Much Ado About Basketmouth's 'Controversial' Joke
Chronicled by
Afronuts
@
Monday, January 06, 2014
The life of a celebrity is definitely not a bed of roses as many think. Everything you you do is basically in the limelight and you dare not misbehave, misyarn or do something that can stir controversy; one step in any of those directions will not only have tabloids after you but social media, blogs and enraged fans cyber-hacking your butt for making an error.
Ace comedian Basketmouth recently went under fire because of a so-called 'costly joke' he made on Facebook. I was intrigued by the news of him being attacked on social media over a bad joke because Basketmouth is not known to frequently end up on the bad side of the media; I've always seen him as one of the most careful celebrities who takes care not to get into some scandal or media rubbish.
After reading the joke it got me wondering; na the first time people dey read this kind joke? The joke was not a new thing and I've read something similar from some other comedian. Besides, whenever did a joke become an advice? This is not the first of its kind. Basketmouth is what I call a 'social realist comedian' - that is, a comedian who paints true life happenings in hilarious manner. While laughing at the humor of the joke, you also grab a fact or two.
Rather than bicker about the tragedy in the joke, I expected people to laugh, learn and realise that this is very much a startling reality that should make every woman be cautious with any boyfriend she's dating. The joke juxtaposed what usually happened in the dating scenario between two different races and he was VERY REAL about it.
Basketmouth eventually apologized on twitter (a very matured and commendable move for the sake of image) but I love what twitter user @now_PokerFaced said on the issue in his/her tweets below:
People should take time to think before they go all out and blast any comedian over a joke. A joke is a means of creating a lighter mood over serious issues and are not meant to be taken seriously. What about the jokes where comedians make direct fun of audience or other celebrities? There is a silent mantra that everything said should never be taken seriously (Some comedians -including Basketmouth, always reiterate this). If we should be attacking jokes this way, then majority of the Akpos jokes, and Naija tribal lampoon jokes on the internet used by other comedians (either real or parodied) should be taken seriously, abi?
People should wake up and stop making a Tsunami out of a drop of water, biko!
Ace comedian Basketmouth recently went under fire because of a so-called 'costly joke' he made on Facebook. I was intrigued by the news of him being attacked on social media over a bad joke because Basketmouth is not known to frequently end up on the bad side of the media; I've always seen him as one of the most careful celebrities who takes care not to get into some scandal or media rubbish.
After reading the joke it got me wondering; na the first time people dey read this kind joke? The joke was not a new thing and I've read something similar from some other comedian. Besides, whenever did a joke become an advice? This is not the first of its kind. Basketmouth is what I call a 'social realist comedian' - that is, a comedian who paints true life happenings in hilarious manner. While laughing at the humor of the joke, you also grab a fact or two.
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| The so-called 'costly joke' |
Rather than bicker about the tragedy in the joke, I expected people to laugh, learn and realise that this is very much a startling reality that should make every woman be cautious with any boyfriend she's dating. The joke juxtaposed what usually happened in the dating scenario between two different races and he was VERY REAL about it.
Basketmouth eventually apologized on twitter (a very matured and commendable move for the sake of image) but I love what twitter user @now_PokerFaced said on the issue in his/her tweets below:
People should take time to think before they go all out and blast any comedian over a joke. A joke is a means of creating a lighter mood over serious issues and are not meant to be taken seriously. What about the jokes where comedians make direct fun of audience or other celebrities? There is a silent mantra that everything said should never be taken seriously (Some comedians -including Basketmouth, always reiterate this). If we should be attacking jokes this way, then majority of the Akpos jokes, and Naija tribal lampoon jokes on the internet used by other comedians (either real or parodied) should be taken seriously, abi?
People should wake up and stop making a Tsunami out of a drop of water, biko!
5 Screamer(s):
I find it really sad that you and many others think that there's actually a joke in what he said. There are a million ways he could have put it, without writing the words RAPE in capital letters followed by exclamation marks. Because from where I stand, it comes off almost as an encouragement and that's awful. There are many other jokes he could have told, and being the king of comedy, I'm shocked to my bones he let this one slip. He thought about it and actually typed it to be viewed by the whole world.
Rape is a VERY sensitive issue. And this is 2014. We need to stop condoning important issues being made light of because it's downright distasteful and doesn't help alleviate them in any way. Maybe as Nigerians our eyes haven't been fully opened to this SCOURGE, because as a Nation we are very good at sweeping issues under the rug and being self-righteous but I want to believe that he has fans all over the continent in South Africa, Kenya and other parts of the world in India and other areas that have been ravaged by "rape culture". These countries I have mentioned are to far. Let's look at the DRC just right here.
I have been looking at this for almost three hours, trying to find the "joke" but my face is as straight as those yellow wooden rulers we grew up with.
He has apologized, yes, but sometimes sorry doesn't cut it. And in issues like this, it never will. It's like that case of Justine Sacco or so saying she's going to Africa and hopes she doesn't catch AIDS. WTF really? Even if she thought about it and it was awfully hilarious to her in ways I will never understand to her, the world still hasn't forgiven her.
He has a wife and daughter and a mother, yes but he doesn't understand that it's not just about those he holds dear, it's about people who have no one to protect them, to "kill" whoever it is that tries to rape them as he so foolishly put it. It's about women raped in their own homes by friends and acquaintances, does he know how it feels to be overpowered despite your cries of No?. Well maybe he will say that No means Yes. I'm sick of him and his fucking stupidity and the main point of all this is that he should have know better and this "joke" should NEVER have seen the light of day. Surely not by him. Or by anyone else. Next time he should lock up that basket of his and keep it that way. Let him be an example to others.
I'll just pocket my comment on this one.
Happy new year dude!
@Anonymous....wow, what a loaded comment. Thanks for posting, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I still maintain my mine.
@T Notes...Happy new year bro! How's it hanging?
Happy new year Afronuts!
Personally, I don't consider the joke acceptable. It's not even remotely funny. In general, I don't listen to comedians much. I've never really had an interest and some jokes are just extremely dry.
That said, I can't really make a comparison between his jokes and that of other Nigerian comedians.
The idea of someone comparing writers writing about rape to comedians joking about it is just... I reserve my comment..
This is what a writer even had to say about that on twitter;
"..But anyone suggesting writers engaging rape, are equivalent with a tasteless joke about rape is just being obtuse and silly"
Anyway, let me stop here before I start saying too much.
I respect your opinion on this and I still hold mine.
Have a lovely 2014.
@A.Y...thanks for that meaningful comment and for respecting mine. You said it well and I understand your point.
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