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Did you find Colbert's joke about trans on Monday offensive??

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Contributor: catsin catsin
I'm a huge fan of The Colbert Report. When he made his joke on Monday (which I will post below), I'll admit, I was amused. I live with three transitioning folk, one of whom is incredibly sensitive about his identity and I know would NOT be amused by this statements in the least. The next day Colbert issued one of his questionable apologies to the "trans cows or bulls" in the audience in response to the blow-back he received via the Twitter community.

If you aren't familiar with Colbert's humor, I can see how you could take this to heart, but his humor is BASED on jesting at the behalf of people's ignorance to wisdom and sensitivity. I don't perceive him to be poking at the Trans community, but at the ridiculous name and acronym given to this product to disguise its content.

Do YOU find this joke to be offensive?

"The Beefy Three believe that "Pink Slime" is an offensive slur against slurry, because it already has a lovely name:
'The real name of the product is lean finely textured beef. It's called LFTB'.

YES!
LFTB, because our beef now has so many hormones it's a member of the transgender community."

Multiple choices activated. This question has a potential for heated debated, so please respond considerately!
Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):
I'm not offended, this is standard Colbert banter
catsin , Peggi , P'Gell , butts , Taylor , Rab , Bebela , ellejay , smc3115 , eroticmutt , Gunsmoke , Undead , PeaceToTheMiddleEast , Tuesday , Ghost , bayosgirl , Gone (LD29) , SizeQueenAndProud , TheParrishism , hatman , pootpootpoot , plaidvulva , JessCee , violets , kmilly , Tao of Tantra , TheGreat , kenny.the.dinosaur , Stinkytofu10 , maccaj , JadeKitten , sodapin , alextge , Beautiful-Disaster , treehugger , Augustxsins , Lildrummrgurl7 , needapacker , JinxPinx
39
Yes, I'm offended, he went too far with that one
I'm opposed to humor like this in general (South Park wasn't funny either)
JadeKitten
1
I'm mildly offended, but I understand why others would find this humorous
nori , ghalik
2
This is transphobic, because...
I found this amusing.
catsin , Peggi , spiceboy , Cal , TransMarc , u , bayosgirl , Gone (LD29) , SizeQueenAndProud , Caulfield , GONE! , kmilly , Tao of Tantra , kenny.the.dinosaur , pogoyoubounce , needapacker
16
I'm apathetic towards it.
Taylor , Voir , smc3115 , ghalik , Gunsmoke , joja , Ciao. , hatman , MasonM , sodapin
10
Another option not included that I will explain to you below....
Total votes: 68 (52 voters)
Poll is closed
04/04/2012
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Contributor: nori nori
I'm not really sure. knowing colbert; i'm sure he meant no harm by it. but it's still very insensitive.
04/04/2012
Contributor: Peggi Peggi
Although I guess I can see why some people might be offended, I was not and I thought it was pretty good. People like this don't just poke fun at one community. Just as you mentioned South Park in your list of selections, there is bound to be one time at least where something you believe in or about yourself will be made fun of in a show like that, or in something like the Colbert Report.

You have to take everything said on shows like that not personally but as they are meant to be.
04/04/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
It's Classic Colbert. He's playing a character, one who doesn't have a lot of .... tolerance for anyone different than mainstream, white, rich males.

Saying it as this intolerant character isn't offensive to me, but I'm not transitioning, so maybe I'm not the best person to ask.
04/04/2012
Contributor: butts butts
lol, very not offended by this. I'm not entirely sure how one COULD be offended. This is a much bigger stab at the meat industry than the trans community.
04/04/2012
Contributor: spineyogurt spineyogurt
NOt really
04/04/2012
Contributor: Bebela Bebela
It's a bit mean-spirited but I wouldn't call it inappropiate for that show and definitely wouldn't call it transphobic.
It was a harsh joke, but it was just that, he has every right to make such jokes and i dont think it represents any true hate speech or resentment towards the trans communty (maybe the meat industry!)
hypersensitivity is not helpful for the LGBT cause, especially when there are so many real transphobic people and so many serious hate crimes being committed
04/04/2012
Contributor: GONE! GONE!
I snickered. I probably would've been more annoyed if "LFTB" didn't sound so close to "LGBT." I mean, it's just asking for a joke and he could've done so much worse.
04/04/2012
Contributor: Voir Voir
No, at first I really didn't see how the joke related at all and then got to the end of it and was like "ohhhh". I wasn't offended, but then not much does offend me so
But I agree with some above comments, being hyper-sensitive to EVERYTHING isn't doing anyone any good.

