There has been much concern and anger about how Democrats have no sense of humor. At least if you listen to the Right Wing Spectrum of thought.
Of course, those of us on the Left don't consider their jokes funny. This is of course because we don't understand the basic underpinnings of Republican/Conservative Humor.
So, Follow me across the flip, and I'll try to explain why we just don't get it when they're being completely HILARIOUS!
(Oh so funny jokes on the flip.)
First, all jokes must be at someone's expense. Which of course means that it has to be ON someone. You see, conservative humor primarily is about making the listener feel superior to the group being made fun of. Here are two simple examples of this type of Conservative joke:
A professor told dirty jokes in class and the women wanted to protest it. So they decided that in the next time that the professor will start with these kind of jokes they all will leave the class as a protest.
Somehow the professor heard about the plan.
In the next lecture, in the beginning of the lecture he said: "In Sweden a prostitute makes $2000 per night."
All the women stood up and started to leave the class. So he shouted after them: "Where are you going? The plane to Sweden doesn't take off until the day after tomorrow."
What do a slinky and a black have in common?
Both are useless but it's fun to watch them falling down the stairs
If you aren't laughing right now, it's because you fail to see the humor that is perfectly clear to white, conservative and wealthy men. These jokes do not challenge white guys in any way. These jokes make the person telling them, and the audience (Properly screened of course) feel good about themselves and their lot in life, reinforcing how much better they are than others. It's clear in the world of these jokes that the white guy is smart, successful, etc, because everyone else is brought down below his level.
It's a very destructive type of humor, rivaled only by the next entry in the analysis, PHYSICAL HUMOR.
Oh lord, it's the above tendencies, taken EVEN FARTHER. Once again, it comes down to, "I'm so much better than that idiot." which is hilarious to the conservative mindset. This goes even farther with shows like "Honey Boo Boo" and other reality shows where the spectacle and humor boil down to nothing more than a deep sense of superiority given to the viewer.
This trend is continued on and on. Gay jokes always involve anal sex and humiliation. Women jokes always involve the woman being a "Bitch" or a "Whore". The joy of Conservative humor is not in reflection or calling something into relief by pointing it out, but rather in reinforcing the status quo. Humor as a tool for social change or as a commentary against the powerful is simply not a part of the conservative humor toolset.
A conservative/right winger is making jokes against the powerless and for the powerful, even when the powerless are well paid for being the butt of their jokes. It's why Liberals don't understand when the Republicans claim they're just being "Funny" or making a "Joke".
It's not a joke, and it isn't funny. When the Republicans accuse others of not seeing the humor, they are simply refusing to step outside of their particular privilege. In a very real sense, those that claim that these jokes are funny are lacking in empathy. They fail to see how what they are saying is degrading to others, because they only see that they feel better because of the joke.