I Am Just Kidding!
If you’re reading this post, it means I’m just kidding with that thing I just said.
I have a rather deadpan sense of humor, both in real life and on the blog. The key to deadpan humor is that you don’t explain that you’re “just kidding,” since that takes the bite out of the humor. But the danger in deadpan humor is that if you don’t say you’re kidding, then someone will later accuse you of having been serious.
Hence this post. My strategy in the future will be to make my deadpan jokes without explaining that I’m joking — but to link to this post to prove to doubters that I really was.
I don’t get deadpan humor. There is no deadpan humor used in any of the law offices I know of, and I think such humor has no place on the interweb.
If you try to use such humor, people will take you seriously, no matter what you assert. Such an action by the reader is appropriate and reasonable in all cases, and is entirely the fault of the writer.
–JRM
Comment by JRM — 3/18/2007 @ 12:43 am
Reminds one of why The Weekly Standard labeled their last page PARODY, so there’d be no mistake…
Comment by Tony Felckowski — 3/18/2007 @ 1:02 am
You’re kidding, right?
Comment by Scott Jacobs — 3/18/2007 @ 1:04 am
I don’t get it.
Comment by David N. Scott — 3/18/2007 @ 2:09 am
Seriosuly, though, I added a meta tag of ‘posts with lies’ for this very reason.
Comment by David N. Scott — 3/18/2007 @ 2:09 am
I know the above comments are more deadpan humor but I seriously think this is a good idea. Sarcasm and irony can make great humor but most of us use social cues (a wink, a nod, a sly grin) to pick up on that. The internet makes it hard to pick up on those cues so it’s easier to misunderstand. This is not only for Patterico’s protection but also to help those that aren’t regular readers or for people like me whose internet social cues sometimes fall short.
Comment by DRJ — 3/18/2007 @ 10:49 am
Jerry Lewis is represents my district…
As such, that you were kidding was never in doubt!
Comment by Dana — 3/18/2007 @ 12:29 pm
Jerry Lewis represents my district…
As such, that you were kidding was never in doubt!
(corrected typo….lest our district appear to grammatically challenged…)
Comment by Dana — 3/18/2007 @ 12:30 pm
I once worked with a physician colleague well known for his deadpan humor. The problem was, it often took at least the training of a senior resident to “get it”. Many a student and intern had puzzled expressions on their faces, as they were questioning what they thought they knew about medicine. Usually someone would notice and inform the less experienced doctors in training that “he was joking”.
Comment by MD in Philly — 3/18/2007 @ 3:48 pm
Is this some kind of a joke? If it is, I don’t get it. Does deadpan mean not funny?
Comment by Jon Swift — 3/19/2007 @ 8:15 am
In the words of the old punchline…
“…. THAT’S NOT FUNNY!”
*rimshot*
Comment by Dave — 3/19/2007 @ 1:19 pm
Deadpan conflicts with my slapstick sense of humor!
Comment by rightisright — 3/19/2007 @ 1:50 pm
I very occasionally send emails to friends, relatives, and enemies.
In the form of “deadpan humor” relative to current affairs.
Which they often do not “get”. Not at ALL !
I’m sorry, it’s usually due to their total lack of literary or historical knowledge.
I should not do this, but I cannot resist.
My bad.
They be worse.
REF: See: Dennis Miller.
Comment by Dan Pursel — 3/19/2007 @ 2:12 pm
It would have been better if he had beaten Dean Martin in the last election
Comment by Mitchell Langbert — 3/20/2007 @ 9:35 am
Deadpan humor is when you make a joke or absurd comment with a straight face…sarcasm is when you say the opposite of what u really mean to drive home a point…seems to me that you are engaging in sarcasm.
Comment by nancy — 4/1/2007 @ 12:22 pm
April Fools!!!!!!!!!1
Comment by Meatsss — 4/1/2007 @ 2:44 pm
Anytime you have to explain that you are being humorous, you are by definition, not funny.
Comment by ed — 4/2/2007 @ 12:15 pm
An April Fool’s Joke Backfires…
It is with great embarrassment and humility that I offer my sincerest apologies for yesterday’s April Fool’s joke, which went horribly awry….
Trackback by Jon Swift — 4/2/2007 @ 12:19 pm
Love the comments
Comment by pataz — 10/19/2007 @ 8:36 am
i tried to be funny once, then i got hit by a dump truck
Comment by mike — 12/27/2007 @ 11:26 pm
Funny - I especially liked that you worked in the advisor speaking under condition of anonymity - that semms to be all the rage these days.
Comment by Dean — 2/24/2008 @ 1:23 pm
Welcome to the club, Patterico. I have always worked with numbers more than words and my sense of humor is dryer than popcorn flatulence. As well, I consider emoticons and smiley faces to be either a bit immature, sissy or for chicks ;^). Even if I use one it is always perceived in the wrong context. Needless to say, I’ll wager that we’re both extremely charming in person. Cheers.
Comment by C. Norris — 7/15/2008 @ 5:11 pm
its only right that you should
play the way you feel it
Comment by Vermont Neighbor — 7/20/2008 @ 4:53 pm
Deadpan? Or bedpan? In politics, the latter seems more appropriate.
RE: Jerry Lewis is “The Disorderly Orderly.”
Comment by Flagstaff — 7/21/2008 @ 12:32 pm