THe Sun Never Sets on the Brittish Empire

[AFS1970]

I have always thought to myself that the difference between a funny ethnic joke and a pointless one was how relevant it is. In that humor always depends on just a bit of truth or at least common perception to be funny. So when I see a joke that the ethnicity involved could be changed without harming the structure of the joke, I usually find those to be mean and poorly conceived. When there is one that only works with the ethnicity involved I usually find it funnier and even when it stings a bit can admire a well crafted joke.

[sydnie7]

I have always thought to myself that the difference between a funny ethnic joke and a pointless one was how relevant it is. In that humor always depends on just a bit of truth or at least common perception to be funny. So when I see a joke that the ethnicity involved could be changed without harming the structure of the joke, I usually find those to be mean and poorly conceived. When there is one that only works with the ethnicity involved I usually find it funnier and even when it stings a bit can admire a well crafted joke.

Oh, but there are classics that can be adapted as one pleases. Two of my favorites:

What's the difference between [I first heard it as "U.S. Air Force"] and Boy Scouts? The Boy Scouts have adult leadership! Can be used to great effect with whatever company/institution/club you care to lampoon.

And a rather long one about three people at a bar and their varying reaction to a fly landing in their beer. I first heard it as English/Irish/Scot but later told it using members of a family in our sports car club, all in great fun.

The Internet does make it difficult to tread the line between "great fun between friends" and mean-spiritedness but I do lament the typical result which is a fear of offending anybody. Mark Twain and many other greats would not be welcome in such an atmosphere and then what have we lost?

P.S. And then there are the variations on "my wife has won three times already". . .

[mookien]

While I can't, and thus won't, dispute any of the previous posts, I am largely with B. D. and T. T. on this "subject". I am 1/2 Polish and proud of it. But, nobody loves a good Polish joke more than I do. As for bad Polish jokes, I am not offended by them. They are just not funny to me.

I am a bit chagrined, because of late years Polish jokes have fallen out of favor. I suppose they were overdone and folks simply got tired of them, ... except maybe for us Blaylock Polocks.

[Bill aka Mole]

As with Mookien, I too have plenty of Polish bloodlines and Scotch Whisky in me to go with my love of a pun or joke. My normal retort upon hearing a bad Polish joke was always "Polska wyroba." When someone would ask what it meant, I would offer my pity to them for being dummer than a... ba da,CHING!

As far as humor in the military, I am reminded of a truthful bit of information regarding the US Military Forces and their inability to reliably interact with one another. None of the forces speak the same language. Case in point: Ask each service to "Secure a building."

The Marines will:
→ Prepare to maneuver for the front and the two sides adjacent to it with Naval gunfire support to soften the forces in the building prior to the assault. The frontal assault leaves the occupiers an avenue of escape.

The Army will:
→ Establish artillery support fire zones, minefields and machinegun implacements to repell attackers from all sides, leaving a cleared route to a rally point in the case of over-run.

The Navy will:
→ Instruct a Third Class Petty Officer to ensure that all lights are turned off and that all windows and doors are closed and locked at the end of the workday.

The Air Force will:
→ Send out a procurement Officer to obtain a three year lease with option to buy.

[Laird_M]

If I wasn't exforces myself, that'd be funny, but it applies to the British forces as well.

[mookien]

... My normal retort upon hearing a bad Polish joke was always "Polska wyroba." ...

As far as humor in the military, I am reminded of a truthful bit of information regarding the US Military Forces and their inability to reliably interact with one another. None of the forces speak the same language. Case in point: Ask each service to "Secure a building." ...

The Air Force will:
→ Send out a procurement Officer to obtain a three year lease with option to buy.

I usually respond, "Psha Klef!" (transliteration)

That is a great story! Thanks. I'll send it to my brother. He spent 23 years in the Air Force.

Below is a picture of him in his U.S. Air Force kilt (made by Kathy Lare). He's the one standing next to the short guy in the Wallace kilt.

[Bill aka Mole]

Tell your brother "Thank You" for me; I retired after 22 years in the Navy.