next »

[diana_prince]

The winner of NBC's reality TV show which featured unknown stand-up comics, called Last Comic Standing, season 4, was Josh Blue. Josh is a 27-year-old who happens to have cerebral palsy, which was a central theme in his stand up comedy routines on the show.

I don't watch much TV if I can help it. I did tune into this, mainly to see if Josh Blue would get the vote of the audience, and I'm really glad he did. I'm hoping that people will start to feel comfortable with differences, and sometimes humor is one avenue for that. Does anyone else hope that the political correctness of yesteryear will soon be replaced by an acceptance of differences in people, an understanding that we aren't expected to be the same or fit a particular ideal in order to gain respect and admiration?

Comedy is interesting to me because it's where people are the least politically correct and where millions find humor and comfort, not at the expense of others, but usually at pointing out the lunacy of the mundane. From Blue Collar TV to Everbody Hates Chris, comedians are continuing to fill a void for audiences who need to laugh.

[anonforthis]

And pray tell what has anything you said have the slightest thing to do with diversity in the WORKPLACE, let alone diversity in academia????

[diana_prince]

And pray tell what has anything you said have the slightest thing to do with diversity in the WORKPLACE, let alone diversity in academia????

I wrote it.

No one else is posting here.

The people laughing with the comedians work somewhere, don't they? They probably also work in academia. Therefore, some academicians are capable of appropriate humor in the workplace, even if it's about the differences in academicians. Do you understand?

Also, some people here were questioning "What is funny?" in the Meet and Greet thread, and I thought this was a more appropriate place to add something. Have a nice evening, anonforthis.

[helpful]

I don't understand your reference to political correctness of yesteryear. Can you elaborate?

[studentaffairsgal]

Josh Blue (and many of the other LCS contestants) are regulars on the college comedy circuit. I am glad someone brought this up.

I saw Josh perform last year at a NACA (National Association for Campus Activities) regional conference, and wanted to bring him to campus so my students could encounter a kind of diversity our campus is SERIOUSLY lacking. Far too often, diversity is seen in terms of gender, sexual orientation and race/ethnicity only, as opposed to including ability/disability, socio-economic status and religion, just to name a few.

I'm wondering how many forum-ites encounter this type of diversity in their workplace on a daily basis?

[tenuretracker]

I find it extremely fascinating that the OP expresses concern over comfort with differences while on the class struggle forum she said:
 
"Re: Class struggle
« Reply #31 on: August 20, 2006, 01:50:55 AM »

"To really level the playing field, we would need to start with improving the odds of the gene-pool lottery as well".

I guess only some differences are "good" while others require genetic engineering? Or is it simply "politically correct" to root for the disabled these days while continuing to vilify the poor?

AP

[diana_prince]

I find it extremely fascinating that the OP expresses concern over comfort with differences while on the class struggle forum she said:
 
"Re: Class struggle
« Reply #31 on: August 20, 2006, 01:50:55 AM »

"To really level the playing field, we would need to start with improving the odds of the gene-pool lottery as well".

I guess only some differences are "good" while others require genetic engineering? Or is it simply "politically correct" to root for the disabled these days while continuing to vilify the poor?

AP

I had every intention of ignoring your post to me almost_phinished, since you should probably be spending your time working on your Ph.D. I suppose as a typical liberal knee-jerk reaction, you clearly misunderstood my posting and misquoted yet again. I don't mind clarifying.

I would rather be born poor with great genes than be born rich monetarily with really bad genes. I didn't think it was that difficult to understand. Great and bad are relative terms. Some people might think that they inherited great genes just because they inherited wealth that was earned off the pain and suffering of others. While some other people might think they inherited great genes because they have strong backs, literally and figuratively, which means they sometimes carry the load for a lot of other people.

[tenuretracker]

I do appreciate your concern for the way I spend my time, diana_prince. And for the clarification of your statement.
However, it is not a misquote. In my phd program, they teach us to put more than six words in a row taken from text in quotation marks and to give credit to the author (Think I may have learned this in high school, even). If I had changed your statment, I would have been misquoting. If I had claimed it as my own I would have been plagerizing.

I think I need to adopt plainjane's more charitable attitude. Sheesh.
AP

[schoolsout]

Ouch burn for the op, won't be trying to make an off topic post anytime soon.

[schoolsout]

hmm, 4 year old thread, note to self, must pay more attention to details

[prytania3]

hmm, 4 year old thread, note to self, must pay more attention to details

How can you miss the sign that says,"This thread hasn't been active for a million years. Are you sure you want to revive it?"

[fanladygaga]

hmm, 4 year old thread, note to self, must pay more attention to details

How can you miss the sign that says,"This thread hasn't been active for a million years. Are you sure you want to revive it?"

I think that is very difficult.