Ship of Fools: The Pope's new camera

Thread: The Pope's new camera Board: The Laugh Judgment / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Simon (# 1) on :

Joke submittted by Ariel:

The Pope woke up early one morning with a huge erection. Thinking that it wasn't very Catholic, he tried to get rid of it. Unfortunately, walking around the room, thinking about the Bible and even getting some fresh air on the balcony all failed to soften him up. With only one option left, he sat down on the balcony and did what needed to be done.

Later, he was walking around Rome when a man with a camera approached him. "Hello, Mr Pope," the man said. "Six o'clock this morning, on the balcony, I think you know what I'm talking about."

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean," the Pope replied.

"Oh, I think you do," the man retorted, "and 50 thousand will buy you the camera."

Worried and confused, the Pope paid up and took the camera.

Back in the Vatican, one of the Pope's aides asked about the camera. "A chap in town sold it to me for 50 thousand," the Pope explained.

"50 thousand?!" exclaimed the aide. "Wow, he must have seen you coming."

[ 15. July 2005, 09:15: Message edited by: Simon ]

Posted by Newman's Own (# 420) on :

I enjoy puns, and found this one mildly amusing. I think the joke would be funnier if the pope had not been on the balcony - masturbating in open view can give a hint of wanting to be seen or of mental problems, which are not implied as far as I can see.

The joke is not hilarious, but would have a ready understanding amongst celibates. The attempts to, as it were, diffuse the energy in other ways first are universal - and I doubt that anyone today frets over releasing the tension as being a sin, though all but the very young once were taught it was very grace. An intellectual pope like Benedict would know there was far more with which to be concerned.

Naturally, we all know that the photographer could have received more than 50,000 Euros for the photograph... Benedict clearly paid off before it occurred to him that the photographer was unlikely to really have a useable picture in the first place. Religious are well known (by any and all people looking to 'con' them) to not only be innocent but to have been taught from the earliest days of 'formation' that 'bad example' is very dangerous - I can see many Religious paying the 50K if they had it!

[ 13. July 2005, 11:58: Message edited by: Newman's Own ]

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

I discovered this on the internet and it was two days before I decided to submit it. Call me prudish if you want but I found this in very poor taste and considered it offensive. Obviously the idea that the Pope would masturbate on a balcony is ludicrous and improbable and not to be taken seriously, but I found it offensive that anyone would even suggest it. This joke could have been told about any celebrity really but no, as usual, they had to choose someone in holy orders who is sworn to celibacy and make him out, literally, to be a wanker.

This came across to me as deliberately malicious, even, in some way. I also thought the sexual nature of the joke was crude anyway and whoever was the subject of it, I'd still have found it tasteless. However, I was curious to know what reaction it would elicit from my fellow shipmates so in the end I submitted it.

Posted by Mousethief (# 953) on :

I get the sexual meaning of "he must have seen you coming" but don't get the "normal" meaning.

I think I might enjoy the joke if I did.

Posted by Zeke (# 3271) on :

It's something you say when you think somebody has been cheated--that the person who swindled him "saw him coming" that is, saw him approaching and decided he looked like an easy mark.

[think I made it a little clearer]

[ 14. July 2005, 05:49: Message edited by: Zeke ]

Posted by Ricardus (# 8757) on :

Personally I find puns based on the word "come" to be a bit lame. They're too easy to make, and I don't like the idea of having to watch myself for double entendres every time I use the word.

Posted by Boreal (# 9550) on :

The thing is, this joke could have been made about anyone who didn't want to be seen masturbating. It didn't have to be the Pope. It isn't particularly a commentary on celibacy (since, of course, under STRICT RC doctrine, onanism isn't permitted either), it is just a bad pun.

Posted by strathclydezero (# 180) on :

It would have to be either the pope, or a pentecostal leader to be able to afford the 50 thousand for the camera though ...

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :

I'd heard a similar joke about a vicar masturbating in the bath, and then being charged £100 by his window cleaner. A visitor later congratulates him on keeping his (large) vicarage in good order and asks how much he pays to have the windows done. Same punchline. Better, because more believable (but probably less offensive to fans of the Pope).

This version of the joke got off to a bad start for me with the Pope thinking that it isn't Catholic to get an erection, but it is, apparently, ok to wank from the balcony into St Peter's square. I've just checked the Catechism, and no, that's not the official Catholic position.

I don't insist that jokes always have to be doctrinally accurate, but 'explaining' the Pope wanking by saying he disapproves of erections assumes that the audience is either dense or has an utterly mistaken view of sexuality. It would have been better just to have started the joke with "the Pope is having a wank when ...". You don't need to explain why. Everyone in the audience with working genitals already knows why.

[ 14. July 2005, 10:36: Message edited by: Eliab ]

Posted by Newman's Own (# 420) on :

This joke is tasteless, and I'd never repeat it -but reading the last comment made me see that one big flaw in the OP is that the pope thinks it is 'not very Catholic' to get an erection. Obviously, Catholics get them as naturally and often as anyone else - and no one would think otherwise.

Celibates are not taught that erections are not Catholic - but often deal with arousal by seeking to turn the mind elsewhere. I realise now that I just assumed that implication, and missed the stupid "not Catholic to have an erection."

Posted by TrudyTrudy (I say unto you) (# 5647) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ricardus:
Personally I find puns based on the word "come" to be a bit lame. They're too easy to make, and I don't like the idea of having to watch myself for double entendres every time I use the word.

So, you don't crack up every time you're in a group setting and people start singing "Church in the Wildwood"? ("Oh come, come, come, come, come to the church in the wildwood...") Or do you just not attend those sort of gatherings?

Allegedly, on a week when I was absent, a minister in my home church preached on the text "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" and included an extended-mix five-minute-meditation on the word "Come" ... "What a beautiful word it is ... COME!" etc which had the more juvenile-minded members of the congregation in stitches. I would have been rolling in the aisle had I been there, trying not to catch anyone's eye. All of which is to say, the "coming" pun is the best part of this joke for me.

Posted by Ophthalmos (# 3256) on :

What Mousethief said. The language is too obscure and that frustrates me.

It's just a stupid "joke". It's not worth reading, is it?

Posted by PeteCanada (# 10422) on :

Is it permissible to giggle, and still be deeply offended?

Just curious.

Posted by Henry Troup (# 3722) on :

quote:
Originally posted by PeteCanada:
Is it permissible to giggle, and still be deeply offended?

Just curious.

That's why there are two different ratings in the poll.

(I think there should have been a third one "How long ago did you first hear this" with decades attached. This one I heard in the 1970's, for example.)

Posted by Thurible (# 3206) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ophthalmos:
What Mousethief said. The language is too obscure and that frustrates me.

I didn't find the joke particularly amusing, though it elicited a small smile. However, I don't understand what is obscure about the language.

As to your being frustrated, I hope that was a deliberate joke.

Thurible

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