…and this is a 
The joke's on them
Category: Creationism • Humor • Stupidity
Posted on: April 10, 2007 12:15 PM, by PZ Myers
I hesitate to mention this, but I seem to be the target of creationist humor. It's not being targeted that I mind, but that the 'humor' is so lame and the photoshopping is so bad. I would have thought that I'd be an excellent subject for lampooning, being easily caricatured and having views outside the mainstream, so why are they so pathetic at it?
Never mind, I looked around the site a little more — it's all that bad, a kind of ham-fisted exaggeration of creationist misconceptions that really only makes the creationists look foolish, on a par with Dembski's clumsy attempts at a joke. Don't they know that good satire has to build on some grain of truth about the subject?
Comments
Proginy?
Posted by: alice | April 10, 2007 12:20 PM
Yeah, well, bad writing and stupid spelling and grammar mistakes also contribute to the suckitude of the site.
Posted by: PZ Myers | April 10, 2007 12:22 PM
They can't even spell "progeny" correctly, so hoping for good humor from them is probably too much to ask.
Posted by: Wes | April 10, 2007 12:26 PM
I did rather enjoy the fishbanana. That was a pretty good photoshop.
a single 'bright' spot in the darkness...
:-\
Posted by: misterbowen | April 10, 2007 12:31 PM
I can't decide if the site is trying to be funny or is just plain stupid. If an insult is intended toward PZ than, in my opinion, it failed miserably.
Posted by: Chaoswes | April 10, 2007 12:40 PM
Hey, that's not a bad look! More of you to love. ;-)
Posted by: David Livesay | April 10, 2007 12:42 PM
I did rather enjoy the fishbanana. That was a pretty good photoshop.
Yeah, but I doubt the people running the site made it. Looks like it's been on the net for a while.
Posted by: dorkafork | April 10, 2007 12:45 PM
I liked this line from another story about abortion.
"Because we now have robots, reducing the population by a few won't negatively impact the economy."
Sounds like a conservative argument.
Posted by: DiscordianStooge | April 10, 2007 12:45 PM
> Yeah, but I doubt the people running the site made it
agreed. even without the reference :-)
Posted by: misterbowen | April 10, 2007 12:50 PM
Humor, well done, has its place. But this site is simply sad and, as PZ says, pathetic. No respectable college humor mag would even consider it.
Posted by: Keanus | April 10, 2007 12:52 PM
...
...
The "Biological Research Institute for Theoretical Evolution Studies"?????
Holy shit.
This reminds me of those overstrained shows attempting to be youthishly cool on Sunday Christian radio. You know, the ones who "Rap for Jesus" and stuff.
...
...
Posted by: Hank Fox | April 10, 2007 12:52 PM
What's funny about Mutation Paste? I don't get it.
And it's the 3rd time they've used the lame idea.
There's one creationist with alot of time to kill and no sense of humor.
Posted by: Steve_C | April 10, 2007 12:59 PM
You suppose we should read anything into the way they exaggerated the size and color of your lips and eyes?
Posted by: Rey Fox | April 10, 2007 1:10 PM
I liked the part in the Progressive Abortion Law where it says a fetus can be aborted up to the time he or she receives it's first college degree.
I tell my kids that their mother and I reserve the right to have them aborted up until the 18th year. Usually when they are treating each other in an unpleasant and especially loud way.
Posted by: bybelknap | April 10, 2007 1:13 PM
Haha, that's great. Where'd you get the mutant paste, I want to speed up my evolution! Ahaha!
Posted by: Stuart Coleman | April 10, 2007 1:20 PM
how to get ahead in evolution?
Posted by: hibob | April 10, 2007 1:23 PM
Posted by: quork | April 10, 2007 1:23 PM
Ah, but you admitted you were insane a few posts ago--and of course you must be always wrong like that lying vampire. I mean, given the freedom of trilemmic choice of lord, liar, or insane, you chose atheism.
neener-neener!
Posted by: Vampire | April 10, 2007 1:29 PM
i'm going for the 66th trimester abortion. depends on if the kid gets into med school.
Posted by: garth | April 10, 2007 1:30 PM
Now this is funny.
http://russellsteapot.com/images/comics/2007/Image069.jpg
Posted by: Steve_C | April 10, 2007 1:31 PM
The fish banana is nice, but not especially impressive.
THIS is good Photoshop:
Clicky
Posted by: Apikoros | April 10, 2007 1:35 PM
what in the world is the point of that? there was no humor at all involved...
Posted by: garth | April 10, 2007 1:37 PM
Apikoros
That was really neat. I love frogs, to.
