty spat.

Ok, well, in that situation, although it was, technically, correct to delete the personal attacks, we would like to think the MNHQer on duty would have had time to see that you and the other MNer had made up on the thread and apologised to each other - and we could then have pointed out to the nosey twat reporter that peace and love had broken on, so all was well.

Obviously, that didn't happen in this case.

LadyBeaEGGleEyes · 27/03/2013 17:53

We need the ones that reported to come on and give us their POV about why they were offended about a thread about spoons, really.
I wonder where they are.

Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 17:54

Helen, what about these, my earlier points?

Hi Helen,

I can't agree with you, "cooling it" will do nothing except make people even more po when joking is allowed to recommence.

You can't, surely, even call it a "wind-up" - a thread about a neighbour stealing a spoon, in my own name, that is one long series of jokes about Roger etc.

Come on.

And there are loads of us who like a larf and and a spoof and a joke.

Are we just to shut up and let all the humourless po roam free and heavy-footed over MN?

How is that fair?

We have been larking and joking since the beginning, you can't let a load of newbies turn up and ruin the tone and change the style. How can that possibly be fair?

OP posts:
UniqueAndAmazing · 27/03/2013 17:54

Candy - why does it matter which it is?
as long as it's not being done specifically to harm or prise money out of people...

Tee2072 · 27/03/2013 17:57

I used to post on a forum that imploded due to similar circumstances. It wasn't fun. It's still referred to as the Night of a Thousand Knives, as so many people were deleted and banned for what was, really, no reason.

MNHQ
HelenMumsnet · 27/03/2013 17:57

@Tee2072

Okay. Then why ask them to cool it? What do they need to cool? Having fun?

No, of course not. But I gather they'd announced their intention to start a lot of spoof threads, and then they did, all at once.

It was the fact that there were quite a few of them that made us send the mail.

Perhaps we got our tone wrong in the mail (I'll have to check) but I can only repeat that it wasn't meant as a telling off or as a warning; merely as a polite request to not start any more for a bit.

magimedi · 27/03/2013 17:58

I am not sure what 'mouldies' are - I am assuming people who have been her e along time?

I'm being lazy & copying what I said on another thread, with regard to regulars/oldies/mouldies:

" I am new to MN & love the fact that it has 'regulars' who I quickly learnt to recognise.

This isn't the only forum I use and the other two or so all have oldies/regulars & that's why I like them. You can realise the 'tone' of the place so much more easily than if it's just a bunch of randoms posting.

One forum I use I've been on for nearly ten years as have a few others. We get the odd accusations of 'clique' but also a fresh intake who understand that we have 'known' each other a long time & shared much.

It's what makes for a good forum, IMHO."

Any forum you join you have to tread water for a bit whilst you see what the place is like.

RustyBear · 27/03/2013 17:58

Candy - does it actually matter whether the dog on the bus thread is a spoof, a troll or a joke? It's not doing any harm - if you're not sure how to take it, just don't post on it....

Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 17:59

moldies were some of the original mnetters who all flounced off to start their own secret club and upset a lot of people left behind.

BUT WE HAVE ALL MOVED ON

OP posts:
Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:00

Three of us Helen, just three.

And we started one harmless thread each.

Out of the zillions on here.

OP posts:
MNHQ
HelenMumsnet · 27/03/2013 18:00

@Hullygully

Helen, what about these, my earlier points?

Hi Helen,

I can't agree with you, "cooling it" will do nothing except make people even more po when joking is allowed to recommence.

You can't, surely, even call it a "wind-up" - a thread about a neighbour stealing a spoon, in my own name, that is one long series of jokes about Roger etc.

Come on.

And there are loads of us who like a larf and and a spoof and a joke.

Are we just to shut up and let all the humourless po roam free and heavy-footed over MN?

How is that fair?

We have been larking and joking since the beginning, you can't let a load of newbies turn up and ruin the tone and change the style. How can that possibly be fair?

Nope. We certainly wouldn't want anyone - newbie or not - to turn up and stop anyone larking around.

Please don't assume we wouldn't explain to those who were confused/upset/bewildered/concerned that we could see this was a regular MNer having a bit of a laugh. Of course we would.

Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:01

And one was about spoons

One about fizzy wine in the afternoon

And one about a van

OMG you're right CALL THE POLICE NOW

OP posts:
MNHQ
HelenMumsnet · 27/03/2013 18:03

@Hullygully

Three of us Helen, just three.

And we started one harmless thread each.

Out of the zillions on here.

Three is quite a few in one day, no?

But look, we've already apologised for appearing to be humourless/grinchy.

It can be hard to get the balance right sometimes. Last time there was a spoof thread, we were lambasted for joining in, if I recall!

Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:05

No, three is not a lot in one day. IMVHO

And this is bigger than the telling off email of today (I appreciate you have apologised etc), the reason I am harping on is because I think there is a real danger of the whole tone of the site changing and us all being driven off.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:06

However, I also appreciate you're bored with it now, so can we take from this that koking and spoofing ARE ABSOLUTELY ONE HUNDRED PERCENT A OK as they used to be?

Just so we all know where we stand?

OP posts:
Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:07

koking is perhaps not ok

joking

OP posts:
BOEUF · 27/03/2013 18:07

I know it's only Wednesday, but shall we all just get wankered? Wine

Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:08

Speaking poissonly, I have had a very stressful day that involved the natural history museum.

So yes. Let's.

OP posts:
Pagwatch · 27/03/2013 18:09

I have just discovered martinis and I am totally wankered already. Hths

UnChartered · 27/03/2013 18:09

i only need asking the once Wine

cheers

Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:10

OH SHUT UP STILT-HOUSE IN THE MALDIVES MARTINI FACE

OP posts:
magimedi · 27/03/2013 18:10

Gin on a Wednesday sounds like a wonderful idea.

Gin is the answer (to everything) Wine

ginslinger · 27/03/2013 18:11

oh Pag that's where I discovered martinis. Perhaps we should start a thread about how much we love martinis in the maldives?

Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:11

You have red gin, magi

Did you over do the pink?

OP posts:
Original poster
Hullygully · 27/03/2013 18:11

WANKERS

OP posts: