What is it that makes a joke good or bad — leaves you laughing or feeling disgusted? Is it when it’s at another’s expense and not your own? When you give the approval you’re ready for it?

Recently my husband and I went to O’Sheas in Vegas. It’s a casino across from Caesar’s - perhaps a little less swanky. I think it was the midget dressed as a leprechaun outside the door that drew us in, or perhaps the aspect of beer pong on the strip. Anyway, we ended up seeing the comedian Vinnie Favorito there. Vinnie’s known for doing celebrity roasts; his entire show is live and unscripted, consisting of him asking the audience questions and cracking jokes at their expense. He also makes fun of himself by telling a lot of Italian jokes, which opened the door for him to make fun of many other ethnicities. It definitely made me appreciative of his comedic skills how he could come up with one-liners so fast and bring the entire room and commentary together - I laughed…a lot.

Maybe it was because we were in a dark room, but it was really easy to laugh as he made fun of other people. Why is that? Although, we were laughing with them (not at them), as they all laughed along to the routine - but, were they really happy with what he had to say? Sitting there I felt half thrill that he might call on us, and half dread for the same reason. Luckily, he never did.

But, it got me to thinking - what makes what he says about you funny and what crosses the line? One man seemed nervous and stuttered when asked a question and Vinnie immediately made fun of him asking if stuttered - the man did. Akward! Probably not the response Vinnie wanted. Also, he continually picked on a lady in the front because he thought she looked so much older than her sisters. If that were me, I’d have been so mad! What if she really has a complex about it? Yet, people laughed, as did the lady. Are we as a culture that in need of attention or are we just that ok with laughing at ourselves?

I did find a new love for dirty martini’s on the vacation, so maybe that would have loosened me up for his jokes had he called on us. I’m not sure. I guess if you know it’s coming your way - it’s not as bad. Heck - I probably would have even laughed.