Posted by: Leni | April 10, 2007 1:44 PM
... and they use my favorite student spelling pet peeve - "specie"
If you don't know that the word "species" is singular, you are not qualified to have an opinion on anything in biology.
Posted by: dr. dave | April 10, 2007 1:50 PM
Yeah, that site is lame.
Posted by: Ric | April 10, 2007 1:52 PM
No Fart noises?
The Biologic labs output must be down..
Posted by: Rich | April 10, 2007 2:00 PM
Don't they know that good satire has to build on some grain of truth about the subject?
They're creationists, they wouldn't recognize truth in any quantity if it was thrown into their eyes.
Posted by: TheBrummell | April 10, 2007 2:03 PM
I'm reminded of a column in one of the local free papers not too long ago about the author chatting up a girl in a lesbian bar. The girl complimented the author on her gloves, the author complimented the girl on her tattoos. And then suggested they should swap arms for a while just to see what it's like.
I guess what I'm saying is that the author probably found it incredibly funny, but to everyone else it's baffling at best. At least it's not strained like conservative humor (or the comic Apikoros linked -- sorry, too blunt). It's just... weird.
Posted by: Brian X | April 10, 2007 2:04 PM
"Mutation paste" is peanut butter, right?
Posted by: Andy | April 10, 2007 2:13 PM
I have to say, when I ran into this web site several weeks ago, I thought it was a lampoon. (Anti-creationist). I'm not sure if I was wrong.
If only these funny web sites would label themselves better....
Posted by: Greg Laden | April 10, 2007 2:19 PM
Fishbananas
Old pyjamas
Mutton, beef, and trout...
Can't let a perfectly good Python ref slip by!
-- CV
Posted by: CortxVortx | April 10, 2007 2:21 PM
Mutate now, avoid the pre-Christmas rush!
Posted by: Interrobang | April 10, 2007 2:22 PM
Of course, the question "Is Uncommon Descent a pardoy site?", remains
Posted by: Rich | April 10, 2007 2:33 PM
I see why you didn't get it. Check the DSM for 'disordered thinking'. These people probably don't get knock-knock jokes and misunderstand fart jokes.
Posted by: SnarlyOldFart | April 10, 2007 2:35 PM
The data is not all in but quite diverse surveying in the blogosphere today indicates a possible theory with nearly universal application: funny is in the eye of the belittler.
Posted by: greensmile | April 10, 2007 2:43 PM
This is clearly the next step in the biblically-predicted progression toward
PYGMIES AND DWARFS!
Posted by: Albatrossity | April 10, 2007 3:12 PM
Wow, you're right about this one, PZ. That attempt was really crude, and kind of sad.
Steve_C says:
Or maybe he's had a lot of humor killed and has no sense of time?
...Nah, your version's probably better.
Posted by: Leon | April 10, 2007 3:21 PM
I hear there's a parody of the daily show, too.
Apparently it's of interest merely for its complete lack of interesting, funny or talented content.
Posted by: Will Von Wizzlepig | April 10, 2007 3:40 PM
"What's funny about Mutation Paste? I don't get it."
See, it's Mutation Paste, which is funny 'cause evil atheist Darwinists think that mutations actually happen and . . .
Sorry, I guess you have to be creationist to get it. And retarded. Very, very retarded.
Posted by: Mel | April 10, 2007 3:45 PM
So, anyone else have a brief ick moment at that shop? Anyone? I'm slightly reminded of lotusboob, here.
Say, I notice that nobody's commented on their hilarious abortion jokes, like "Women need the ability to terminate a maturing fetus in order to maintain their stamina and guarantee their freedom to choose more important careers on a whim if they so desire." Sheer comedy gold, I tell you, but probably not for the reason the author thinks.
Posted by: grendelkhan | April 10, 2007 3:47 PM
Off topic:
I just got back from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles after renewing my license. The new Indiana license plates now have the words "In God we Trust" taking up about half the plate, and the word "God" is the biggest. I just got a one year sticker, not the new plate.
Indiana is being taken over by Christianists.
Posted by: Norman Doering | April 10, 2007 4:00 PM
I've noticed for quite some time that humor seems to be the purview of liberals. Think of all the great comics that generally take a liberal slant: Bloom County, Doonesbury, Boondocks, The Daily Show, etc. What's on the other side? Family Circus? All conservatives seem capable of expressing is sentimentality or anger.
This is because humor requires a shift in perspective. The perception of sarcasm, irony, and subtle contradictions, whereas any sort of perception is antithetical to the conservative credo: obey!
