Did you hear the one about the priest and the rabbi walking into a bar…wait a minute, this joke sounds like it could get offensive. So, can telling jokes in the classroom get you into trouble? We can look at recent news to see a prime example of this. If you haven’t heard, David Letterman made a joke about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s daughter, in his opening monologue, on June 9, 2009. The response to the incident has been overwhelming; it seems everyone has an opinion on the matter, spanning opposite ends of the spectrum. There are those who feel that David Letterman is a comedian, an entertainer, and it’s his job to make people laugh. Others were so outraged, they were protesting outside his studio and demanding that he be fired from CBS.
No matter which side you’re on, one thing is clear: telling jokes can land you in some hot water.
I learned this the hard way, early on in my career with Langevin. Initially, I thought my main responsibility as a trainer was to make people laugh. (Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice when people enjoy themselves but it shouldn’t be your sole focus.) I used to tell lots of jokes in my classes, thinking this was a sure fire way to get some laughs. I also told a lot of lawyer jokes, most of them mocking my former profession. Hey, there’s nothing better than self deprecating humor, right?
So I told this one joke about God in heaven having a conversation with Satan, down below. The punch line for the joke targeted lawyers – not Satan, God, or any other religious figure. Now, I never gave this joke much thought until I received an evaluation form from a participant. She wrote, “The instructor told a joke in class that I found offensive for religious reasons.” WHAT??!! I wasn’t even thinking about religion. These were just two characters in a joke and I was trying to make fun of lawyers!!
I couldn’t believe that I had offended someone in my class and it had NOTHING to do with the training. It was just me trying to entertain and looking for the laugh. From that day forward, I decided to never tell another joke in the classroom again. And to be honest, I don’t even miss it. Keep in mind, I still use humor, spontaneity, and stories to keep my audience engaged, but NO jokes!
Now, let’s be clear. I’m not saying that you can NEVER use jokes in the classroom. In fact, some of you may have found great success with them. So for those of you who still tell jokes (my Jerry Seinfeld, Dane Cook, Ellen DeGeneres, Lewis Black wannabes), keep the following guidelines in mind. From the home office of Langevin Learning Services, here are the Top 10 Faux Pas of Joke Telling:
10. Don’t tell jokes that you don’t understand.
9. Don’t use insulting or non-inclusive jokes.
8. Don’t laugh at your own jokes.
7. Don’t read your jokes – tell them.
6. Don’t reprimand the audience for not laughing.
5. Don’t use canned jokes that have no connection to your content.
4. Don’t announce that you’re going to tell the “best joke ever!”
3. Don’t humiliate people.
2. Don’t be sarcastic.
1. Don’t place the focus on you rather than the learners.
What’s your position on joke telling? Are you a fan or are you against them? Let’s hear your stories and as Lady Godiva said when she stepped off her horse, “I’ve come to my clothes.” Get it, like “close?” No wonder I gave up joke telling!
Marsha
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After a break, I like to say, “OK, break time’s over, back on your heads.” If they don’t know that joke, I tell it; so far, no one has admitted to being offended. I also like to project this image on the screen as students return from break: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1287/665111652_9087168da1.jpg . Again, no one has complained so far.