Comments on: Try to be funny, even if you're not http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sat, 20 Mar 2010 23:15:53 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Jane http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-216770 Jane Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:30:13 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-216770 I've always maintained that men don't like funny women, especially if the women are also hot. I used to attribute this to the stereotypical male inability to multi-task, making it genetically impossible to give equal attention to punch lines and boobs. Your post opens up some disturbing possibilities. Either a) I'm not funny or hot; or b) what I consider funny is actually sarcasm and men generally don't like/get sarcasm. Whatever. The fact that men aren't attracted to sarcasm makes it even more ideal for the workplace. I've always maintained that men don't like funny women, especially if the women are also hot. I used to attribute this to the stereotypical male inability to multi-task, making it genetically impossible to give equal attention to punch lines and boobs. Your post opens up some disturbing possibilities. Either a) I'm not funny or hot; or b) what I consider funny is actually sarcasm and men generally don't like/get sarcasm. Whatever. The fact that men aren't attracted to sarcasm makes it even more ideal for the workplace.

]]> By: Rachel http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-216347 Rachel Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:51:48 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-216347 Emily, never question anything based on a love of beer. Beer is a sign that God loves us (paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin). All women the world over would be happier if they liked beer. Emily, never question anything based on a love of beer. Beer is a sign that God loves us (paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin). All women the world over would be happier if they liked beer.

]]> By: emily http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-216339 emily Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:44:18 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-216339 This was so interesting. I'm straight, and a girl, but I'm pretty goofy and make a lot of jokes. I have all of these things that in my head I think of as my "male" traits-- I drink beer, I love facts, I fix things myself, I make jokes to get people to like me. Weird that I guess I think of humor and fun conversation as male traits-- and conversely I think of deep, serious conversations as a female thing. It's kind of crazy, but even though I have always unambiguously been attracted to men, I have actually questioned my own sexuality based on drinking beer, being good at geography, and having a goofy sense of humor. It's like these random personality traits make me identify more with men than with women. It's frustrating too that I find myself trying to be more "male" at work to be successful, and to schmooze more easily at a party, and to get farther at the gym. This was so interesting. I'm straight, and a girl, but I'm pretty goofy and make a lot of jokes. I have all of these things that in my head I think of as my "male" traits– I drink beer, I love facts, I fix things myself, I make jokes to get people to like me. Weird that I guess I think of humor and fun conversation as male traits– and conversely I think of deep, serious conversations as a female thing.
It's kind of crazy, but even though I have always unambiguously been attracted to men, I have actually questioned my own sexuality based on drinking beer, being good at geography, and having a goofy sense of humor. It's like these random personality traits make me identify more with men than with women. It's frustrating too that I find myself trying to be more "male" at work to be successful, and to schmooze more easily at a party, and to get farther at the gym.

]]> By: Rachel http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-216216 Rachel Sat, 12 Dec 2009 01:26:38 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-216216 So this is why I'm every dude's friend, and women find me irresistible. Haha, just kidding. I didn't even know people thought I was funny until I started dating a girl. But maybe they were just so shocked and offended by my "switch" they couldn't think of anything else to say. I wonder if I went back to boys if I would be un-funny again? So this is why I'm every dude's friend, and women find me irresistible. Haha, just kidding.

I didn't even know people thought I was funny until I started dating a girl. But maybe they were just so shocked and offended by my "switch" they couldn't think of anything else to say.

I wonder if I went back to boys if I would be un-funny again?

]]> By: Marie McHale Drake http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-216156 Marie McHale Drake Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:57:37 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-216156 I am extremely funny. But I did have higher levels of testosterone than normal for a woman in my late teens. As that normalized, did I get less funny? No, I am funnier than ever. Then again I haven't had my testosterone levels checked in a long time. I am extremely funny. But I did have higher levels of testosterone than normal for a woman in my late teens. As that normalized, did I get less funny? No, I am funnier than ever. Then again I haven't had my testosterone levels checked in a long time.

]]> By: Kathy http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-216155 Kathy Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:52:03 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-216155 "Though I'm certain I am pretty straight ..." Now that right there is funny! "Though I'm certain I am pretty straight …" Now that right there is funny!

]]> By: Lydia http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-216153 Lydia Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:46:51 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-216153 I enjoyed this post for some of the points in it, even though I, too, disagree with your saying that generally women are less or not funny. I was voted "wittiest" back in high school, I love making people laugh, and I'm not self-deprecating, either. I make friends easily because I can make strangers giggle, and the desire to keep on doing that dictates where I spend my time, my work, my mate, almost everything. I was raised in a sarcastic family and learned to tone it down a lot because people often interpreted me as being serious when I wasn't at all. I think being taught empathy and reading loads while growing up helped me get inside people's heads a lot more easily, making it a lot simpler to quickly figure out what people like to laugh at. I agree with other comments that being raised female is a constant lesson in reining yourself in and acting lady-like. We develop senses of humor still, but because of different societal pressures we express them in other ways than men. Though I'm certain I am pretty straight and feel feminine, too, I played a lot of sports growing up, so I was definitely one of the boys. This helped me ignore a lot of the other b.s. telling me to behave like a girl should. Plenty of women are funny, though I agree that we are less allowed to be. I'm lucky enough to live in a small town that attracted a lot of healthy, athletic, independent women who are never slow on the uptake, and we have a lot of men around who deeply appreciate it. I enjoyed this post for some of the points in it, even though I, too, disagree with your saying that generally women are less or not funny. I was voted "wittiest" back in high school, I love making people laugh, and I'm not self-deprecating, either. I make friends easily because I can make strangers giggle, and the desire to keep on doing that dictates where I spend my time, my work, my mate, almost everything. I was raised in a sarcastic family and learned to tone it down a lot because people often interpreted me as being serious when I wasn't at all. I think being taught empathy and reading loads while growing up helped me get inside people's heads a lot more easily, making it a lot simpler to quickly figure out what people like to laugh at.

I agree with other comments that being raised female is a constant lesson in reining yourself in and acting lady-like. We develop senses of humor still, but because of different societal pressures we express them in other ways than men. Though I'm certain I am pretty straight and feel feminine, too, I played a lot of sports growing up, so I was definitely one of the boys. This helped me ignore a lot of the other b.s. telling me to behave like a girl should. Plenty of women are funny, though I agree that we are less allowed to be. I'm lucky enough to live in a small town that attracted a lot of healthy, athletic, independent women who are never slow on the uptake, and we have a lot of men around who deeply appreciate it.

]]> By: rhhardin http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-185290 rhhardin Thu, 07 May 2009 21:02:58 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-185290 I knew it was over when my girlfriend said, ``Our relationship has to be about more than jokes.'' So. How's the weather? I knew it was over when my girlfriend said, "Our relationship has to be about more than jokes."

So.

How's the weather?

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-184927 Anonymous Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:35:55 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-184927 I'm a man, I don't think I'm funny at all. Ergo, not all men are hard-wired to think they're funny. Stop generalizing. I'm a man, I don't think I'm funny at all. Ergo, not all men are hard-wired to think they're funny. Stop generalizing.

]]> By: EmbomeSed http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/comment-page-2/#comment-177085 EmbomeSed Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:19:52 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/29/try-to-be-funny-even-if-youre-not/#comment-177085 Much the interesting has found here Much the interesting has found here

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