vowe dot net :: First American to grasp concept of irony

First American to grasp concept of irony

by Volker Weber

Jay Fullmer, 38, yesterday became the first American to get to grips with the concept of irony.

"It was weird" Fullmer said. "I was in London and like, talking to this guy and it was raining and he pulled a face and said, "Great weather eh?" and I thought - "Wait a minute, no way is it great weather".

Fullmer then realised that the other man's 'mistake' was in fact deliberate.

Fullmer, who is 39 next month and married with two children, aged 8 and 3, plans to use irony himself in future.

"I'm, like, using it all the time" he said. "Last weekend I was grilling steaks, and I burned them, and I said "Hey, great weather."

[seen at Carl Tyler]

2003-08-06 :: email :: bookmark :: digg

Comments

this probably means it'll take another 5-10 years until i won't cause eyes rolling and heads shaking with the regular use of sarcasm...
(original post from the onion?)

Andreas, 2003-08-06 21:36

It sure sounds like The Onion, but I found it at Carl's site who has presumably received it by mail. I found the last line particularly nice.

Hat mich auch an diesen Kohl-Witz erinnert:

Kohl, Strauß und Genscher sitzen in der Bundestagskantine. Sagt Strauß zu Genscher: "Paß auf, ich stelle Dir eine Quizfrage. Es ist ein Kind Deiner Eltern, aber es ist nicht Dein Bruder und nicht Deine Schwester. Wer ist das?" Genscher antwortet: "Das ist doch ganz logisch, das bin ich selbst." Sagt Strauß: "Clever, Genscher, clever". Kohl kommt zurück ins Kanzleramt, trifft dort den damaligen Kanzleramtschef Schreckensberger auf dem Flur. Sagt Kohl zu Schreckensberger: "Paß auf, ich stelle Dir eine Quizfrage. Es ist ein Kind Deiner Eltern, aber es ist nicht Dein Bruder und nicht Deine Schwester. Wer ist das ?" Schreckensberger überlegt und überlegt. Daraufhin sagt Kohl: "Mach Dir nichts draus, ich hab's auch nicht gewußt, es ist der Genscher."

Kohl wäre heute wohl Bush.

Volker Weber, 2003-08-06 21:51

Yeah, right.
And what part of the Americas are you in? I find people in their great masses to be greatly perceptive, or so the advertisers on television would like me to believe. I guess you haven't seen the irony on the Americans of the U.S., as of yet. After all, in the 70's (much as today), it was okay for blacks to call one another nigger, and white people cracker. the irony of that observation is that the crackers were supposedly in the superior position and could sue the blacks, but were unable, due to anti-prejudice and racism laws. How's that for irony? Quite a sarcastic slap in the face with good morning smile don't you think?

Will, 2003-08-07 09:37

Not only that, but, we are free to join the Union, but can never leave. Courtesy of Abraham Lincoln, a man who freed only southern slaves, but not the ones north of the Mason-Dixon Line... Interresting, no?

Will, 2003-08-07 09:41

Hey, great weather. :-)

Volker Weber, 2003-08-07 11:15

i rest my case...

Andreas, 2003-08-07 19:23

Now, now, is that huge brush you're painting all Americans with kinda heavy? ;)

Irony is derived from a few things - intelligence of the person (i.e. the ability to grasp the paradoxical nature of the irony itself), and also context (i.e. the society, culture, etc.). Things you may find ironic I won't "get", and vice versa. Hell, even here in the U.S. there are regional ironies that people will get in one part of the country but not the other (like Bavaria and the rest of Germany, no? ;) ).

But I will cop to this about my fellow Americans; as a "herd", they are not very bright. And since I am an American, I must use a quote from one of our movies to make this point:

"A person is smart; people are dumb panicky dangerous animals and you know it." -- Agent K, Men In Black

I offer the election of GW Bush as proof of this - and isn't that one of the cruelest ironies of all?

Rock, 2003-08-08 15:11

Hey, Rock... Duh... I don't get it! ;-)

Richard Schwartz, 2003-08-09 07:24

Volker: You should include that one in what the rest of Europe calls the thinnest book in the world: "A Thousand Years of German Humor".

Sven, 2003-08-18 22:14

What about the french lack of irony?
it seems to be quite similiar to the americans.

lelah, 2003-10-11 20:39

I think its quite ironic that the American comments on this page are not funny or ironic. Come on, USA, cant you prove them wrong?

Michael Spears, 2005-01-14 14:59

Prove them wrong? I would have to say that French telling the Americans how to manage armed conflict would probably come close to the peak of irony set by our friends the Germans preaching pacifism and patience.

Next to irony on that scale, I'm simply unable to compete.

Do we really want to continue this?

Andrew Pollack, 2005-01-19 03:28

I think there are/were some not understanding the thing called "joke".

"the peak of irony set by our friends the Germans preaching pacifism and patience"
I see no irony in that ... where is the part with the weather?

Martin Hiegl, 2006-01-04 15:37