[EvanPlaice]

It never stops being funny. Many famous comedians suffer from depression and/or mental health issues because that is one of the primary sources of their inspiration. Laughter, and specifically dark humor is an inoculation to misery. A perfectly healthy response to an unhealthy mental stare. When it feels like the world is crashing down, it's best to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all and move fowrard then be paralyzed by fear.

Laughter is also a common social signal, it signals safety and increases happiness for all who join in. Dark jokes specifically, increase our threshold to face terrible things and help distract from the anxiety of -- otherwise -- trivial matters in out day-to-day lives. It increases empathy and connectedness among people, even strangers who have little or nothing in common.

Just look how Austin Powers uses puns to lighten the situation. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3wafhDIMU6w. It's cheesy and over-the-top to match the character but the effect is the same. We joke about the things that make us uncomfortable because it makes us feel better.

The only people up-in-arms about dark humor are individuals seeking to use their own false sense of moral superiority to subjugate others.

In a way, I'd be more scared of somebody who can't find it in themselves to laugh at all. To laugh at an awful joke requires self awareness and a clear understanding of the separation of truth from reality. People who lack those characteristics lie to themselves as much as others and live to project an 'ideal' image of themselves rather than face the humility of accepting their own weaknesses. Whet her the reason is big or small, they project a facade because they have something to hide. Is the person secretly a 'political activist' with an agenda or a murderous psychopath a hair-trigger response away from going off the deep end?

Of the dark comedians, Doug Stanhope is one of the darkest. Just watch the following skit https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hY3W9Z4bdS8. It's a clear middle finger to the 'Breast Cancer Awareness' movement for distracting from one of the few things in life that he truly enjoys. Not only is it extremely shocking but it artfully shines light on the ridiculous hypocracy of a movement that is more marketing than substance.

As shocking as his comedy usually is it's surprisingly endearing and disarming. Look past thr 'bitter old guy' image and it's hard not to see an intelligent young idealist who gave up one day and said, "fuck it, I'm going to ride out this existence until the wheels fall off."

BTW, the dead baby joke the author didn't have the courage to share was, "how do you get a dead baby out of a blender... with a spoon."

In short, don't feel bad about laughing at terrible jokes but be on guard when it comes to those who can't find it in themselves to join you.