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Mother-in-Law Can't Take a Joke, Sues Comedian

TresSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0700

Well, a comedian who just happens to be her daughter-in-law!

It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but comedian Sunda Croonquist’s mother-in-law Ruth Zafrin was not kidding when she filed a lawsuit against Sunda for telling so many jokes about her. Croonquist capitalizes on their ethnic differences in her envelope-pushing jokes - she is half-black and half-Swedish, was raised Catholic, and married into a Jewish family.

A typical joke goes something like this. On a first visit to her mother-in-law Ruthie’s house, Croonquist says, "I walk in, I say, 'Thank you so much for having me here, Ruthie.' 'The pleasure’s all mine,' she replies, 'have a seat.' Then she whispers, 'Harriet, put my pocketbook away.'"

Zafrin filed the lawsuit (along with her daughter and her daughter's husband), when material on Croonquist's website made it easy for people to figure out the in-laws' identities. Croonquist is accused of "spreading false, defamatory and racist lies" in comedy club routines that have even been aired on Comedy Central. Croonquist agreed to remove any offensive comments on her website but refused to pay a settlement. (Her husband's law firm is handling her case. Awkward!)

Zafrin isn't exactly giving mother-in-laws a good name. It seems that there would've been a less alienating way of handling this, like, say, asking Croonquist to cut it out! Who do you think is in the wrong?

A Joke Can Cure a Bad Mood - But Why May Surprise You

TresSugar — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:00:00 -0700

We all know that when we're in a bad mood, a joke can temporarily lift our spirits. But Dutch researchers set out to figure out precisely why. And although you may think, as many researchers do, that it's because positive emotions counteract negative ones - the researchers set out to prove that it's more than that.

They showed a group of men and women a series of pictures. First, they were shown negative images, and then two kinds of positive stimuli - funny and nonfunny. More people said that their moods were lifted by the funny stimuli (the jokes) than the merely positive stimuli.

The reason, according to the researchers, is in the actual cognitive work it takes for us to "get" a joke. Take this joke, for example. A terrified father calls a doctor and tells him, "Doctor, my child just swallowed a fountain pen!" When the doctor tells him he'll rush right over and asks, "What are you doing in the meantime?" The father replies: "Using a pencil."

Figuring out the punch-line is the kind of distraction that can make us feel better. "What they are suggesting is that humor," says Ed Dunkelblau, PhD, a psychologist and past president of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, "is an effective way to redirect anxiety."

So let's toast to (corny) jokes that make our brains work a little harder!

Do Tell: How Do You Respond to Sexist Jokes?

TresSugar — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Over the years, I've gone from being the woman who uneasily laughs when a man tells a sexist joke to being the person who rolls her eyes and says, "You know, I don't find that funny, and it makes me pretty uncomfortable."

At the risk of being called a "humorless feminist" (I mean, if it were funny, I would laugh!), I think it's important for women to be honest if a joke makes them uneasy. It may also teach that person that you're not going to be a party to your own denigration, and the jokester may spare the next woman his "humor."

According to sociology and psychology professors at the University of Granada, sexist jokes have serious repercussions. They found that when men listened to sexist jokes, they were more likely to be tolerant when presented with cases of violence against women. It makes sense - being comfortable with putting women down could desensitize someone to more tangible forms of harm against women.

Whether these findings seem convincing or not, how do you respond to sexist jokes? Has your response evolved over the years?

Yummy Links: From Ferran Adria to Kid's Menus

partysugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:45:16 -0700

Dining with Ferran Adria at Katz's Deli. - Serious Eats
Nine chefs share their bloody kitchen nightmares. - Metromix New York
Love to cook, but can't seem to find the time? The Sunday dinner project, hosted by Andrew Schloss, helps you make the components for multiple meals every Sunday evening. - Cookthink
The cruelest practical joke in food history. - The BA Foodist
Sharpen your knife skills with these books. - The Epi-Log
A look at Asia's tea harvest. - The Kitchn
Can grown-ups order off the kid's menu? - Chow

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Do Tell: Do You Like Practical Jokes?

DearSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Practical jokes can be hilarious - when you're not the butt of them, of course! But in order to pull them off well, you have to have a certain sense of mischievousness, not to mention stealth. George Clooney is known for his practical joking skills, but if you don't have what it takes to excel in that department, something that was meant to be funny could take a nasty turn for the worse. Of course they have to be taken with a grain of salt, but do tell, are you a practical jokester who believes no harm no foul, or do you think there's too much room for hurt feelings?

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Happy April Fool's Day!

DearSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:00:00 -0700

If you're a prankster, today is your lucky day! I've never been good at pulling people's chains, but I sure am an easy target - I'm usually the brunt of people's jokes! So ladies, in the spirit of April Fool's Day, tell us the best prank that's ever been played on you.

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You Asked: Am I Being Too Sensitive?

DearSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 06:00:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

I've been going out with my boyfriend for about seven months. When we first met, one of the things that attracted me to him was his great sense of humor. He loved to poke fun at people and called them names - but the way he did it made it seem like it was all in good fun. It was refreshingly honest without being hurtful. I used to make fun of him too in the same way and he loved it.

As things got more serious between us, I became more sensitive whenever he made fun of me. When I wanted to go into a deeper conversation (maybe about our relationship or about something that I was sensitive about), I felt like he wasn't taking me seriously or that he was mocking my ideas. I recently confronted him about this and he just says that he's always been this way so why is it such a big deal now? He assures me he respects me and deeply cares about what I have to say. He says that his jokes are just jokes and to stop reading into them so much. For some reason though, I feel like crying when ever he makes fun of me now.

I've stopped making fun of him but I'm afraid I'm overreacting. I don't want to be someone who can't take a joke and I'm afraid of eventually becoming a boring girlfriend. I'm also scared that I'm going to become bitter. Lately, I've found myself becoming less attentive and meaner to him out of spite. Why am I becoming so sensitive? Am I wrong to be feeling this way? - Vulnerable Valerie

To see Dear Sugar's aswer read more

Dear Vulnerable Valerie,

I don't blame you for being sensitive with your boyfriend's jokes, his making fun of you all the time can't make you feel very good about yourself. I understand in the beginning of a relationship, a flirty here and there is all in good fun, but once you get to a deeper level, it almost seems disrespectful for him to still tease you like you're in the fourth grade!

Just because you don't want to be made fun of all the time doesn't mean that you're boring. It also doesn't surprise me that you're acting bitterly towards him, so if I were you, I would have another heart to heart with him ASAP. Let him know that you don't necessarily want him to change his personality that you love so much, but that you're more sensitive than he may think and his words are hurting your feelings. He most likely has no idea how he is making you feel and if he knew how upset you were, he would stop immediately. Good luck Val.

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Joke Confuses Model

GiggleSugar — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 10:05:35 -0700

Some punk ass with a mic was in the mood to ridicule (or flirt with) a model, so he pulled this chick aside and told her one of the oldest jokes in the book. She knew the joke was on her, but that's about all she knew. To be fair, she mumbled something about being a stupid model- a wise assessment, indeed! So we'll give the gal points for self-awareness.

Book of the Day: The Friars Club Encyclopedia of Jokes

GiggleSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:45:00 -0700

In the mood for a corny joke? An offensive joke? A thought-provoking joke? Or just a really funny joke? Well step right up to The Friars Club Encyclopedia of Jokes. (More than 2,000 of them from folks as disparate as W.C. Fields and Wanda Sykes.) When I think of The Friars Club and their celebrity roasts, I think of a red-faced Dean Martin smoking a cigarette and insulting Don Rickles with off-color humor. Turns out, the private club that's been a haven for entertainers has been around since 1904, and they've been holding their roasts since 1950.

Although you'll find old-school jokes in the encyclopedia that might make your PC meter go haywire, you'll also find such gems as the following from Mae West: "I like two kinds of men: domestic and foreign." Rrreow!

Updated: Robbie Williams Proposes to Ayda on the Radio, Now His Mum Confirms It's True!

PopSugarUK — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:15:18 -0800

Robbie Williams proposed to his girlfriend Ayda Field live on 2Day FM in Sydney yesterday! After talking about proposals with the show's hosts he turned to Ayda and said: "I love you so much. Would you be my betrothed until the end of time?" It was a lighthearted moment, but Robbie has been talking about marrying Ayda - his girlfriend of three years - a lot recently and they certainly seemed happy as they joked together on the show - listen here!

The pair have just left Sydney, and were mobbed by press at the airport! Robbie's manager told GMTV this morning that the proposal was just a bit of fun - I wonder how long we'll have to wait for the two to make it official?

UPDATE: Despite his manager's protests this morning, Robbie's mum Jan has now confirmed that the news is true on BBC Radio 5 Live. She said he'd revealed his plan to her a week ago, and said:

"I've always wanted a daughter-in-law. I don't think [the wedding] will be that far in the not-too-distant future, but that's all I'm going to say on that. I'm very excited. I'm really pleased. They've been together for nearly three years, so it's about time. She's a great mate, as well as a lover. She's got all the qualities that he needs in a girl. It's a lovely match."

It's not been revealed whether the radio proposal was for real, or if Robbie proposed previous to the show. Congratulations to them both!

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