Do any of you watch this show on Comedy Central? What' your take on it?

I happened to run across last night's show and he did a skit called "Are you smarter than a wetback?" There were some really funny parts in it like the contestant couldn't get any answers right ( because they were rigged) and instead of winning money for right answers, he lost his citizen status for wrong ones. With each wrong answer he went from a U.S. citizen to a green card holder to a documented alien then finally to an illegal alien.

I started telling someone at work about it then started worrying whether I was offending someone. I don't normally refer to hispanics by that name. Does Mencia have the right to make fun of his own nationality? That is, I'm assuming he is hispanic. I've see others make fun of their own race, sex, or sexual orientations. I've heard discussions on TV that comedians have this right but others, like Imus, do not. I understand the concept of laughing at our shortcomings. But I'm not certain if I'm allowed to laugh without offending others. I'm so confused!

 

Well, being the gay man, I can speak about the sexual orientation part. I don't mind people having fun and joking around but there are a few trigger words that I think should never be used.

 

Don't worry Carlos Mencia makes fun of everyone equally but he's never overly mean to the point of offending. He is a comedic genius. If you can't laugh at his ethnic stereotype jokes then you are way too stuck up. He is a throw back to old school blue comedy. I myself laugh at Italian jokes as long as their not spiteful and mean. There is usually some truth to the stereotypes purveyed in a joke. When you here one you always know somebody that matches the stereotype of the joke. There is always a friend, acquaintance, or family member that matches the stereotype. And yes just like any other race or type of person I make certain jokes and use certain slang with people of my own race that only we can use with each other. If it were to come out of anyone else's mouth it would be derogatory. For example I can call one of my friends a greasy guido bastard and get away with it. If someone else were to say it that wasn't Italian it would probably cause a fight.

 

I guess I should point out my making stereotype jokes with friends extends to all my hispanic, black, white, asian, gay, religious, and so forth friends. We can equally make fun of each other with few limitations because we are doing it in fun and know that each other aren't racist or bigots. But when it comes to types of friends other than Italians there are certain rules and words I would never use. Like I would never use the N word ever........period. No matter how close I am with a person that is one word I feel should never leave anyone other than a black persons mouth. I guess it all depends on your level of comfort and friendship with a person. Of course I would never act that way to strangers.

 

...a right, defined by whom.

Becareful with this one gang, it does have the potential to get way out of hand, as history on this forum has proven.

 

mencia is not mexican, he's honduran and german. He also steals jokes from other comics, both known and unknown. This guy is a "JOKE".

Here's a youtube sample of Joe Rogan arguing with Mencia about how he steals material.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsq1uTLBHBc

You can also do a search for carlos mencia on youtube to find more posts about him "borrowing" material.

 

capt, excellent post...
i mean really WTF is wrong with ppl? they are JOKES...

and can he make fun of his own race? why not, black call each other "nigg*r" and its no big deal, so i can call wetbacks, wetbacks, and no big deal....

usually only racial, stereotypical jokes are offensive to stuck up, uptight bastards

one of my better friends, peter, is a black dude, and times we would go at it back and forth with racial jokes in good fun...

hmm i was about to type a few jokes... but im sure id get banned or some whiny p***y would report me... so be it...

thanks!

ph yea, and mencia has been accused by Gee-Lo to have ripped off his jokes as well...and as far as joe rogan is concerned, fawk that fool who is he anyways, damn washed up moron

 

I would categorize Mencia a "comedic genius" only in the way he delivers the material, not due to the originality of his material. Much of the stuff he discusses I've heard most of my life, but he does give it a new spin or twist that makes it hilarious. I love his show, just like I love the Chappelle Show. What happened to Imus sucks - I'm not a fan of his, as I never listened to him. However, Mencia and Imus and Chappelle are only perpetuating what we as "ethnic minorities" (for lack of a better term) have been doing for YEARS - making fun of ourselves, making fun of our stereotypes, and creating monikers, euphemisms, and delivering it all in the context of a good time, not necessarily a flat-out joke that is delivered on stage. This will, and should, continue, in my opinion - why? Because even if we reach a stage where political correctness takes hold and eliminates all references to minorities and associated stereotypes, we as ethnic minorities will continue to do so anyway. Those of you who are not WASPS know exactly what I mean - get a group of your friends together, and the first thing we do is start joking about things that have to do with our nationality, race, gender, stereotype, etc. Heck, I know I do!

 

P.S. - If you haven't seen his short skit called "Wetback Mountain," you should do a search on Video Google or YouTube - Mencia and Mario Lopez are hilarious!

 

That's what I meant. There are plenty of comedians out there with similar material and there are many before Mencia. I think that's mainly why Joe Rogan is giving him a hard time. Of course there are jokes that are like others but I don't think he ever directly plagiarized another comedian. When Joe got on him about supposedly being half German he produced his green card. Like it was pointed out who is Rogan to talk anyways. He's probably just starting crap so people remeber who his washed up lame ass is. Mencia is hot right now so why not pick a fight to keep attention on yourself. I don't know the whole story behind George Lopez jacking Mencia up and I don't think any of us will so I won't even get on that. That's between those two men.