limits, on pushing

I've tried and failed to find this site funny. I had a momentary crisis of doubting my own redoubtable sense of humour. Then, I realised that it wasn't in fact, as The Guardian described it, 'a sizzling parody of middle-class liberal values'. That description is simply a product of middle-class liberal white guilt - something The Guardian has far too much of and desperately needs to pass some off to The Times in some kind of moral 'cap and share' scheme. But before I digress...

It seems to me that the catch-all excuse - it's only a laugh - is allowed far too much play. And I'm a fan of play - I'm all over that Derridean play of language and totally against the Orwellian shut-down of meaning blah blah blah. The thing is, that site isn't playful. I would draw your attention particularly to this entry, in which, surprise surprise, women get to be the brunt of the joke - how original! how cutting! how risque! My what sizzling parody!

The problem with such rapier wits is that they make themselves proof from criticism. There is no attempt to engage alternate viewpoints, no dialogue; merely juvenile sarcasm in place of 'parody'. I'm not sure who the reviewer for The Guardian is, but I can recommend some excellent texts that might begin to advance his/her understanding of parody beyond: 'it's funny cause it is (not) me' (the high-water mark of liberal white guilt and the consolatory recompensation: we laugh at ourselves - hey, it's not racist if the target's white, right?!

Oh wait, is that parody?

Or just sarcasm?

And which one is the lowest form of wit?