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[fallengorn]

They are probably punch drunk from doing all those press junkets.

Bingo.

 

[kirblar]

why did you start the video at 18 seconds?

if you start at the beginning, you actually get context.

You answered your own question there.

 

[Marty Chinn]

So...here's the thing.

I am of the mindset that anything can be funny. Jokes can deal with any sort of material and put a humorous spin on them that can even make the most atrocious ideals light hearted and cause us to laugh uncontrollably.

As long as the joke is actually funny.

So in this case, what is the punchline of the joke? Is the punchline of the joke, "She's a slut"? And if so, is that funny?

This doesn't even seem like the issue of punching up vers punching down, this doesn't really come off as a joke at all.

Granted, I'm not calling for some sort of mass walk out on Avengers or something, I think the worst that can be said about this is that Renner is guilty of being a poor comedian. But still...it caught me off guard.

Thought it was worth discussing.

Edit: Actually hearing the full clip now, it's a different joke, but still the context is important.

 

[marrec]

It was a crude joke that they apologized for... while I do believe geek culture is replete with misogyny, I don't think the battle ground for this is Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner telling one bad joke and then apologizing for it.

 

[obin_gam]

The level of whiteknighting in this thread is fantastic

 

[stufte]

Funny. But these days you can't joke about shit like this because of the inevitable backlash.

 

[kirblar]

She's not a love interest with anyone but

Spoiler

Hulk

. So no, the joke is stupid.

They teased w/ Steve in CA2, and didn't Tony try to go after her in IM2? It's something that really highlights that they need more female characters, which they're slowly getting around to.

 

[Alienous]

So...here's the thing.

I am of the mindset that anything can be funny. Jokes can deal with any sort of material and put a humorous spin on them that can even make the most atrocious ideals light hearted and cause us to laugh uncontrollably.

As long as the joke is actually funny.

So in this case, what is the punchline of the joke? Is the punchline of the joke, "She's a slut"? And if so, is that funny?

This doesn't even seem like the issue of punching up vers punching down, this doesn't really come off as a joke at all.

Granted, I'm not calling for some sort of mass walk out on Avengers or something, I think the worst that can be said about this is that Renner is guilty of being a poor comedian. But still...it caught me off guard.

Thought it was worth discussing.

The humour wasn't in her being a slut. The humour was in how outlandish a thing that is to say. It might not be a good joke, but I'm pretty sure that's where it came from. 'Here's a response you won't expect, she's a slut'.

I mean, where does the offence arise from? The word? Slut-shaming (which would mean that Black Widow is actually a 'slut')? What's the actual core issue that makes it a problem that two guys found it funny?

 

[Marvel]

Y'all funny.

 

[zychi]

Lol at marvel and disney making "controversy" for this film. No one i talk movies with irl realized this was out next week. Itll make a bazillion dollars, no need to do this cheap shit marketing.

Feels like a meh sequel.

 

[FunkyPajamas]

You guys didn't flip out when Sir Ian McKellen called Frodo a slut, did you? Double standards, so typical.

Wait, no, that never happened.


OP, it was a joke. A weird one (they look tired), and the interviewer didn't find it funny either. But it was a joke.

 

[Archer]

It's a misogynist joke, and we've spent the last fucking year fighting over misogyny in geek culture. It's not funny, it's not okay, it's getting seriously fucking old.

You know what's getting old? Thinned skinned critics whining.

 

[Prophet Steve]

I see it more as a deadpan joke than as a misogynist joke and I kind of enjoy it as one.

 

[Sephzilla]

She's not a love interest with anyone but

Spoiler

Hulk

. So no, the joke is stupid.

Tony went after her in Iron Man 2
They teased Hawkeye/Widow in Avengers
Teased Cap/Widow in Winter Soldier
Avengers 2 appears to have

Spoiler

Hulk/Widow

 

[Not a Jellyfish]

Renner looks a little lit.

They both do.

 

[Anoregon]

Then don't make mole hills

I audibly groaned at work.

 

[Nafai1123]

itsfuckingnothing.jpg

 

[Wazzy]

They teased w/ Steve in CA2, and didn't Tony try to go after her in IM2? It's something that really highlights that they need more female characters, which they're slowly getting around to.

