I watch Jay Leno almost every night, but I am getting really sick of listening to the jokes he has been telling. Since when is teachers having sex with students or child molestation funny? The other night he made a joke about Micheal Jackson getting ready to leave the country & they showed the plane being loaded...with Boy Scouts. How is that funny? I find it disgusting. Have I lost my sense of humor?

By Vicki on Friday, June 17, 2005 - 07:34 pm:

Jay Leno has never done anything for me at all. He laughs at his own jokes more than the audience does.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, June 17, 2005 - 09:53 pm:

I know just what you mean, Emily, though I have never watched Jay Leno. As I've gotten older, I've developed what I prefer to think of as a more discriminating sense of humor. Which means I don't find it funny to make jokes about child molestation, handicapped people, ethnic or racial groups, women (put downs about women), poor people, or topics in the news which are about people being hurt. I don't think you've lost your sense of humor, you've just grown past high-school, which Jay Leno and a lot of others haven't.

(For the same kind of reasons, I don't watch American Idol, which seems to thrive on the judges insulting people, or any of the reality shows that focus on putting people in dangerous or difficult situations and setting things up so that someone gets put down, voted out, etc. In my opinion, these shows are all focused on seeing how far they can go to embarass or hurt (emotionally) the participants, and frankly, they are so phony. I just don't find that kind of thing entertaining.)

By Karen~moderator on Saturday, June 18, 2005 - 08:48 am:

Leno irritates me SO much. And yes, he laughs loudest at his own jokes, which I personally do not find funny.

By Missmudd on Saturday, June 18, 2005 - 11:07 am:

There is always a fine line between funny and stupid or insulting, I think that comics go through fazes where they get crude, people laugh nervously, and they think that they are getting a positive response. Isnt Leno and Jackson friends? I thought he testified for the defense. While I am not crazy about Jackson that really doesnt say much about leno either.

By Emily7 on Saturday, June 18, 2005 - 11:19 am:

No they are not friends, at least I wouldn't be friends with someone that told jokes like that about me. It was interesting to watch last night because he had Jacksons lawyer on to interview...

By Nanaoie on Saturday, June 18, 2005 - 02:46 pm:

No, I don't think you have at all,...... I think you just have good taste

By Jann on Saturday, June 18, 2005 - 06:22 pm:

They aren't friends. Leno was subpoenaed by the defense to testify because he had some interaction with the accused. His testimony ended up being a non issue.
I think satire can sometimes be funny and sometimes not.

By Mommmie on Sunday, June 19, 2005 - 05:48 pm:

Switch to Letterman and see what you think. I never "got" Leno's humor, but Letterman, I think, is hilarious.

By Pamt on Sunday, June 19, 2005 - 09:28 pm:

Mommmies, I'm so with you!! I LOVE Letterman (like literally...okay, not love, but I have a crush on him because I adore his sense of humor---don't worry, DH is fully aware)! Leno laughs at his own jokes, which aren't funny to begin with, and then he keeps adding to them like he doesn't know when to stop. Ugh! I do think satire can sometimes be hilarious, like Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal which suggested that the poor people in Ireland should allow their fellow Irishmen to eat their children to alleviate the problem of more mouths to feed and offer an additional food source, thus alleviating poverty. This was written in the 1700s btw, and is considered a classic piece of satirical literature. But...all in context. I personally don't have a problem with some of the Michael Jackson jokes, but I can understand how some would.

By Kaye on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 12:22 am:

I agree soemtimes the jokes just aren't funny anymore. As far as letterman vs leno...I am a leno watcher, yes sometimes he laughs at his own jokes, i used to watch letterman and he just got too crude for me, i felt like he uses a lot more language and a lot more "sex" appeal (like the skit about not doing this at home and he has one girl twirling fire, etc). I guess that is why there is more than one show, different strokes for different folks!

By Karen~moderator on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 07:52 am:

I think I'll just stick to Law & Order reruns at that time of night.

