(Untitled)

[gavinfox]

Does anyone else get fantastically upset with certain types of humor? Like I can't watch most American sitcoms at ALL, I get really anxious at the embarrassing situations that people have in them. I'm not quite sure what this is, maybe a hyper-developed sort of empathy for the characters? But its even if the characters are doing fine sometimes, it

Comments

[gremy]

I stopped watching The Simpsons due to Homer's child abuse, not to mention South Park because Stan's sister is an abusive witch. I don't know, I guess it's because I had a largely verbally-abusive childhood and teenage years, and don't like violent humor very much.

[gavinfox]

My issue isn't really that in particular... that doesn't set me off... I dunno, is there any sort of other humor that gets you?

[gremy]

Well, occasionally political humor if it's really offensive, for instance I don't really care much for Brian Griffin in Family Guy since he's the most political of the cartoon.

[quercus]

Yes, I'm much the same. I just can't watch any "comedy of social awkwardness" / "faux pas pratfalls" (to coin some poor phrases). Couldn't do this since I was a child. Some novels too.

British TV isn't too bad. IT Crowd or Father Ted are OK, despite being based on much the same situations. Something as innocuous as Friends or Bridget Jones though - excruciating.

[catsidhe]

Definitely not just you.

I call it the Comedy of Humiliation, and I find it excruciating. It's watching people in situations where there is no possible way they're not going to be embarrassed/humiliated/remind me of me in a dream where I'm not wearing pants.

I don't know: where someone is, inevitably, going to do something even I know is stupid, or mean, or petty. Where someone does something humiliating and doesn't even realise it until after. Maybe I just fixate on empathising with that moment of belated realisation.

The Office, UK or US, is unwatchable. It's just non-stop the sort of environment I couldn't stand to be in... and I know, because I've been in it. Even Big Bang Theory has its moments.

I prefer the more surrealist humour: British sketch shows (Hale & Pace, Two Ronnies, Fry & Laurie, Armstrong & Miller) or else things like Yes (Prime) Minister, the Australian show The Hollowmen, or, in small doses, Outnumbered.

And you can't go past the Goon Show and Python.

[basepair]

Yes, I absolutely cannot watch The Office, it makes me physically uncomfortable.

[spikeyannie]

The camerawork gives me vertigo! It's also kinda niche humor...only funny if you work in an office. Although I do like Steve Carell...

[lisaquestions]

I feel much the same way - I don't like to watch people being humiliated. It is excruciating. This is the same reason I find reality TV difficult.

[shesfearless]

Yes. I find that I cannot handle the embarrassment I feel for characters/people in awkward situations. If I really like the show I watch it in bursts.

[patamon]

I find that I cannot handle the embarrassment I feel for characters/people in awkward situations.

Same here. It's almost painful sometimes.

[shesfearless]

Exactly. I cringe and squirm and get anxious. It's not a very pleasant experience and I really don't get how anyone could enjoy it.

[polygonia]

i FEEL LIKE THIS too. like if I see a show where something horribly embarrassing has happened for the second time I will have to change the channel if it's too horrible.

[knowledgequeen]

I have what I call my embarrassment squick; it makes me grossly uncomfortable when a character is just being set up for mockery. Someone mentioned The Office - ugh, I can't stand it. Things like Hell's Kitchen are awful too; people being mocked and insulted basically for the host's pleasure.

I prefer more dry and witty humor; Blackadder was one of my absolute favorites, and I adore political humor because I won't watch any show where I'd get any political humor that offends me. Someone mentioned Family Guy and Brian - he's my favorite character, because he says everything I want to say to other people.