It is that time of year again when America remembers the tragedy that took place 23 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001. This can be a time of turbulence for many to cope with, especially if they lost a loved one at the time. Naturally, everybody has different coping mechanisms, one of the most notable being telling jokes and making others laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, after all. However, jokes about 9/11 and other devastating events can end up crashing and burning, falling short with the audience. Even so, people should not police what might be someone else’s coping mechanism.
Since the event occurred, countless comedians have tried to capitalize on it. One example is Pete Davidson, whose father died during the 9/11 attacks. He joked about this during one of his comedy sets, and people found it hilarious. Jimmy Carr also joked about Davidson’s father, which set the crowd ablaze with laughter and shock. Davidson was only seven years old when his father perished, and he made this joke years after the event, which displays an important factor: time.
As time passes, we move on. While we will “Never Forget” 9/11, the turbulence has become a lot easier to bear. Dark humor is intentionally offensive, and it is important to know the right time and place. This is why Gilbert Gottfried was met with “boos and jeers” when he made a 9/11 joke merely 18 days after the event. It was simply too soon; Americans were still devastated by the events that took place.
But 23 years have passed now. It should be relatively okay and acceptable to make light of the situation, at least without one’s reputation taking a nose-dive. People are trying to make the best out of a bumpy situation!
Of course, humor is subjective. What one person might find funny, another might find wildly offensive. Some people may be more sensitive to these jokes, especially millennials and Gen X, given they were quite young when experiencing 9/11 and its aftermath. The truth is, sometimes dark jokes fall flat. They can be predictable and unoriginal, especially around this time of year. People grow tired of hearing the same jokes getting recycled every year.
At the end of the day, dark jokes about 9/11 should not be gatekept, even if they fail to stick to the landing. And if 9/11 jokes do not fly with you, that is perfectly acceptable, too. Sometimes, it is important to stay grounded in reality. Tragedies are tough subjects for very valid reasons. Either way, 9/11 jokes are indeed cleared for takeoff, so, may your plane puns land well and pay off.
