Updating Jokes for Modern Sensibilities

[Rifftrax_Official]

i just want to be able to watch the Jurassic Park riff with my gf's kid without hearing Mike and Weird Al bully a child about his (in their eyes) unclear gender identity. it's nasty and it's unnecessary. it has no historical value. it can go.

really tiresome hearing from the 'slippery slope crowd' about how their personal liberties are somehow being violated by a private company making changes to their own product. it's borderline trolling.

you can disagree if you like, even stop supporting them, but likening it to some kind of attack from, ahem, 'rainbow people', in the broader culture is so off-target, dramatic, and selfish. most people are not going to miss that a small matter involving RiffTrax specifically is being blown out of proportion into an excuse to be dismissive of and angry at broad groups of people who are ultimately not much different that yourselves.

For what it's worth, I'm pretty calm and not angry at anyone. I know that's hard to come off on text, though. I can only speak for myself, but I'm being more introspective about all of this, not 'up in arms'. So please picture me that way when you read my comments. I'm relaxing a chair with a pipe stroking my beard going, hmmmm. Not screaming at the screen.

I think without the Tweet (or, more specifically, without the Facebook post about the tweet on the Rifftrax group), I would NOT have noticed, no.
Funny thing, I don't like the jokes about LGBTQ, gender identities, etc. either -- but probably for opposite reasons. I don't like to be reminded of what I think is a moral failing in our society. (Yes, I know you disagree with me, but that's not my point).

I didn't say I would stop supporting them, if you'll notice, my first post was actually about how hard it is to separate the personal opinions of artists from their work when you learn too much about them. What I wrote was:
"I need to stay out of Twitter. I like some of the guys better when I don't see their Tweets."

It's disenchanting when you find out that you probably wouldn't want to have a beer with some of your favorite performers. Or that your opinions are so far off from theirs. It kind of ruins the magic. Whether you are a liberal and don't like that Mike is conservative or like me and don't like that ANY of them post about politics. I think it sort of divides them from their fans (but of course they're entitled to post about whatever they want.) But that's a calculated risk I'm sure they're willing to take.  I'm in a position where I keep my political opinions and ideologies fairly private so as not to divide those who seek my services. I don't want to alienate those whom I lead/serve. But that's just how I roll.

You have to admit, however, it does SHIFT over time who can be the butt of the jokes and who can't.

There's one thing I'm sure Mike, Kevin, and Bill all agree on: whether you're gay, straight, trans, cis, conservative, liberal, or libertarian they want you to pay for your riffs. 

[Zatteen]

How can people learn from their mistakes, and the mistakes of others, if all evidence of those mistakes gets erased?

I genuinely can not tell if this is a joke. If people stop making dehumanizing trans jokes we will forget that it's bad to do that?

[CalgonTMA]

uh no. Biting, sardonic Gen X humor should be taken on its own terms and appreciated in its context. No need to update anything.

[Miss Martian]

I don't like the jokes about LGBTQ, gender identities, etc. either -- but probably for opposite reasons. I don't like to be reminded of what I think is a moral failing in our society.

Now we see exactly who objects the strongest and why. Not like it wasn't evident from the onset. 

If you can't wrap your brain around the concept that gender identity (etc) has NOTHING to do with morality, then your entire argument is invalid. Because it's obvious you don't even have the vaguest clue what you're even talking about. 

How very christian of you, in the Christmas season no less, to tell us all how exhibiting more empathy and caring is a bad thing. 

You had better get used to those heavy chains you adorn yourself with - eternity is a long time, Scrooge.  

---

uh no.  Biting, sardonic Gen X humor should be taken on its own terms and appreciated in its context.  No need to update anything.

I love the sense of entitlement some people have with what others should do with their art or how others should live their lives.

[NotRichBatman]

@rifftrax_official

So this was a thinly veiled attack on people you consider to have moral failings due to their gender or sexuality?
Portraying yourself as some zen, wizened arbiter of good taste, now that's a joke.

I do appreciate the thread, it's shown me there are some brilliant, kind souls lurking in this community.
Also, I'd wager dollars to donuts you could replace the current rifftrax writers with folks from this forum and get a much funnier product.

[enyalep]

Now we see exactly who objects the strongest and why. Not like it wasn't evident from the onset. 

Portraying yourself as some zen, wizened arbiter of good taste, now that's a joke.

have u ever watched a Rifftrax Live and looked at the audience? it's not exactly, to use the OP's parlance, a rainbow. no reason to be surprised by the sort of rhetoric the OP has exhibited when amongst mst3k fans, unfortunately. (not saying either of u were in fact surprised.) OP would undoubtedly disappear into that crowd like waldo.

[Miss Martian]

fair assessment

[Rifftrax_Official]

@rifftrax_official

So this was a thinly veiled attack on people you consider to have moral failings due to their gender or sexuality?
Portraying yourself as some zen, wizened arbiter of good taste, now that's a joke.

I do appreciate the thread, it's shown me there are some brilliant, kind souls lurking in this community.
Also, I'd wager dollars to donuts you could replace the current rifftrax writers with folks from this forum and get a much funnier product.

You're assuming a lot about me. But that's ok
 I triggered you with the phrase moral failing and now I'm a cretan in your eyes and not worth listening to. 

That's cool. 

You also assume I'm a Christian? Interesting. 

I retract the phrase "moral failing" and apologize.

I meant mental illness.

[itsizz]

Remember when we were pirates and shared things that we thought were funny? There is zero point to this topic or continued postings regarding it. Methinks the best course of action is to let it die.

[Rifftrax_Official]

It is funny, isn't it?

A bunch of moralizing from common thieves.