Candid Video / Candid Comment - A New Feature

 

I am excited to announce a new feature I am rolling out.  Candid Videos.  They will come in the form of comments, interviews and soon Zoom events.  The point here is to expand.  Bringing in newer and more interactive content.  I really enjoy doing this blog it's been around since 2009 and I have seen a steady stream of visitors view the content added to it.  Even when I do not add content I still see people coming by and reading the blog.  I am very honored by the fact that people read what I post.  And some return often to see the latest update.  So to say thanks and also hopefully reach other people I am adding this new feature into the blog.

You will see a note like this one then the video just so you know what is going on.

Now here is the first video I did.

How To Be Funny At Work And Not Get Fired - A Candid Comment

I love a good pun and some dad jokes are pretty funny.  One of my buddies at work often tosses out the dad jokes and oh the puns.  Example what do you call 3 cows starring at each other?  A steak out.  LOL ya that is funny.  That said there are some things one needs to remember when it comes to being a yuckster at work.  It's all fun and games until the boss calls you into the office after you've cracked wise and then hands you a pink slip.  Now one may think hey that is not really fair.  Oh it's fair some things are really not good to do or say in a workplace.  So before you quip from the hip or prank a fellow coworker take a tip or two here and save yourself a trip to HR.

Comics try to gauge the room as they toss out the funny.  Some jokes are really a hit and others are umm just not going to pull a chuckle.  Back when I was studying Radio Broadcasting at Mohawk College here in Hamilton I saw a show where a comedian was joking about being a parent one joke about poopy diapers drew crickets.  He had misread the room.  That is the first thing knowing if you have an audience that will find you funny.  Trying to be witty can land you in serious hot water.  The comic did recover and joked about the joke, that is another tip.  Know when you have bombed and acknowledge that. We all foul up a joke and admitting that can actually be quite funny.  

Another tip is getting permission from others in the room.  Getting a buy in from people is kind of important so how do yo do that.  It's really by building some rapport with the others in the room and getting them to see you as an ally once you have them on your side you can let your humor out.  One way I get a room on my side and gain permission is to start a small chat before a meeting with others in the room or to pitch a couple of ideas n the meeting.  Even if no one bites if I have a sense they respect the attempt I can inject some humor into the mix.  Like hmm I guess I am hitting some fly balls to center field here, or oh well back to my tickle trunk I go so I can see if I have a few more ideas I can share.  The point here is to crack em up without coming off as a jerk or worse.  

As for pranks at work.  I really suggest avoiding those altogether.  There is something to be said for pulling a fast one on a colleague or the boss but, that is not really a good idea.  Bubble wrapping the bosses chair, putting salt in the sugar jar or changing the language on the computer of your colleague may sound funny but, it really is annoying and not that funny.  Most pranks are intended to make people look stupid.  In  a work place pranks are not going to end well. So I would suggest avoiding them altogether.

So to close here are the pro tips to use when trying out your humor at work.

Read the room: Make sure that you have attention of the people in the room.

Get Permission: Ensure that your permitted to be a contributor to the meeting and then make sure that the situation is not so serious or you have the space to be able to tell a joke to make others feel more at ease.

If you fail that's OK own it: Comics bomb you will too so own it and move on.

How To is a podcast from Slate. How To Crack Up Your Co-workers (Without Being Offensive) is an episode that speaks to being funny at work.  Check it out and let me know what you think about being funny at work.

See ya in the next article.

Candid Comment - Will Smith - WOW What The???

Will Smith at the Oscars with his wife Jada.  Chris Rock on stage cracks a joke directed at Jayda. Smith then saunters up to the stage and slaps Rock in the face returns to his seat then proceeds to make it clear he is not happy, telling Rock to keep his wife's name out of his Fing mouth. Wow what the? I...I...I am just like wow as I watched this. And yet at the same time I do understand the reaction. I would not be very happy if some dude decided to use my wife's physical features as material for a joke.

That said one does have to take a pause before reacting.  Hitting someone is a crime and in California it's pretty seriously taken. The penal code has in it some pretty stiff fines and jail times for battery even if there is no injury. The LAPD did make it clear that Will Smith committed a crime and that they could have arrested him for it. Rock decided not to file a report.

Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences intends to investigate the incident and will probably propose some form of punishment, fine, suspension, but will not take the Oscar Will won from him.  

Chris Rock is a comedian, right?  Right, and some of the jokes he makes are off color and cross lines.  The crack about Jada being the next G.I. Jane was probably not a smart one to make but, slapping him over it was Will Smith's error.  Looking at it from the side of Will Smith one does have to step back a bit and take a look at from the perspective of a husband hearing his wife getting dissed by a comic about a disease she has been dealing with.  Jada has Alopecia which causes hair loss.  It's not a laughing matter especially for women so a joke like the one Chris Rock told is pretty offensive.  Will Smith reacted as any husband would to defend his wife, the problem was the kind of reaction, hitting Chris Rock.   

A wife wants her husband to defend her.  I am sure that Jada wanted Will to do something about the joke but, I would also hope she would have said something like "honeykins I love that you wanted to defend me but, boo boo hitting Chris was not ok."  Cussing him sure hitting no.

Do I think Rock crossed a line, given the information out there probably yes.  Was Smith entitled to be upset?  Yes I do think he was allowed to take issue with the joke.  He had every right to stand up for his wife and say that is not acceptable.  He did not have the right to strike Chris Rock.  I can relate to what it is like to be the butt of a joke.  Years ago while in college a person referred to me in a joking manner as a nobody who would always just be a nobody.  That did not go over very well with me and I verbally let the man have it.  I lost it, and nearly put my hands on him.  Thankfully I did not because I knew I could hurt him, get hurt by him and face charges and get kicked out of school.  I reported the incident and the guy was dealt with through the correct channels.  There are channels that Will Smith could have and should have used to handle this.  Instead he chose to go it alone and now it's costing him in so many ways.