Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Ojuice5001 · 08-16-2003, 12:01 PM

I'm a big fan of Dilbert--that and FoxTrot--and I don't understand why Dilbert has a reputation for being either unfunny or hard to understand. It's got huge exaggerations of normal situations, highly defective characters, and gratutious bizarre occurences.

And 88% of the jokes are either immediately accessible, or it takes ten seconds or less to figure them out. I don't know how that perception got started, but it seems common.

Its style of humor is similar to the Simpsons, which is very popular. Why are the Simpsons held in such higher esteem?

kwigibo · 08-16-2003, 12:22 PM

The Simpsons is probably the broadest comedy around, it can appeal to almost any sense of humour. Basically anyone can be a Simpsons fan. Dilbert does not possess the same mass appeal, most of the humour is rooted in technology and office politics, there are a lot of people who don't work in offices, nor are they technically inclined, I'd be willing to bet those are the kind of people who are averse to Dilbert. The jokes would still make sense, but the context doesn't apply to them. What does a non-office worker find funny about pathetic interns, or business software etc.

Ojuice5001 · 08-16-2003, 12:31 PM

True, but I've pretty much never worked in an office, and I'm ignorant of new technology. The jokes still make me laugh out loud. Same with other Dilbert fans I know, though some of them know more about technology.

kwigibo · 08-16-2003, 12:37 PM

I've never worked in an office, i'm not a genuine technophile, and I like dilbert too, but on the whole people don't seem to be receptive to humour outside their sphere of relevance.

tronvillain · 08-16-2003, 01:33 PM

I was unaware that Dilbert had such a reputation. Now The Far Side was something that deserved a repulation of occasionally being difficult to understand, though I generally didn't have a problem.

Jimmy Higgins · 08-16-2003, 02:28 PM

Well if people have that problem with Dilbert, they probably read Family Circus and Garfield for the laughs.

Kilted Canuck · 08-16-2003, 08:50 PM

I'm a high school student, and I love the dilbert strip. I've read the first three books (The Dilbert Principal, The Dilbert Future, and The Joy of Work), and laughed out loud every second page.

I think the office politics somehow relate to high school politics, but I have no idea how.

The Naked Mage · 08-16-2003, 09:03 PM

Come now, Jimmy, you know damn good and well "Family Circus" has never made anyone laugh.

"Garfield", however, remains consistently hilarious even after twenty-five years. Jim must have a great staff.

As far as I'm concerned, "Dilbert" kicks ass, but "FoxTrot" is...blecch.

tronvillain · 08-16-2003, 09:07 PM

"Fox Trot" rocks. "Garfield" has not been funny in ten years and should have been put down long ago.

Cynical-Chick · 08-16-2003, 10:43 PM

I'm a huge Fox Trot fan. I love Garfield. Dilbert is damn cool (I also love Office Space). Born Loser is usually unfunny.

08-16-2003, 12:01 PM	#1
Ojuice5001 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: A city in Florida that I love Posts: 3,416	Dilbert I'm a big fan of Dilbert--that and FoxTrot--and I don't understand why Dilbert has a reputation for being either unfunny or hard to understand. It's got huge exaggerations of normal situations, highly defective characters, and gratutious bizarre occurences. And 88% of the jokes are either immediately accessible, or it takes ten seconds or less to figure them out. I don't know how that perception got started, but it seems common. Its style of humor is similar to the Simpsons, which is very popular. Why are the Simpsons held in such higher esteem?

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08-16-2003, 12:22 PM	#2
kwigibo Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Gold Coast, QLD, Australia Posts: 5,814	The Simpsons is probably the broadest comedy around, it can appeal to almost any sense of humour. Basically anyone can be a Simpsons fan. Dilbert does not possess the same mass appeal, most of the humour is rooted in technology and office politics, there are a lot of people who don't work in offices, nor are they technically inclined, I'd be willing to bet those are the kind of people who are averse to Dilbert. The jokes would still make sense, but the context doesn't apply to them. What does a non-office worker find funny about pathetic interns, or business software etc.

08-16-2003, 12:31 PM	#3
Ojuice5001 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: A city in Florida that I love Posts: 3,416	True, but I've pretty much never worked in an office, and I'm ignorant of new technology. The jokes still make me laugh out loud. Same with other Dilbert fans I know, though some of them know more about technology.

08-16-2003, 12:37 PM	#4
kwigibo Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Gold Coast, QLD, Australia Posts: 5,814	I've never worked in an office, i'm not a genuine technophile, and I like dilbert too, but on the whole people don't seem to be receptive to humour outside their sphere of relevance.

08-16-2003, 01:33 PM	#5
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	I was unaware that Dilbert had such a reputation. Now The Far Side was something that deserved a repulation of occasionally being difficult to understand, though I generally didn't have a problem.

08-16-2003, 02:28 PM	#6
Jimmy Higgins Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Proud Citizen of Freedonia Posts: 42,473	Well if people have that problem with Dilbert, they probably read Family Circus and Garfield for the laughs.

08-16-2003, 08:50 PM	#7
Kilted Canuck Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 127	I'm a high school student, and I love the dilbert strip. I've read the first three books (The Dilbert Principal, The Dilbert Future, and The Joy of Work), and laughed out loud every second page. I think the office politics somehow relate to high school politics, but I have no idea how.

08-16-2003, 09:03 PM	#8
The Naked Mage Veteran Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: The Execution State, USA Posts: 5,031	Come now, Jimmy, you know damn good and well "Family Circus" has never made anyone laugh. "Garfield", however, remains consistently hilarious even after twenty-five years. Jim must have a great staff. As far as I'm concerned, "Dilbert" kicks ass, but "FoxTrot" is...blecch.

08-16-2003, 09:07 PM	#9
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	"Fox Trot" rocks. "Garfield" has not been funny in ten years and should have been put down long ago.

08-16-2003, 10:43 PM	#10
Cynical-Chick Contributor Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 11,424	I'm a huge Fox Trot fan. I love Garfield. Dilbert is damn cool (I also love Office Space). Born Loser is usually unfunny.

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