By Conni on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 08:51 am:

I also love Letterman. I do not care for Leno either.

As for Michael Jackson jokes in my Sunday paper yesterday there was a cartoon about Michael Jackson. The caption read something to this effect: When asked what he was going to do now that his trial is over and he has been aquitted.... HE said 'I'm going to Disneyworld'... IT was a cartoon of him holding hands with two young boys getting ready to go on a trip. I did NOT find it funny either.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 09:33 am:

I have an opinion about why M.J. is the way he is - and everyone has an opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. LOL You've heard the stories about how their dad was so hard on them and pushed them and even verbally or physically abused them, etc. So I think Michael was looking for love and acceptance, and he wanted to capture a fantasy childhood he felt he never had. I think he has serious emotional issues. Don't misunderstand me, I truly believe he molested young boys - many of them - and sleeping in the bed with them is totally UNACCEPTABLE. What he has done is WRONG and has obviously impacted the lives of many boys, some now men. My belief is he has a sickness, a sexual addiction, and who knows, maybe no amount of therapy will *cure* him. All the public jokes about him are in poor taste, but that is what the media does. I believe he's guilty, but I now understand *why* the jury voted the way they did. We all know there are leaches ready to attach themselves to a vulnerable, wealthy celebrity to get what they can, and some have a history of doing it over and over.

I in NO way condone what I believe he's done. I think he has a sickness and I would like to see him ordered to never be alone with kids. You can see in his expressions, there is clearly something wrong there. I don't know what the answer is, even if a civil suit is filed, even if he is ordered to pay damages, it's only money to him. It doesn't affect the root of his problem.

I almost feel sorry for the man. He is extremely talented as a singer/dancer/entertainer, but is obviously so emotionally/sexually dysfunctional. He has no real normal, healthy relationships with ADULTS, be it male or female. All his wealth has not bought him happiness. He wants to live in a childhood fantasy world, and one that includes inappropriate behaviors with children to boot.

He needs help, and at this stage, I have doubts he can be *cured*. What's the answer for someone like him????

By Tink on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 12:27 pm:

Karen, you just verbalized my exact thoughts on MJ. I think he did exactly as he was accused of, more than once, with more than one little boy, but I think he is a sick, sad man that really has no hope of recovering. I think it's terrible that because of his status as a celebrity, the behavior he has exhibited is "permitted" but, mostly, I just feel terribly, terribly sorry for him and his victims. He is mentally and emotionally disturbed and I don't think there is anything that can be done for him, except to keep him away from any unsupervised exposure to children.

By Kernkate on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 01:50 pm:

Great opinion Karen, I totally agree with you.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 02:18 pm:

MJ just doesn't seem like an adult to me! He just doesn't strike me as being 46, almost 47 years old! So, I agree that he kind of got "stuck" somewhere along the way.

By Kim on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 03:54 pm:

I have noticed that comics have been making jokes about 9/11 also. I can't stand that, it was a terrible tragedy and I think some things should just be sacred. It seems like nowdays nothing is sacred. My DD and I were watching TV after 1 AM the other night and they were saying the F word on TV!!! No bleeps or anything! Many many times! I honestly could not believe it! That is just WRONG.

By Emily7 on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 04:00 pm:

Karen you expressed my feelings exactly. I also think that if a parent leaves their child alone with him after all that has been said & done they are as guilty as he is.

Kim I have not heard jokes about 9/11 & I am glad, that is truly tasteless. Kind of like the jokes made after the Challenger crash all those years ago or Hellen Keller jokes.

By Imamommyx4 on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 12:36 am:

I don't care for Letterman or Leno anymore. I'd rather watch reruns of MASH, Friends or America's Funniest Videos. AFV always cracks me up.

By Sue3 on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 10:23 pm:

I have never cared for Leno either.I would watch Letterman before Leno.
Though I haven`t in quite sometime , because I am sleeping by the time they come on..