Posted by: efp | April 10, 2007 4:02 PM
bybelknap:
Heh. In college, I knew some people who could have greatly benefited society by submitting themselves to such a law.
dr. dave:
Maybe they were talking about coinage, not animals.
Posted by: Dan | April 10, 2007 4:04 PM
efp:
Don't forget the greatest bastion of crypto-fascist humor: Mallard Fillmore.
Posted by: Dan | April 10, 2007 4:05 PM
Dennis Miller slid to unfunny after 9/11.
I think he got the humor scared out of him.
Is rants are just sad now.
Posted by: Steve_C | April 10, 2007 4:10 PM
I heard about the new Indiana plate (at Shakesville, maybe?) but that it was optional and the standard one was still available. Regardless, it's a lot of taxpayer money going for that option.
Posted by: Carlie | April 10, 2007 4:11 PM
Why do conservatives lack a sense of humor?
Well, let's ask Dr. Freud (or in this case, wiki-Freud): List of Defense Mechanisms.
We can see that among the highest forms of defense mechanisms are humor and sublimation: smart, healthy people are funny and do important work. At the other end, you have regression (see authoritarianism), projection (Jihadi Terror), and splitting (see God, Devil).
Posted by: frog | April 10, 2007 5:05 PM
I just glanced over the typing (I know writing when I see it) on this site, and it reminded me immediately of Steve Martin's immortal words in "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles": "By the way,when you're telling these little stories, here's a good idea: have a point. It makes it so much more interesting for the listener."
Posted by: Greg Peterson | April 10, 2007 5:28 PM
Carlie wrote:
You're right. I was over reacting in my first post. I've now done a bit of research and I think it violates the separation clause because it's being displayed and it's free and it's pushing religion. The lady at BVM was pushing it and I forgot about being given another option.
I just blogged on it:
http://normdoering.blogspot.com/2007/04/indianas-new-license-plate-in-god-we.html
Posted by: Norman Doering | April 10, 2007 5:45 PM
Creationists as a species are incapable of humor. They lack the gene.
They can't dance, either.
Posted by: Doc Bill | April 10, 2007 6:18 PM
Personally, I plan on starting a pod of Darwin Scouts, hopefully taking the whole pod to Darwin Summer Camp, (which is apparently either on the outskirts of a town in Montana that doesn't exist, or outside of the county Blaine, which would mean a different county, or Canada if it was north) where we'll sing Do We Darwin, Yes, which all tongue-in-cheek aside, is a pretty good song.
Then again, maybe DEVO was right.
Posted by: Mick | April 10, 2007 7:01 PM
Based on my assessment, I'd say their gawd didn't create much of a sense of humor or wit in the authors.
Posted by: Larry | April 10, 2007 9:13 PM
re: #49
Oh, but it doesn't violate the separation clause since "In God We Trust" is the national motto. And the Supreme Court has ruled that the "God" in the motto isn't really a religious reference... Or some such excuse.
Yeah, the motto plate is optional, but it's not extra-cost like the education or environment plates. Hmph.
Still, an awful lot of cars in southern Indiana seemed to have suddenly needed their plates renewed...
-- CV
Posted by: CortxVortx | April 10, 2007 11:01 PM
"How bad could it really be?" I thought. "It can't be nearly as bad as he made it out to be..." Then I clicked on the link. It was really that bad.
Posted by: Eric Davison | April 10, 2007 11:06 PM
I liked the part in the Progressive Abortion Law where it says a fetus can be aborted up to the time he or she receives it's first college degree.
I think the law should allow abortion up to the point where the fetus learns to conjugate the verb 'is'.
Posted by: lurker | April 11, 2007 11:43 AM
"Yeah, the motto plate is optional, but it's not extra-cost like the education or environment plates. Hmph."
Alabama just started the same program (exactly) this year. I started seeing the new tags a few months ago. I've heard that several other states are doing the same.
Posted by: Mike | April 11, 2007 11:45 AM
I smell something unconsitutional.
Posted by: Kseniya | April 11, 2007 11:57 AM
Well, perhaps we can hope that they don't cost extra because the extra money from education, conservation, etc. plates goes to education and conservation and etc., and we all know God and his representatives don't need any more money. Still pretty obnoxious though. I'm becoming more and more a rebellion atheist every year. If I lived in Indiana, I'd be tempted to get one of the God plates just so I could put my registration sticker right over top of the offending word.
Posted by: Rey Fox | April 11, 2007 1:01 PM
Yea, the plates are in Tennessee too.
I'll have to update my blog.
Posted by: Norman Doering | April 11, 2007 7:22 PM