Anywho.... yeah no I didn't find that offensive. People are just too sensitive and have no grasp of satire. Because that is basically what he used, fuckin' satire. B| sarcasm is a dying language.
04/04/2012
Contributor: spiceboy spiceboy
I don't think it should be off limits to simply refer to a minority group. I didn't feel that this joke was at anyone's expense; I am not laughing at the trans community by laughing at what he said. I totally understand being sensitive about any mainstream reference to trans* folk in a joking manner, though. I just don't think the joke was inherently insensitive.
04/04/2012
Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
Quote:
Originally posted by catsin
I'm a huge fan of The Colbert Report. When he made his joke on Monday (which I will post below), I'll admit, I was amused. I live with three transitioning folk, one of whom is incredibly sensitive about his identity and I know would NOT be ... more
I'm not offended. Colbert says Anything and Everything. He is NOT prejudice, seriously. People could be offended by what he says in principle, but I am sure everyone here is well aware he's not some kind of bigot with an axe to grind. He just says stupid funny things- that's the whole show.
04/05/2012
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
I find Colbert mildly entertaining. His liberal bias oozes out of his outrageous banter. It seems he thinks that being louder and more outrageous than anyone else he somehow appears believable. He's just another shill for the Hollywood elite.
04/05/2012
Contributor: catsin catsin
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
I find Colbert mildly entertaining. His liberal bias oozes out of his outrageous banter. It seems he thinks that being louder and more outrageous than anyone else he somehow appears believable. He's just another shill for the Hollywood elite.
"It seems he thinks that being louder and more outrageous than anyone else he somehow appears believable"

Really? I never got this from him at all. I always felt that he's striving for people to actively QUESTION all media, including his own.
04/05/2012
Contributor: Undead Undead
No, I expect stuff like that from some comedians and I don't get mad when they make offensive jokes.
04/05/2012
Contributor: TransMarc TransMarc
Where is the "I found it amusing but understand how others would find it offending?"
Note: I found it amusing as written outside of its context & on a trans* forum, not knowing how it was delivered and not being familiar with Colbert.
04/05/2012
Contributor: catsin catsin
Quote:
Originally posted by TransMarc
Where is the "I found it amusing but understand how others would find it offending?"
Note: I found it amusing as written outside of its context & on a trans* forum, not knowing how it was delivered and not being familiar with Colbert.
Thanks for enlightening me to that option, I shall edit and add
04/06/2012
Contributor: catsin catsin
Quote:
Originally posted by catsin
Thanks for enlightening me to that option, I shall edit and add
Nevermind, apparently edit doesn't extend to poll questions
04/06/2012
Contributor: Ciao. Ciao.
Eh, I'm pretty apathetic to it, I don't find it wildly hilarious but I'm not outraged by it either. Comedians like to push buttons with all sorts of groups, and I generally like Colbert so I'm willing to give him the pass on this one.
04/06/2012
Contributor: TheParrishism TheParrishism
I think he has made funnier jokes. But I don't think it is particularly offensive. There will always be people offended by every joke. I respect everyone's right to be offended.
04/06/2012
Contributor: plaidvulva plaidvulva
Not offended in the slightest.
04/07/2012
Contributor: MasonM MasonM
Quote:
Originally posted by catsin
I'm a huge fan of The Colbert Report. When he made his joke on Monday (which I will post below), I'll admit, I was amused. I live with three transitioning folk, one of whom is incredibly sensitive about his identity and I know would NOT be ... more
If I were going to be offended, it would be in relation to the beef industry, not my place as a member of the trans community.
04/07/2012
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by catsin
"It seems he thinks that being louder and more outrageous than anyone else he somehow appears believable"

Really? I never got this from him at all. I always felt that he's striving for people to actively QUESTION all media, including his own.
You could be correct - but in my limited experience at least 80% of his stuff is aimed to ridicule the right. The other 20% he does for 'balance'.
04/07/2012
Contributor: Sex Positivity Sex Positivity
I don't really think I have the right to be offended without being in the trans community, but it does bother me that he takes the issue so lightly.
04/08/2012
Contributor: kmilly kmilly
not offended. it isn't a slam at trans* folk using hormones. lots of people use hormones. there are much worse things he could have said. shit's hard when you're trans. gotta laugh about it sometime.
04/08/2012
Contributor: TheGreat TheGreat
I think it is a standard Colbert thing, he is drawing attention to the use of hormones to change things not saying trans* people are bad.
04/09/2012
Contributor: kenny.the.dinosaur kenny.the.dinosaur
I thought it was kinda funny
04/16/2012
Contributor: alextge alextge
Quote:
Originally posted by catsin
I'm a huge fan of The Colbert Report. When he made his joke on Monday (which I will post below), I'll admit, I was amused. I live with three transitioning folk, one of whom is incredibly sensitive about his identity and I know would NOT be ... more
Honestly I think it's cool whenever anything about trans is publicized. I feel like most people have never even heard about it
05/29/2013
Contributor: Beautiful-Disaster Beautiful-Disaster
I don't see anything offensive about it.
05/29/2013
Contributor: treehugger treehugger
Out of context I might find it offensive, but his entire show is satire, so I'm cool with it.
05/29/2013
Contributor: JinxPinx JinxPinx
I remember this joke.. It just made me laugh. I don't think it's offensive at all. You'd probably have to either be pretty sensitive or have no familiarity to the show to blow up over that. His show's lgbtq friendly...
06/04/2013