The Jokes Heard ‘Round the Golden Globe—ChatGPT Reacts

To be honest, I've never watched the Golden Globes but I have very much enjoyed watching clips on YouTube of Ricky Gervais when he was hosting. Many of his jokes brutally roast the audience, and it's pretty entertaining to watch super famous people shift in their seats while being comedically skewered.

This year was a bit different.

Comedian Jo Koy hosted the Golden Globes, and two of his jokes have been widely discussed on the internet. Admittedly, I'm not fully up to speed on the controversy because celebrity news is not really my thing, but let's take a closer look at those jokes anyway. This one was about Taylor Swift:

“As you know, we came on after a football doubleheader. The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL – on the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.”

When the camera panned to Taylor for a reaction, she didn't even crack a smile. So, somewhat awkwardly, Jo said, “I swear. There’s just more to go to here. Sorry about that.” It’s possible that he was uncomfortable with her response and tried to walk it back. Walking jokes back doesn’t usually make them funnier, as it portrays a lack of confidence in the writing and performance.

The second joke was about the movie Barbie. Here it is:

“Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies.”

When the camera panned to the cast for a reaction, they struggled to crack a smile. After the event, when asked about this joke, Barbie's director Greta Gerwig said, “Well, he’s not wrong. She’s the first doll that was mass-produced with breasts, so he was right on.” Still, it was a bit awkward.

Jokes serve as an invaluable resource for any society, helping us cope with challenges and grow together. But how can we have a better awareness of the potential impacts of the words we use?

ChatGPT can be a valuable tool that aids in exploring the intricacies of comedy. By generating thought-provoking responses, ChatGPT prompts us to reflect on what we find funny and how it may be offensive, fostering a greater awareness of the dynamics at play when it comes to the delicate threads that bind us together.

Here is a short conversation I had with ChatGPT about these jokes.

ME: CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THIS JOKE MIGHT BE OFFENSIVE?

“As you know, we came on after a football doubleheader. The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL – on the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.”

ChatGPT: The joke focuses on the number of camera shots of Taylor Swift, potentially contributing to concerns about objectification by reducing her to a visual object of attention rather than acknowledging her as an individual with talent and achievements.

ME: HOW CAN YOU MODIFY THE JOKE TO REMOVE CONCERNS ABOUT OBJECTIFICATION?

ChatGPT: To mitigate concerns about objectification, shift the focus of the joke away from Taylor Swift's physical presence. Here's a modified version:

"As you know, we came on after a football doubleheader. The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL – on the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots capturing the diverse talents and achievements of Taylor Swift."

This version maintains the essence of the original joke by comparing the Golden Globes to the NFL in terms of camera shots but shifts the emphasis to Taylor Swift's talents and achievements, highlighting her as a multifaceted individual beyond physical appearance.

NOTE: It's interesting how a few extra words can make such a big difference. However, I'm not sure if ChatGPT's joke is funnier than the original. To elicit a laugh, there has to be some sort of shock or surprise. These additions might actually be seen as pandering, potentially negating the 'punch' aspect of the punchline. Now, let's look at the other joke; I'll attempt to modify that one.

ME: CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THIS JOKE MIGHT BE OFFENSIVE?

“Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies.”

ChatGPT: This joke is potentially offensive because it includes an explicit and objectifying reference to Barbie's physical attributes with "big boobies." This can be seen as disrespectful and inappropriate, as it involves a sexualized portrayal.

ME: I MADE SOME MODIFICATIONS. CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THIS VERSION IS LESS OFFENSIVE?

"Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a doll with big plastic—dreams."

ChatGPT: In this version, the reference is changed to 'big plastic—dreams,' which, while still alluding to Barbie's plastic nature, avoids the explicit and potentially offensive language present in the first joke. 'Big plastic—dreams' is more neutral, allowing the focus to remain on the imaginative aspect associated with Barbie and making it less likely to be offensive.

NOTE: While I agree that it's potentially less offensive for those reasons, we notice more limitations of ChatGPT. Sometimes it's not great at picking up on the subtleties of humor. While I did intentionally remove the overtly sexualized language, I shifted it instead to an insinuation. Barbie is all about inviting the use of imagination, so by saying 'big plastic—dreams' it references that intention. However, it's also a double entendre. By saying 'big plastic' and then pausing, it invites the audience to fill in the ending. Many will fill it in with something anatomy-related. That way, when you say 'dreams' it creates a comedic surprise. Regardless of what someone fills in, saying 'dreams' would likely be surprising because it's absurd, as there are no such things as 'plastic dreams.'

FINAL THOUGHTS

The intricacies of comedy are both fascinating and delicate, as demonstrated by this conversation. While we can't predict with certainty how Taylor or the cast of Barbie would have responded to the modified versions, ChatGPT's analysis provides valuable insights into potential concerns with the original jokes.

The lesson here is clear: Run stuff by ChatGPT first.

In the ever-evolving landscape of comedy, where a few words can make a world of difference, an informed approach to joke-telling is likely the key to fostering understanding, connection, as well as laughter.

Disclaimer: Some responses have been edited for brevity, but the core ideas and concepts accurately represent the original conversation.