Tuesday Roundup

Favorites and duds from today's commenting.

Before we get to that stuff, a quick note:

I seem to have opened a wound with the line about being funny while also offering commentary on the subject of the post, and I regret it. I really do admire comments that are both funny and relevant to the subject, but overwhelmingly my favorite jokes have been the ridiculous non-sequiturs. I like what is funny, and prefer what is creative and original and funny to what is smart and relevant and sort of humorous. I think I was trying to speak on behalf of Deadspin, trying to make the point that a comment section is generally a space where people comment on the content of a post; that, in a perfect world, comments would be relevant to the content of a post and also be every bit as funny as the funniest jokes are now. That's a totally unrealistic standard, and in the real world I'd much rather see one devastating non-sequitur after another than a run of relevant comments with less punch and creativity.

Make jokes! Great jokes! Don't feel remotely bad about taking the content of a post out into the field and bringing it back totally repurposed. I will always have a special kind of respect for great jokes that also reflect upon the post, but I will also be doubled-over with laughter upon reading the next great Toy-Luke-Skywalker-fondling-Toy-Leia-with-C3PO's-head joke. There is more than enough room for both, plus every other kind of crazy-ass off-the-wall humor-experiment out there.

I think those in the comments yesterday who took up the argument on behalf of relevant commentary are simply suggesting that people look for angles that comment on the post in addition to looking for angles that provide the strongest punchline, and there's nothing wrong with that. I would suggest that commenters still favor the strongest punchline, but anyway, it would be an interesting exercise, first seeing if you have anything to say about the post and whether there's a unique, creative, funny way of saying it before taking the content afield. Either way, seriously, submit your best stuff as always and put a premium on making everyone laugh.

Now, on to the good stuff.

Favorites, in no particular order:

Here's a very funny characterization of The Sporting News's readership from Lionel Osbourne in the Sporting News post. I suppose I should mention that there was a time when I pretty religiously read The Sporting News. Yes, I'm ashamed.

Also in that post, here's a very funny, very awkward personal moment from Raysism. I have a special love for jokes that turn the author into the punchline. It takes something that could be mean-spirited if pointed outward and turns it into something vulnerable and excruciating and a lot funnier.

And here's a great wordplay gag from Bring Back Anthony Mason in the Sporting News post. It would be easy enough to say that only Lionel Osbourne's joke actually comments on the subject of the post, but lets take a closer look: Lionel Osbourne's joke makes an observation about the audience of The Sporting News; Raysism's joke takes advantage of the popular perception that The Sporting News is an outdated publication; and Bring Back Anthony Mason's one-liner makes use of the particulars of another story about the same publication. In their own unique way, each joke is relevant to the post. Even when it seems like a joke is doing its own thing, most jokes actually do have something to say about the post. I'll try to remember this next time I start to type up a lazy, overly broad characterization of Deadspin's comments. Later, here's another sharp one-liner from Bring Back Anthony Mason in the Paul Tagliabue post, this one packaged as a question. Good stuff.

I really enjoyed this kick-ass Dwight Gooden joke from The Amazing Sneijderman in the R.A. Dickey post. This is a joke that does wander afield, and look at the huge round of applause! Why? Because it's hilarious, that's why. Being hilarious is more important than being relevant. Also today, I enjoyed this shot at Mark Sanchez in the Braylon Edwards post.

And now, some fat jokes. Here's Steve U with an absolute killer of a fat joke in the Josh Brent post. Are fat jokes cruel? Yeah, probably. This is a hysterical one-liner. If I have to feel bad about laughing at it, so be it. It is hysterical. It is. And it's your Comment of the Day.

Here's another fat joke in the same post from Mantis Toboggan, M.D. That is just fucking deadly. What a good time this post was. This joke could not be funnier. Here's one more +1.

This is not a fat joke, but it is laugh-out-loud funny, from Theodore Donald Kerabatsos in the same post. Just terrific. The idea here is just so, so good.

I laughed at this sequence from Madoffs Mets in the same post. I really in particular enjoyed the abrupt ending here. Nice work.

I chuckled at this bird joke from Crosby's Neurologist in the Windows post. It took me a minute to catch on here, and it was worth it. Good job.

Here's a whale of a one-liner from a burner called AfterBurnerA in the Failed Tiki Chat post. It's just an excellent dig delivered beautifully. Stick around, guy!

And here's a great pun from Sgt. Hammerclaw in the Tear Gas post. It's funny and goofy and has a nice, easy delivery.

Total Fucking Duds

Here's a brain-dead too-sooner in the Josh Brent post from some asshole called RichieG.. This one comment wiped out my energy for duds. That's all I've got.

Hey, see you in DUAN. Keep on keepin' on.