Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Sticks and Stones

A comment Annette (and why aren't you on the Wall with the 352 other zombies and friends of zombies, Annette? Join us...join us...) made the other day on the yeti blog reminded me of a blog topic I wanted to write about.

Why is it whenever there is a stofy about zombies on a television show, that the newscaster always wants to make some smarmy joke at the end of the story? I realize that they have to put a bow-tie on their stories (how else would we have closure?) but do they have to be so coindescending and insulting?

Here are a few I've written down in the past few weeks You can imagine the air quotes over the appropriate words:

After a story about a zombie-fronted punk band: "Well, Jane, I guess I'm surprised they are such fans of live music."

After a story a group of teens who cast a zombie in their youtube video serial: "That won't be making the jump to the Lifetime network.

After a story a group of teens who who created Zombie Zine, a magazine about zombie culture: "Would you call that a lifestyle magazine, Marianne?"

Look, I like a good joke or pun as much as the next dead guy. If Karen or Phoebe or someone said one of these, I'd probably laugh. I just can't stand these fake plastic people, most of whom probably couldn't stand to be in the same room as a zombie.

And then there's this comment, the absolute worst, that ran on a local news station after a story about two zombies hunted down and reterminated in Pennsylvania(their murderers have yet to be identified): "That's life!"

As a great man once said, common sense isn't so common.

58 comments:

Anonymous said...

theyre stupid ignorant artards!!!!!!!!

DairyArachnid said...

I don't think all the jokes are meant to harm, just to perhaps put a lighter side on things? I'm not sure. But a few ere just rude, especially the "That's Life!" one. I mean, come on! Jeez.
It's true, common sense just isn't that common.

lzz said...

I would not take the ones above as much as I would take the "That's life!" comment. That is just rude, ignorant and insulting. If someone who was not a zombie had been murdered, and their murderer did not get caught, people would not just say "That's life!" and let them go off scotch free!

Anonymous said...

i can't believe ppl have the nerve to say crap like that! that is so wrong!

Anonymous said...

Well... aren't I special. Ha. I just don't have a blog account yet. I'm getting one soon... I just have to get the time. I just check this blog because it's so superawesome. :D It will certainly be the first that I follow.

Of course, I compare everything to music... It's pretty much my life.

Anyways, thanks for-acknowledging? Is that the right word?-me. It was pretty cool.

Paris said...

Oh my god!
I can't believe how rude people can be! The way zombies are being treated (by most people, not all people) is almost the same way Blacks, Japanese, and Gay people have/are being treated! It's just sick and wrong, and it needs to stop!
Another thing that bugs me is that I haven't seen ANYTHING on the news about zombies! It's like, the gov't is hoping to keep some of us in the dark about what's going on. Reading this blog is the only way I know what's happening to zombies.
I just don't get how people except you when you're alive, but the second you die, they want you to stay that way... it doesn't make any sense to me.
-Paris

RSoxy said...

god, that last one is the worst! The others dont seem that bad, but that's just me, a breather, what would i know. But "That's Life!"? Now that's just plain rude

Anonymous said...

That was commpletely uncalled for with the last joke! Do they have on respect of others at ALL?! It's not like you go and make fun of them as others do for you dbs! Totally uncalled for... man wouldn't I love to give them a talking to! I'd speak more than one thing that's on my mind....

-drift-away-with-me...

Bianca Wilde said...

So Brave New World.
They have to say what he public wants and what the majority of the public want is probably to hear that brittany Spears is coming out with a new cd and that Pete Wentz named his child oddly. They don't want to hear about issues or anything important. They don't want to bother their pretty little heads about something that might actually be worth hearing.
Modern day America wants to veg-out in front of a television set and fall asleep with a bowl of popcorn in their laps.
Who are the real zombies here, I ask you?

xxolgaxx said...

those would have been ok if ppl u know would have said them, when u kow it's only joking. some people can be so inconsiderate, i swear, and they dont even care if anybody gets hurt. i just hope one day they'll realize this and stop saying things like "thats life!"

