Humor on the Net

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Many people who send out ...
email, or have a ... as an online ...
will ask if they should ... Well, there is no easy answer to this ...
will say that Many people who send out promotional email, or have a publicationsuch as an online newsletter, will ask if they should include'humor". Well, there is no easy answer to this question.Some will say that "humor" lightens things up a bit, and letspeople know you have another side to your personality.
They feelit is a refreshing break from the serious message you aredelivering. Others say it is distracting and should never beused.So where do you "draw the line"?Humor can be used in two places.
It can be within the body ofthe article or as a "stand alone" item.Let's first examine "humor" within the body of the article. Thiscan be the most risky.
Unless you have a good sense of humor andgood writing skills, you should probably avoid its use. Some ofyour readers will not have a sense of humor, and could easilytake offense at what you say.
Especially avoid sarcasm as peoplemay think it is directed at them.You should also avoid the use irony, where you use words toconvey the opposite of their literal meaning. Some will notrecognize it as irony, and will think you are proposing what thewords actually say.
This can get you in a lot of trouble.If you use "stand alone" humor, give it a title such as "Joke ofthe Day", which clearly separates it from your article. Onceagain, you have to be careful.
Remember, your online publicationis on the "world-wide web", and will be read by people who mayhave far different opinions of what is funny and what is not.Things to avoid in all humor:Never point your humor toward a specific group. What might befunny in a "one-to-one" situation where you know the person,could be highly offensive to someone else.Never use vulgarity - especially the seven dirty words thatGeorge Carlin used in his comedy sketch - they are anathema!While adult jokes may indeed be humorous, they have no place inan online publication where you have no control over who seesit.While vulgarity offends good taste or propriety, crudity, whichshows a lack of tact or refinement, runs a close second.
A wordor phrase having a double meaning, especially when the secondmeaning is risqué, should also be avoided. A double entendre canactually spell double trouble.So what kind of "humor" can you use?This will, for the most part, be a judgement call on your part.A good criteria that could be useful, is to make believe your aretalking to your local PTA, and want to tell a joke to puteveryone at ease.
The teachers are there as well as the parentsand children of your child's classmates. If you can tell itthere without embarrassing anyone, it is probably a good bet foryou publication.The best advice about the selection of humor, is that if there isany doubt in your mind at all, don't use it.
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