In for an ass whopping of monumental proportions
The Onion would never survive in Ireland
As a lazy, morose comic (self-proclaimed) I love an anecdote that can be served without the need of any seasoning. This was already a trait of mine before I moved to Ireland, but it seems that the stout-filled air and bellies around here serve as the perfect fuel for this type of joke, so reliant on irony that words are barely necessary.
Earlier this year, during the campaign for the Referendum on Marriage Equality, instances of this kind of comedy were abundant. Seriously, advocating for a negative vote on gay marriage with the argument that it would redefine one of the most volatile institutions there is or that children “deserve” a mother and a father are my kind of one-liners.
Absurdity, of course, will always be in vogue when a subject like this is put up for discussion. The mere fact that it is still done so is pure comedy. People disapproving of any personal affair in public is sad and by no means a behaviour worthy of attention, but laughable nonetheless. As long as the laugh encompasses the concern about these people’s mental state and the risk of their “ideas” being broadcast we’re OK.
It’s humour, in sum.
This Monday a guy named Steve Drain, representing the Westboro Baptist Church, said in a radio interview that the Irish are “in for an ass whopping of monumental proportions” because of the result of the referendum. I don’t think there’s a need to point out the comedy in his quote (which I refuse to believe was unintentional), but the attention it has attracted deserves a bit of scrutiny.
First of all it’s been replicated all over Ireland, including here. The Westboro Baptist Church, for those lucky enough not to know that yet, is a congregation from Kansas, in the United States, consisted of just 39 members, most of them part of the extended family of the church’s founder, the late Fred Phelps. The voice of one of their representatives being heard and reproduced here shows how much of an effort we the Irish — ahem! — are willing to put up with for a bit of a laugh.
“‘GOD HATES FAGS’ is a profound theological statement, which the world needs to hear more than it needs oxygen, water and bread.” — Westboro Baptist Church
And secondly there’s this beautiful confidence developed between Irish media and public. None of the outlets that published that piece of news, for example, felt the need to remind their readers or listeners or viewers that it was another comedy segment; they just relied on the shared type of humour to assume everyone got it. This can be both exciting and tiresome for the parts involved — the pressure to pass on the right message or not to misunderstand it is exhilarating and exhausting at the same time—, but when all is in place the feeling is superb.
Living in Ireland is not for the faint: you must develop a sense of irony soon enough or you’ll be mocked for the rest of your stay without even knowing it. My fortune lies on the fact that I am an incorregible optmist. Some friends called me naïve, but I’m pretty sure they were only messin’.
