What's new in Monkey land? Yet another tooth pull. But no added Hobo this time. Hooray.
It's the last extraction!!! Happy monkey dance. You'd think it would be all puppies and rainbows and frou-frou sparkles now.
Of course not.
Today I woke up with the mother of all spider bites on my face!
ON MY FACE! eeeew.
How do these things keep happening to me? And of course I've had a number of people tell me that I most likely swallowed the damned thing in my sleep. That's so not okay on so many levels. brrrrr.
So yes, I am a bit cross today. Well actually since yesterday. I just noticed the time...it's 12:50 AM. So meh. whatever. Yesterday I was cross and it's the gift that keeps on giving. Snerk.
For a distraction I toodled around the T-Shirt Hell website. I own a number of their shirts...so do my children. The classic MOMMY DRINKS BECAUSE I CRY was passed on from the first child to the second. Cackle™ Good times...
Things have changed a bit over there. Sure, a lot of the shirts border on the edge of good taste, and it is a no-holds-barred free-for-all in the un PC department. Nothing is sacred. But today I noticed more racist shirts than usual. But, as I said...there was something for (and against) everyone. Not my cup of particular tea (I embrace that whole humans are humans concept -- we're all primates here), but amongst the zombie, poop, stoner, crass little gems I ran across a Hitler shirt.
Yup. Make the demon into a buffoon and he loses his power. But this shirt rubbed me the wrong way.
This site is NSFW! And this particular page has some raunchy stuff. Again...not my cup of tea. I like the funny shirts -- a gangster smurf with a gun with the caption POP A SMURF. That's some funny stuff right there.
But this one ( which you can surmise by the link title) was off sides.
http://www.tshirthell.com/funny-shirts/love-him-or-hate-him-hitler-killed-a-ton-of-jews
Yeah...genocide just isn't funny. So I sent their customer service a note. I dumbed down my language in the 1st email to fit in with the tenor of the site, and started a chain of epic snark.
As I said... I'm a bit cross.
For your reading pleasure, I offer you this lovely exchange. Now remember, I often take it as a challenge to be clever and snarky when someone takes the first swing. I amused myself. And I guess that's all that counts. Snerk. Please forgive my momentary descent into internet troll/flame war/ ass hattery.
On 4/10/12 12:59 PM, contactus@tshirthell.com wrote:
Date: 04/10/2012 3:59 PM Name: Foinah Email: foinah@xxxxxx Description: I usually laugh my ass off at your shirts
and have purchased many for both
myself and my kids. I love un-PC humor --
However, I just went through the
gallery and there's some seriously
racist, anti-Jew shit for sale. Um, not
so kosher (yeah, that's sarcasm). I'm not Jewish, but the Hitler shirt
about "love him or hate him,
he killed a lot of jews"
is a bit off sides. Some things
just aren't funny, Sorry to be such a buzz kill. Browser: Firefox Version: 5 OS: Mac Resolution: 1280 x 800
I received this response :
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5:04 PM (8 hours ago)
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I guess you haven't noticed we make fun of everyone. We're not anti-anyone. (The site owner is Jewish, btw.)
Sincerely,
Customer Servant
Yeah...the tone seemed a bit "piss off" to me. But perhaps I was overreacting. So I sent this little gem :
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5:29 PM (7 hours ago)
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I have noticed and it's always been an even handed, all encompassing swipe at everybody. Raunchy, rude, awesome. But I guess I'm just a tight ass who doesn't think genocide is amusing. Gee, my bad. No Darfur shirts or Rwandan massacre offerings? 9/11 flaming, falling body t-shirts? Too far?
And telling me the owner is Jewish (btw) is kind of lame. I know it's not easy answering these kind of emails, and I'm sure you gave it the old college try; perhaps the sarcasm I picked up in the response really isn't there... Naw. It's there. I'm sure your company isn't anti-anyone, but your response leaves me less than enthused to keep shopping here. Bummer. Yeah, I know...ooh...one customer is not going to shop here anymore...big whoopety-doo.
I would rather have received a response like : Suck it up. We make fun of everyone and it's not personal.
or
Have you seen the t-shirts we sell? We strive to offend, but with humor.
or
Wow. On behalf of our company we are sorry that the product offended you. However, humor is subjective and tastes differ.
But a half-assed, smarmy poke just went south.
So, there it is then.
Sincerely (loved that, btw),
Foinah
Too snarky? I guess so. Here's what I got back :
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8:07 PM (5 hours ago)
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It's comedy. Get over yourself and get a sense of humor, or don't be a customer.
I point out that the owner is Jewish because there are some idiots who think we are actually anti-______. You come across as one of those.
Sincerely,
Customer Servant
See...now I had to reply. It's like I was channeling some creepy internet troll...not creepy really, more evilly amused and arrogant. But...I cracked myself up!
Hmmm.
Apparently this is quite the hot button. Also apparent that perhaps I
am not the first to comment on this particular shirt? My first email was
as a customer stating that I found that particular shirt off sides.
Simple really. I also pointed out that yes, wonderfully so, your
company is an equal opportunity basher. That should have been enough.
But your subsequent responses, and stellar customer service interaction
have taken this to the realm of the absurd. Obviously I have a sense of
humor...I'm replying to your email.
No. I am not a fundie, nor a sprout-eating, sandal-wearing, trustafarian, or even a crazed NRA-lovin', GOP wannabe, and I do not live in my mother's basement and play WoW all day. I do not march with placards and shout chants...I do not have Asperger's or any form of 1% disorder. I'm a writer who delights in black humor. I'm a customer who can appreciate the intricate nature of gallows humor with the best of them. But some things just aren't funny. And it's a fine line between humor and poor taste... or clever and stupid, to quote Nigel. So, in essence, this shirt represents the Higgs Boson of humor? You are saying that it is the ambiguity of the statement "He killed a lot of Jews", disassociated with the horror of the holocaust, that makes it funny. Right. Nothing about genocide there. {{{eye roll}}} He killed a lot of Jews (thumbs up? nudge nudge) or He killed a lot of Jews (boo...thumbs down!!!). You wrote : You think it has anything to do with genocide?? It doesn't. It's a common type of humor that takes a sensitive subject, and simply states the obvious of what happened. He killed a ton of jews. It can be used for almost any horrible situation/person. We're taking away the emotion and presenting the facts. Watch comedy central or go see some stand up comedians and you'll see this done all the time. Thank you T-Shirt Hell for taking the temperature of society and showing me the error of my humorless ways. Thank you for being the elucidation gurus. Did you actually read my email? Seriously? I come across as one of those??? Did you read the email? Did ya? Oh, le sigh. I did love your company. I truly did. And I will wear the shirts I purchased before with a smile on my face. But you, customer servant, in all of your eloquence and froth (and lack of reading comprehension) have done your company proud. Take some time off, have a latte, chalk this whole exchange up as you waving that scolding finger with pride; without any actual recognition of the initial point beyond the tip of your own finger. Get over yourself and get a sense of humor, or don't be a customer. This has been an enlightening experience. Regards, Foinah Jameson
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Some things just ain't funny in my book! Well, a dead clown ~ That's funny!
I won't respond if Customer Servant replies. I've had my say.
Until next time, Stay Classy.
Ta,
Foinah
OMG!
ReplyDeleteThat t-shirt is awful, but their replies are enlightening. "Not about genocide"? Maybe that guy doesn't know what genocide is.
Your responses are funny and intelligent – two qualities I always know I can count on in you!
Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe some people are that dim.
oi.