Lmfao no they didn't.

They were friends and that's it.

 

[Roto13]

Psst. The joke is that they're bitter that Black Widow ends up with Bruce Banner and not either of them.

Get over it.

 

[pants]

The S-word.

s-senpai?

 

[BronsonLee]

They teased w/ Steve in CA2, and didn't Tony try to go after her in IM2? It's something that really highlights that they need more female characters, which they're slowly getting around to.

Tony fucking failed hardcore on that front, and she was more interested in setting up Steve with someone else. And mostly testing him. Widow/Hawkeye was just buddy cop stuff, and she kept kicking the shit out of him anyway.

Basically Black Widow is a troll

 

[Caboose]

It's a misogynist joke, and we've spent the last fucking year fighting over misogyny in geek culture. It's not funny, it's not okay, it's getting seriously fucking old.

Aww poor baby. Please get over yourself.

 

[Tansut]

There's a lot of wasted outrage going on here when you could google some actual misogynistic-worthy news within like twenty seconds.

 

[Mesoian]

why did you start the video at 18 seconds?

if you start at the beginning, you actually get context.

Actually didn't mean to do that, that's just how the share link manifested.

I'll fix that.

 

[Foggy]

Monsters!

 

[Cyd0nia]

It's a misogynist joke, and we've spent the last fucking year fighting over misogyny in geek culture. It's not funny, it's not okay, it's getting seriously fucking old.

uhhhh

If it's misogynist the question itself is! And the fans who give a shit. It's a stupid, frivolous question about a dumb plot detail, a posited love triangle that only exists in the minds of fanfic authors. Its a lame frivolous question, deserving of a flippant answer. The real answer wouldn't matter and Renner figured he'd say something shocking and unexpected in response, and even wore an overtly deadpan expression for added effect. His explanation for Natasha's behaviour is deliberately uncouth and unexpected for a press interview like this. And from thence the humor arose.

People shouldn't need this explaining but no.. by all means please continue. Zero tolerance! All literature using words we don't like should be burned! People who joke about this should be shot in the streets!

I'm not saying it's funny, I didn't even crack a smile - but have you never heard a deliberately borderline offensive joke before?

I hope you don't watch shit like family guy and south park

 

[zeemumu]

Funny. But these days you can't joke about shit like this because of the inevitable backlash.

I read this and thought that you said the inevitable backslash.

 

[Dice//]

Tony went after her in Iron Man 2
They teased Hawkeye/Widow in Avengers
Teased Cap/Widow in Winter Soldier
Avengers 2 appears to have

Spoiler

Hulk/Widow

I think the definitely says to other issues within the writing too then.
Sucks Black Widow can't just do her thing without seemingly getting tossed around and making her love live a character arc.

 

[marrec]

Lmfao no they didn't.

They were friends and that's it.

One of the best parts of CA2 was their total lack of sexual tension.

 

[theWB27]

Renner looks like he needs to fall into the OdinSleep.

 

[Marc]

It's a misogynist joke, and we've spent the last fucking year fighting over misogyny in geek culture. It's not funny, it's not okay, it's getting seriously fucking old.

Wow, thought crime exists in this PC world. A joke doesn't represent someone's actual beliefs.

So eager to throw labels around, just like the people you claim to be fed up with.

 

[kirblar]

Lmfao no they didn't.

They were friends and that's it.

By the end- she actively poses the "friends or more" midway through.

I agree that the relationship had a great dynamic as a rarely seen platonic guy-girl relationship on-screen.

 

[Servbot24]

They probably shouldn't have said it but to be honest I'm having a really hard time mustering up any outrage.

 

[stufte]

I read this and thought that you said the inevitable backslash.

\

it was inevitable.

 

[Gnome Scat]

It's just a joke, people need to stop being so hypersensitive about stuff like this.

 

[Briarios]

So...here's the thing.

I am of the mindset that anything can be funny. Jokes can deal with any sort of material and put a humorous spin on them that can even make the most atrocious ideals light hearted and cause us to laugh uncontrollably.

As long as the joke is actually funny.

So in this case, what is the punchline of the joke? Is the punchline of the joke, "She's a slut"? And if so, is that funny?

This doesn't even seem like the issue of punching up vers punching down, this doesn't really come off as a joke at all.