Axel Kasai said...

Ugh... Some people have no respect for the feelings of others. And by that, I think the reporters think that the zombies have no feelings. Gah... do you know where I can get one of those shirts? The zombie power ones?

WhittneyAnn said...

News Castors are at the botam of the TV favoties so they make puns about the stories to get more ratings . In my opinion I would just rathere the news Castors just talk about the news and not make puns. All the puns they make are not funny they are just rude and ubnocsous. B.T.W. All
news castors are self ubsorbed tarts!


XOXO
Nessie

zombiechick93 said...

some jokes are just down right mean i think.i agree with the common sense thing to. some people just dont have common sense. like my best friend some time. i also agree with 'Thats life'some time life can be really mean and you cant really do anything about it and that really sucks.....

Anonymous said...

The first ones are silly, but that last one...That's just insensitive and disgusting! They wouldn't make a joke like that if someone had died and not come back, they'd be too worried about offending the family, and they'd probably believe it to be wrong. So what, when someone dies a second time it's a laughing mattter? Those kinds of people are just disgusting!
Common sense isn't very common. Particurlarly not in narrow minded idiots such as whoever made the "That's life" comment.

Anonymous said...

"That's life"? How did that person NOT really how insensitive and inappropriate that comment was? Ridiculous.

Yazzeh said...

It's a shame really that people have no disregard for the feelings of others.

Makes me sad to know that there are people like that out there =[

edwardandtommylover said...

tommy as you can see many people are out there who care about you and everyone at the H.H. and those comments were rude and that person was out of place to say those things! we are here for you at any time any thing is wrong and i am sorry that yours and everyone else feelings got hurt it was wrong
~ brooke

Anonymous said...

I am definately appald by the words that was spoken. It is ude and not intellegent. On their behalf, I strongly appologize. I can't believe they would say something like that. But I do agree with you, common sense isn't common. They should not go scotch free. They should be slapped about. Good day to you.

Taylin said...

okay that last one kinda pissed me off. are you serious? jeez. the other ones were lame, sort of humorous, but that last comment was WAY out of line.

Anonymous said...

OMG! sorry, I ment to post eariler.... That is so wrong! I hate how people say things like that! I wish people would stop it. People who say thinks like that are not confident of their selves and to make them feel better they make insults, and pick on people. I always seem to think art and dance gets me through the days until I got injuried so now it is only Art. I ignore what insults, comments, critasism( sp?) and corrections on my personality and how I look. I am my own person, and nobody can change who I am.

Katie -heart- Jacob Black said...

oh my gosh ppl the days have no manners, no respect. i am so sorry for all the crap you have to put up with tommy. i hope everything coming your way gets better.
Love Katie

Anonymous said...

OMG! that is so! ARG!! well these comments are the tipe of things you're gonna meet a lot of. not only undead but also us living people. and it's the tipe of comments we just have to ignore! i don't think all of them are ment to harm, people might have a hard time with all this udead talk and they just wanna lighten up people's mood. just ignore it! but don't let it go too far ;)

Anonymous said...

I can't believe people! UGH! How could they be so ignorant?! Humans disgust me with their lack of care towards the minorites they view as undesireables in the world.

-WEREWOLF MOON

Krystal said...

We're all made fun of for our differences at one point or another.

That's the beauty of equality.

Anonymous said...

wouldn't it not be life but double death? which certainly wouldn't be something you wanna joke around about

Some1 said...

woa those jokes r ruude and lame!!!!!
by the wayyy check out my blog!

Anonymous said...

The news media always finds a way to put a slant on what they report. Jokes have also been the best way for ignorant people to get away with sexism and racism since people started to become socially conscious about these things. It makes perfect sense that the two have blended in our modern society.

Just like it's okay for Phoebe to make punny jokes because you know she doesn't mean them, it's okay for my guy friends to tell me to get in the kitchen because I know they see me as one of them.

And then there's the people you know half-mean it. That's like these reporters. It's sad because you'd think articulating thought would make the average person realize that you are people too. Words are probably the strongest way to reach people with that message. Violence is something we expect from the monsters in our nightmares, but not supported debate.

