Am I overreacting by being upset at this Seinfeld joke?

elvistheking44

Everyone’s has different tastes and will handle things differently. I have no problem whatsoever with someone taking offense or being upset at a joke or comedian.  The HUGE problem I have is the guy who goes on a rampage about the joke or comedian and makes it a personal fight to eliminate the material all together.  Something upsets you, move on. Life is WAY to short.

pjhawks

yes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B65mtE2TN1w

brianlux

I agree with George Carlin's concept that anything can be used in humor if done right but I haven't seen that proven with suicide.  Even Carlin's suicide routine didn't work well for me.  Seinfeld's, definitely not. 

This works better for me (starting at 0:48):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyNTxZ_gt10

DewieCox

I’d say you’re overreacting, but that doesn’t make the core feeling invalid.

HesCalledDyer

It's pretty light humor to me.  But OP, if it affects you more adversely, just turn away from it.

It takes a good bit for me to say "what the fuck, man, really??"  But I've certainly said it as a response to a few jokes here and there.

oftenreading

I never liked Seinfeld the show, but I have to say I've enjoyed Seinfeld the stand up comic. He's a real pro. 

I don't love that bit  about suicide, but I also wouldn't ask for it to be censored. I think the idea of the series was not to be deliberately offensive per se, but also not to make any attempt not to be offensive. If you continue on, OP, there will be more of this, and yes, I think he does make fun of the Holocaust, at least indirectly. , 

Thoughts_Arrive

Well, the retailer said no to a return and exchange for something else.
Looks like I'll have to sell it on eBay.

Thoughts_Arrive

Also, found this offensive. Making fun of a distressed mother whose baby got taken and killed by a dingo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYTIGXvc88Y

hedonist

You're kidding about the party scene, I hope?

Thoughts_Arrive

hedonist said:

You're kidding about the party scene, I hope?

No. Do you even know what it is in reference to?

F Me In The Brain

Maybe the dingo ate your baby! 
Classic.  Love that one.
You can choose to be offended by everything if you want, that is your choice.
I choose to live by laughter, even through tears.

elvistheking44

Time to move along everyone.

rgambs

hedonist said:

You're kidding about the party scene, I hope?

Come on Hedo, imagine if a Dingo ate your baby and you watch this episode.
You'd feel like all the people of the world are Dingos and they're all trying to eat your baby!

hauntingfamiliar

Thoughts_Arrive said:

My grandmother committed suicide, so this one is personal to me.

Mine too, before I was born.... suicide is just so f'd up. I feel the need to be more of a "mother" to my mother more of the time than a daughter. Hers was ripped away from her and the residual effects never seem to end. I happen to enjoy Seinfeld and Larry David's comedy and don't take offense to it, but as Who Princess said you are not overreacting when you have your own feelings about it and you are entitled to them.

Thoughts_Arrive

hauntingfamiliar said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

My grandmother committed suicide, so this one is personal to me.

Mine too, before I was born.... suicide is just so f'd up. I feel the need to be more of a "mother" to my mother more of the time than a daughter. Hers was ripped away from her and the residual effects never seem to end. I happen to enjoy Seinfeld and Larry David's comedy and don't take offense to it, but as Who Princess said you are not overreacting when you have your own feelings about it and you are entitled to them.

Yeah same, when my dad was 9. I think it has affected him a great deal.

hedonist

Thoughts_Arrive said:

hedonist said:

You're kidding about the party scene, I hope?

No. Do you even know what it is in reference to?

I do know and still love the episode.

I mean, c'mon!
"So, I'm chasing these doves down the street and she's screaming at the top of her lungs, and then when the magician comes back from Europe, two of them turned brown!  Well I followed the instructions!"

Thoughts_Arrive

hedonist said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

hedonist said:

You're kidding about the party scene, I hope?

No. Do you even know what it is in reference to?

I do know and still love the episode.

I mean, c'mon!
"So, I'm chasing these doves down the street and she's screaming at the top of her lungs, and then when the magician comes back from Europe, two of them turned brown!  Well I followed the instructions!"

Where's that quote from?

Thoughts_Arrive

brianlux said:

I agree with George Carlin's concept that anything can be used in humor if done right but I haven't seen that proven with suicide.  Even Carlin's suicide routine didn't work well for me.  Seinfeld's, definitely not. 

This works better for me (starting at 0:48):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyNTxZ_gt10

Cool interview.

hedonist

Thoughts_Arrive said:

hedonist said:

Thoughts_Arrive said:

hedonist said:

You're kidding about the party scene, I hope?

No. Do you even know what it is in reference to?

I do know and still love the episode.

I mean, c'mon!
"So, I'm chasing these doves down the street and she's screaming at the top of her lungs, and then when the magician comes back from Europe, two of them turned brown!  Well I followed the instructions!"

Where's that quote from?

Later in the same episode. 

Kramer!

Ledbetterman10

Thoughts_Arrive said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gPJpzgPReE

I have only seen a handful of episodes on television and always laughed. I thought I'd buy the whole series as a dvd box set for myself.
I got to this episode and I don't know, don't feel like continuing.
I felt sickened at this "joke".
As someone who has gone through dark times and been close to ending it I was angered.
I wish I could return my box set at the store but I don't think they'd refund me.

Are there any more shit "jokes" like this in the remainder of the series?

As I explained when private messaged me over this, no, there's no more jokes that I think will upset you. There is one that might upset someone like you, but not you in particular. In the episode entitled "The Masseuse," Kramer suggests that adoption leads to serial killing. Someone who is passionate about adoption like you are about suicide prevention would probably take offense.