RAPE JOKES

Rape as someone defines, a short word, but a long sentence.

I can’t say that is not a thing that can be joke about. Because if we start policing comedy, everytime we were offended, then comedy might cease to exist, and comedians might become extinct. Then the world will not that be funny anymore. Someone are always offended at something. Offense is taken, not given. Rape is a tough subject, but some comedians can pull it through, most of them can’t.

It became prevalent, not prevalent though, although I can’t really say that it is, or isn’t, for I am not a guy that gallavant much. I’m a home-guy, for I don’t have any money, because if I have, I will leave this city which I live in, and never comeback. I might have travelled the world if have much money. I want to be on entertainment, on or behind the camera, writer for shows, for dramas. My biggest dream is to be, the David Letterman of the Philippines. And opportunities to be like that, can only be found in Manila, and never here in Davao City. But I was pulled back here, and from that time, I started to hate myself being stucked here. I don’t hate the city. All the claims of Davaoenos that you might have red in social media are true. Safest city in the Philippines. It’s just that, it doesn’t have the opportunities to achieve my dream.

Let’s get back to the topic. Rape jokes, became controversial, because the man of the highest position of government does it often. The current President of the Republic of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte. He had joke about it many times, that I can’t remember how the jokes are composed. Being the recent one, is on the giving of awards, or graduation maybe, I’m not really sure, of PMA Mabalasik class of 2019. Many in the past, got offended by it. One of proud ones, is Sanira Gutoc, a former government employee, who resigned after hearing it. Then run for senator, just this last election, but sadly lose the race, with along with her colleagues in Otso Diretso.

Another one, is on Pinoy Big Brother. When a certain housemate, named Banjo was forcefully evict by Big Brother, after doing two consecutive rape jokes in one day. One of the wording was, not exact though, is he has seen one of the male housemate naked, and he says that he will raped him. I don’t know the other one. And I would say that, PBB made the right call.

Jokes, has these three components. If you are to write, I’m not talking about the improv, and want to be cautious, because some are not, you have to be weary of this.

First, is intention. Only you, the comedian, will know what your intention is. Is it to make laughs only, or cause offence too? Me myself, like the jokes that comedians called too soon jokes. It is when they joke about something, and the reaction of the audience was, ohhhh, then they will say, too soon. There are some comedians in the US, that are called insult comics. The greatest of them all, was the Don Rickles. Americans would consider it an honor, being insulted by him. And in their country, they will hold a gathering, which they called a roast. They will throw insulting jokes, and maybe remarks at all those who are in the panel, but mostly to that central person of that gathering was hold to. And before President Trump, the previous presidents will hold a gathering, or a roast, with the media people, they called it White House Correspondents Dinner. They also invite, certain celebrities, and rich personalities, for it is also a charity event. But the one who will take center stage, is a certain comedian, and the President of the United States, that will roast all the persons in the room. Even the President himself. Himself, because there is yet too be a female president of the US. While in the Philippines, they are already two, and about to became three. That will be my next topic. Stay updated for it.

In a roast, many topics rose. What a word play, that is. Many topics rose, some includes rape, if a certain personality present in the panel, has been raped. But for that to happen, it is understood that the personality being roasted, okays with it. For what they joke about, are generally known knowledge about that personality. But again, if someone is not okay with it, then that will be a problem. It’s not only about the topic of rape, but every topic that might be offensive. For again, offense is taken, not given. So what is your intention? Only you will know, as a comedian.

Second is the wording. Many people are quick to used the word rape, although they did not meant it that way, and they got into trouble for it. One example is Vice Ganda, and his trouble with the GMA News Anchor Jessica Soho. He connected the word gang-rape, with the news anchor. I can see that he has no ill will, against Jessica Soho. But the wording of the joke, was indeed terrible. Rape alone, is a bad memory, trauma for someone who has experienced it. I’m talking generally, because rape is not exclusive to one gender. Women can be raped, men can be raped, gays can be raped, lesbians can be raped, trans-man/woman can be raped. All genders can be raped. Gangrape, is much more traumatic, and he used that word. For that, he was bashed. But I can see, that it was not, what he really meant, that I think many people did not see, or chose not to see.

What I think Vice really meant that time, is the anchor having multiple sexual intercourse, with many men at one time. But he wrongfully chose the word gangrape. They are many substitute for it, that would made it sound less offensive, or not offensive at all. There are words like orgy or gangbang, or sex to be simpler.  I think he really meant the word sex than rape. I don’t know, why rape will come first to mind, than sex, to define the action of sex? Is it because the word rape, are more common? Common, because it is used everyday in the news. While on the other hand, the word sex, and it’s action in reality, is consider more of a taboo. That people, can’t certainly talk, until they come a certain age, when it’s not a taboo anymore. So that maybe the reason why, the word rape, is more widely used, when what they really meant is sex. So if you meant sex in a joke, define it as sex in the joke. The word sex, is an action that the both parties agree, to be pleasured, while the  word rape, one party violated the other, to be pleasured. Be careful of using it.

Third is, delivery. It is combination of both the intent and the wording, or writing, the result of it. And both the comedian, and the audience are involved. Being the comedian, is the one to give, and the audience, the many who takes. They will be the judge, on how you throw the joke. Are you just getting laughs, or looking down at the topic you are blabbering? If they can somehow sense, that you are looking down at something. Then you will be criticized. But if they see, that you have no ill-will, with the right wording of course. Then they will laugh. That is why some comedians, can brought up the topic of rape, and no one is offended by it. Because of a good delivery by the comedians, and the good writing of their writers.

The problem comes with the non-comic individuals. Like that of President Duterte, and Banjo of PBB. You don’t really know, what their intent is on joking that, because it’s a passing thing. They didn’t really think about it, before saying it. Unlike comedians, that you can held accountable for a joke, for they write and tested their materials first, before presenting it to crowds. Yet people get offended. You can’t really judge them, with the same standards as comedians. And we can’t really even know, if it’s a joke, or a statement.

And I will say this also. A habit of many people, that I have talked to. When they say things that are not true, not necessarily lies, and lies as well. Then retract that statement, people are quick to utter the word, joke after it. Which I don’t agree. We are putting the word joke, in the same category as lies, and not true statements. Jokes are statements, that produced laughter to the ones that will hear it, and not dismay. No one is even laughing when they say joke lang, after lying. So let’s get rid of that bad habit too. But the next question is, what would be the substitute for it?

So my conclusion is; rape can be still a subject of jokes. But only specifically, and not generically. Specifically, if it’s okay with the specific person. There are two kinds of that specific person. One is the comedian through self-depracation, who might have an experienced of it, and talks about it on an audience. No audience will be offended in that way, cause if the comedian talks about it freely, then why will you get offended, as an audience? The second one, is the willing person to be joked about, but that only happens seldomly. It only happens in roast, with celebrities in the US, and not particularly in our country. No one might be willing to talked about it, 98%. Rape is a painful memory, to be even thought about by those who had experienced it. Rape is a sensitive subject, and our society now, are sensitive to statements and utterances. Plus with the political correctness spreading. We should be careful of what we say.