This blog is really admirable.

BTW, great book. I read it as market research for my own book and I'm forcing my fiance to read it.

Anonymous said...

I loved that last quote. That was funny. I'm almost positive that common sense isn't that common!

Terra said...

Has anyone ever noticed that news casters aren't that tackful?
They are just insensitive jerks that are trying to get a cheap laugh.
Stick and Stones baby. 8)

Anonymous said...

Eventually you will get acceptance. There will always be a struggle of course to gain this acceptance like many did: African Americans, Women, ect.

I have also noticed that zombies aren't quite popular in pop culture as say wizards (harry potter) vampires (twilight) ect. Why do you think that is?

Anonymous said...

YOU GUYS HAVE TO GO HERE!! GENERATION DEAD TSHIRTS!!


www.zazzle.com/spunk_ransom0

Anonymous said...

--TO LIZ--
I've noticed that too! I think it's because people don't really know how to imagine what it's like for a zombie. In a few books i've read they say a vampire is much the same in the sense they are both...undead. But they are so different and authors don't know how to properly portray that...except Daniel Waters who did an awesome job in the book!

---Your Undead Friend---
Eternal Black Pit

Anonymous said...

:O [[insert frowny face]] not cool mann got no lovee for this stuff :[

sarah said...

people are ignorant to the biotically challenged because they either know someone who is one or lost someone who they were hoping would come back but didn't their disttasteful comments are their protection from really feeling to just slide it off and not think about it like they say ignorance is bliss
(i do not believe in this pathetic statement)

Anonymous said...

i thinkk that fake ppl just do mean things b/c thats all they no how to do...... HI TOMMY..... lol

Anonymous said...

I recomend anyone out there who hasn't read twilight, TO RREAD IT! its an awsomeseries. almost as good as generation dead!
----------------lids

Anonymous said...

I dont think people are trying to hurt. Its like (i know its different but stay with me) i'm hispanic. i let my friends call me a bean eater or a dirty mexican so on and so forth but people i dont like say it i get offended but people i dont even know say it trying to joke and it hurts my feelings they dont know me well enough to say stuff like that but in the end its kinda like were do you draw the line on stuff like that. same thing goes for zombie, deadhead, ect...

Anonymous said...

hey my other post didnt come on here! it was funny!
----------------------lids.

Anonymous said...

none of my comments have been coming on lately and they are not rude or offensive in any way! i think u wouldve rly liked it tommy :(

Vegasaurus said...

Ugh...People are so rude and ignorant... :\

Anonymous said...

First off, people have finally found something that they can be un-p.c. about. So all of that negativity that would normally be bottled up or spread out in tiny doses to everyone the people don't agree 100% with finally has a target that the majority of people won't give hell over. Think about it, if a white person were to make a crack about black people, there'd be a million people with metaphorical pitchforks chasing after the white person. With BD people, there's not lot being done to organize them socially or politically so that they can fight back (and, no, the commercialization provided by Skip Slydell does not count...that's just selling out and he's making a profit out of turning you guys into a sideshow gimmick), so they're an easy target.

Second, there's not a lot known about how BD people function or why they "survived" their first death. Not knowing with cold, hard facts makes people afraid, especially since this is a new phenomenon. So to ease the tension, some people resort to humor. IMO it's better for people to chuckle over things than to get disturbed to the point where they're pulling out real pitchforks and torches like the villagers in old folk tales.

Third, at least they're reporting. Better than completely ignoring the BD.

Finally, stop whining and do something. Get a petition going around school to send to the local news station. Let them know that people don't like the jokes. How are they supposed to know how much you're offended by the insensitive nature of the comments if you don't let them know?
-Girl86

Anonymous said...

Ok, this might pretain to your post what so ecer so bare with me. ok well i never read Generation Dead and i was just wondering if it was any good (dont take that offensively). so yeah, so just kinda tell me the whole plot and stuffie stuff about it. me and my bestie have our own site here. its about twilight, harry potter and just normal nonzombie life stuff. its called the Twipotter blog. thnx for listening/reading. hopefully you'll tell me about the book.

