[Humour] Is this joke offensive?

[Bold Seagull]

You're correct, the first person I thought of as a 'Kenyan bloke' was Chris Froome and I thought why would he be a pacemaker, he's a cyclist

Froome is 6'1". He was effectively the pacemaker for Bradley Wiggins TdF victory.

 

[jcdenton08]

Not bad

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

The implication of the joke is pretty clear beyond the literal statements of Kenyan's being good at running and statistically being short. The joke works on the notion of servitude, the 'little' is needed not because Kenyan's are small, but by someone having an unseen servant following them about. The humour is in the subject of the joke being served.

Now in many cases, the idea of subservience may not conjure up any historical or cultural references, but I would have thought with a former colonial African country it probably does.

The joke revolves around the person telling it making themselves out to be a bit thick.

The reason the Kenyan is following them around is because they think the Dr has told them they'll need a pacemaker for their health.

Once again highlighting how thick the person telling the joke is because they are so dim they have no idea what a medical pacemaker is.

That's how the joke works.

 

[pb21]

They do have pacemakers in track cycling...

True, they do have the derny on the track, but that’s a motorcyclist and Chris Froome is a road cyclist, so wouldn’t ever be the pacemaker.

Anyway, why would he be near the track in the first place, he’s riding up a big mountain on the road!

 

[pb21]

Froome is 6'1". He was effectively the pacemaker for Bradley Wiggins TdF victory.

Good point, although I seem to recall he did a poor job as a pacemake and rode off!

But as you say Froome isn't little, or maybe he is in the eyes of Wiggins after 2012, in a condescending sense.

 

[m@goo]

It's not a racial stereotype. It's a sporting one.

Brasil are good at football
USA are good at basketball
Sweden are good at Curling

If you make a joke about any of those sports it's not racist. But in your views it would be?

But it IS based on a racial stereotype. Of course it is. Goodness me...

The "joke" is implying that all Kenyans are good runners and that that's all Kenya is known for. It's reinforcing the stereotype that if you're a Kenyan, you must be a good runner. It's racist nonsense.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Good point, although I seem to recall he did a poor job as a pacemake and rode off!

But as you say Froome isn't little, or maybe he is in the eyes of Wiggins after 2012, in a condescending sense.

Well, he still set the pace....just not one Wiggins could following at that point!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Attended a dinner in London night.

One of the Comedian's gags was...…

"I went to the Doctors last week and he said I've now got to have a pacemaker, so I've a got little Kenyan bloke comes everywhere with me now"

As one of the organisers of the dinner I was approached at the end and told by a guest they found that gag had crossed the line.

No doubt I will get flamed on here by some, but sorry with all that's currently going on in the country and the world in general, are we danger of becoming a little too precious?

I thought it was moderately amusing and not remotely offensive.

If I started a thread each time someone complained to me about something, though, I'd never get any work done

 

[Bry Nylon]

How's the comedian feeling now? Fair play to him for not pulling out of the gig just a week after being told he's got a heart condition.

 

[BadFish]

I don't find it offensive personally but people have explained on here quite clearly why many in this day and age would find it offensive.

There is always going to be a range of reactions and responses, with being offended being one of them. No one is more right than anyone else but it is worth trying to understand others' viewpoints.

I guess the question isn't if something is offensive or not as this is subjective. The question is more about if you are happy to offend a section of your guests/audience.

Sent from my M2010J19CG using Tapatalk

 

[BadFish]

I thought it was moderately amusing and not remotely offensive.

If I started a thread each time someone complained to me about something, though, I'd never get any work done

You get work done?

Sent from my M2010J19CG using Tapatalk

 

[Lenny Rider]

I thought it was moderately amusing and not remotely offensive.

If I started a thread each time someone complained to me about something, though, I'd never get any work done

Harry I’m semi retired so have to do something before David Dickinsons Real Deal comes on

 

[portlock seagull]

It’s is 100% NOT offensive, even in a PC context (acknowledging every joke is offensive to someone somewhere on this planet but that’s their problem)

What has provoked the approach from your ‘friend’ is the moronic default thinking created by decades of PC propaganda that any joke referencing anyone non white MUST automatically be racist. And consequently decried as such. Youngsters are especially prone to this, they’ve been brainwashed and are terrified of their own shadows never mind telling such gags. Idiots essentially. Just ignore him/her Harty

 

[Billy the Fish]

But it IS based on a racial stereotype. Of course it is. Goodness me...

The "joke" is implying that all Kenyans are good runners and that that's all Kenya is known for. It's reinforcing the stereotype that if you're a Kenyan, you must be a good runner. It's racist nonsense.

It doesn't imply that all Kenyans are good runners, you've come to that conclusion by yourself.
Kenya is the country most associated with long distance running, if you did a survey of 1000 people and asked "which country had the best long distance runners" I bet the majority would say Kenya. Its a historical fact.

If there was a medical device called sprinter he could've substituted a Jamaican.

Footballer - Brazilian. Etc etc.

It's just a play on words, any implication of stereotyping or subservience only happens in the brain of the perma-offended.

 

[portlock seagull]

But it IS based on a racial stereotype. Of course it is. Goodness me...

The "joke" is implying that all Kenyans are good runners and that that's all Kenya is known for. It's reinforcing the stereotype that if you're a Kenyan, you must be a good runner. It's racist nonsense.

Sake…it’s not a negative thing but something to be proud of. Unlike your faux outrage about. I pity your way of thinking, your mindset, if that’s what you took from it. Very sad.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

But it IS based on a racial stereotype. Of course it is. Goodness me...

The "joke" is implying that all Kenyans are good runners and that that's all Kenya is known for. It's reinforcing the stereotype that if you're a Kenyan, you must be a good runner. It's racist nonsense.

In no way does it imply all Kenyans are good runners. So you're wrong right off the bat there.

It's not even saying that is all Kenya is known for.

Quite clearly the joke is built around the play on the word pacemaker, given it has two meanings.

Pace making is very common in distance running. If you want to associate pace making with running you pick the example that is most recognisable to people in distance running where shock horror, pace making is a thing. The most recognisable example happens to be the brilliant history of Kenyan runners.

What's the point of saying a Norwegian pacemaker when it won't make sod all sense.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

It doesn't imply that all Kenyans are good runners, you've come to that conclusion by yourself.
Kenya is the country most associated with long distance running, if you did a survey of 1000 people and asked "which country had the best long distance runners" I bet the majority would say Kenya. Its a historical fact.

If there was a medical device called sprinter he could've substituted a Jamaican.

Footballer - Brazilian. Etc etc.

It's just a play on words, any implication of stereotyping or subservience only happens in the brain of the perma-offended.

It really is that simple. The joke is on the person telling it, not the Kenyan contained within it.

 

[hart's shirt]

How's the comedian feeling now? Fair play to him for not pulling out of the gig just a week after being told he's got a heart condition.

Apparently he needs a heart transplant and has been given the choice between a very fit 20 year old's heart, or Bill Archer's.

He's going to choose Bill Archer's heart as it's never been used.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Apparently he needs a heart transplant and has been given the choice between a very fit 20 year old's heart, or Bill Archer's.

He's going to choose Bill Archer's heart as it's never been used.

I saw some graffiti in a pub in Cambridge once that read "Richard the Lionheart is alive and well and asking Papworth Hospital for a refund."

 

[NooBHA]

These type of threads are why I keep coming back to this site.

The OP is your classic " Right there is a thread. Now you lot try and split it "

Keep me coming . Especially now that the football season is over