Granted, I'm not calling for some sort of mass walk out on Avengers or something, I think the worst that can be said about this is that Renner is guilty of being a poor comedian. But still...it caught me off guard.

Thought it was worth discussing.

The joke requires mention of the set-up, which is lacking in the discussion so far. The interviewer asks the geeky question of what they think about Widow being shipped with with their characters, then ending up with Bruce. Renner replies in character as if he's bitter and been spurned by his lover -- "She's a slut."

The context matters - the interviewer linked her with 3 men including him and he played along. I thought it was funny.

Again, they're speaking about fictional characters.

 

[Sanjuro]

How do we know Black Widow won't become a whore and shack up with Deadpool in this cinematic universe?

Disney has a plan for everything!

 

[maquiladora]

It was an unfortunate joke but I was expecting something worse tbh.

 

[richiek]

Not to excuse the behavior, but doesn't Chris Evans have some anxiety issues? Wouldn't be surprised if he got drunk before doing these press junkets.

 

[Shaanyboi]

It's a joke. It's funny because it's a brutally blunt, deadpan reaction to an innocuous question. It'd be just as funny if someone asked "So what is going to trigger Cap fighting Tony in the next movie?" And they responded "Because Tony's an asshole."

Mysogyny is still a problem - two drunk actors making an off-handed joke about a fictional character isn't exactly the biggest problem.

 

[Josh with a J]

I laughed

Sloots

 

[SpideySenses]

Nothing wrong with the slut joke, the prosthetic leg comment felt mean spirited though, no reason to say anything like that.

 

[a916]

I'd be a lot more offended if they claimed she was a well-written and rounded character based on the last Avengers movie.

I lol'd

 

[Wazzy]

By the end- she actively poses the "friends or more" midway through.

No she does not. It's very clear she's a friend who cares for him and is trying to set him up with other people.

Christ, what movie did you guys watch to see her as ending up with all these people?

 

[Servbot24]

So...here's the thing.

I am of the mindset that anything can be funny. Jokes can deal with any sort of material and put a humorous spin on them that can even make the most atrocious ideals light hearted and cause us to laugh uncontrollably.

As long as the joke is actually funny.

So in this case, what is the punchline of the joke? Is the punchline of the joke, "She's a slut"? And if so, is that funny?

This doesn't even seem like the issue of punching up vers punching down, this doesn't really come off as a joke at all.

Granted, I'm not calling for some sort of mass walk out on Avengers or something, I think the worst that can be said about this is that Renner is guilty of being a poor comedian. But still...it caught me off guard.

Thought it was worth discussing.

The joke is simply that it was unexpected. Not really funny to us, but to two bros who have been doing boring interviews for weeks it probably offered some levity. Bottom line Renner said it because he thought it would make Chris laugh.

 

[……forgetit]

It's a joke? Not even a terribly offensive one at that.

 

[commish]

So...here's the thing.

I am of the mindset that anything can be funny. Jokes can deal with any sort of material and put a humorous spin on them that can even make the most atrocious ideals light hearted and cause us to laugh uncontrollably.

As long as the joke is actually funny.

So in this case, what is the punchline of the joke? Is the punchline of the joke, "She's a slut"? And if so, is that funny?

This doesn't even seem like the issue of punching up vers punching down, this doesn't really come off as a joke at all.

Granted, I'm not calling for some sort of mass walk out on Avengers or something, I think the worst that can be said about this is that Renner is guilty of being a poor comedian. But still...it caught me off guard.

Thought it was worth discussing.

So you would be okay with derogatory jokes... as long as they are funny?

 

[way more]

More concerning than the supposed "misogyny" is the way Evan turns "prosthetic limb" into a slur. It's clear ableism and TOTALLY not in line with his character who befriended a man with a prosthetic limb in Winter Soldier.

 

[Nesotenso]

She's not a love interest with anyone but

Spoiler

Hulk

. So no, the joke is stupid.

humor, subjective

 

[kirblar]

No she does not. It's very clear she's a friend who cares for him and is trying to set him up with other people.

Christ, what movie did you guys watch to see her as ending up with all these people?

Rewatch the scene where they're talking at Falcon's home. It clarifies he relationship, but it's an open question prior to that.