Anonymous said...

Some people don't understand, I suppose. I have to say, the 'That's life' comment is very cruel, and shouldn't be said when referring to zombies, especially their re-termination. Some people are so insensitive...Tsk.
By the way, may I inquire as to the whereabouts of Takayuki....?

Anonymous said...

lol Amen on that last line of your post, Tommy! Personally, I don't think those one-liners are such a reat way to end a report on anything. At least things besides Britney Spears's latest stunt or Lindsay Lohan's most recent boy/girlfriend are making it on television. God, I hate MTV!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow... some of those are pretty messed up. Especially that last one... I probably would have thrown my remote through the TV... it's so messed up! Zombie's were murdered and "that's life"!?!

I hate people who are racist... or is it bioist? I never got that.

either way, I find you an inspiration, and hope to join you real soon. ^^

KaY_LuVs_WrItInG said...

people are just ignorant you know... I mean honestly, what we need is a zombie M.L.K.! Civil Disobidence (sp.?) to the rescue!!! lol Sometimes I wish I lived in Star Trek, then this wouldn't be happening. Lizard people, insect people, humanoids their all created equal in the eyes of the Federation! n.e. way ttyl!!!

jacob said...

its comments lke that, that rly tell u how stupid sum pple can be

Anonymous said...

you said it

Tommy Williams said...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Sticks and Stones":

That is really stupid Tommy and I still don't understand how in our world today people can still criticize others because they are different and make sick comments such as the "that's life" one I mean everyone is different in their own way if everyone was the same this world would be boring

Ps: this guy I know in my school looks exactly like Takayuki but he is not DB can you ask him if he has a twin? Please oh tell everyone at the H.H I said HI! LOL
-Black Wolf-

Anonymous said...

I could see how these comments could be offensive, but the people who are making the comment could the type who dont understand, and they could be trying to make light of the situation. Or at least that what i do when things are bad with my friends or when things get bad in band.

Tommy Williams said...

Sonakaru--

Tak is around. He stays at the Haunted House, mostly.

T.

_Moon_ said...

Now thats just rude. I fully agree with you,that just bugs me.

Kim said...

Believe it or not Humanity as we speak lives by a set of what they call "STANDARDS". Meaning "Monkey SEE, Monkey DO."

Therefore If I think it's funny to make comments that may offend others (Such as rude and ignorant remarks,) many feel like such action makes me seem COOL and they too would like a chance at cool. So eventually they too gang up to do the same thing and the cycle continues.

So yeah pretty much not only are they arrogant they also suffer from being ignorant followers.

P.S. Sorry If I lost you, I too lost myself.

jaja x]


Also Note to Tommy, Humans will be Humans.

Anonymous said...

How hurtful especially to DB's! UGH! And I thought they were the good guys! obviously not! BTW.... miss u!

DerekszMate said...

SOmetimes that's just how intolerance goes. "It's not what they say, it's what they whisper."
SOme people will accept you, some will not and say it to your face, others will stab you in the back.
"The lies behind the corporate mask are not free of the individual"

Max said...

That was Voltaire who said that quote... I think.
And, no offense Kim, Tommy is human... he's just a zombie. *sigh* There's just no good way to say "zombie", is there?

Anonymous said...

Tommy let me give you one of my favorite quotes:

"The two most common elements in the univese are Hydrogen and Stupidity"

And I guess why you see that this really rings true these days. Its sad really. I should start wearing more black to morn the ignorance of my generation of trads. Is it me or to zombies seem smarter then living teens? Strange but it seems true.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Tommy I need you to read this quote.
"The two most common elements in the universe is Hydrongen and Stupidity"
It really rings true these days. I should start to wear more black to morn the ignorance of my generation. It seems that zombies are the smart ones out of all the teens.

-KayKat

P.S. : sorry that I had to send this twice, I forgot to put my name on the first one.