We have thousands of human-written stories, discussions, interviews and reviews from today through the past 20+ years. Find them here:

Search the site Search

V.com weekend vote: Are viola jokes funny?

August 12, 2012 at 5:19 AM

Are viola jokes funny?

We've compiled about 100 of them on this discussion thread, but then we also have violists pleading for a little more respect.

I can see how it must get old, if you are a violist. But one has to admit, some of them are pretty funny! What do you think?

Tweet

I voted yes - but I did hesitate as the ethnic/minority discriminator went off in my head. The reason I still voted 'yes' is the total conviction that I don't know of anyone who actually believes that the viola is somehow inferior and the jokes are actually justified. I think if I knew one such I would no longer find any of them funny.

What they are is basically a tool to permit the expressin of a certain kind of humour - often that could be applied to any minority but here it is done with the express understanding that it is a joke.

I've also laughed at bagpipe jokes, accordion jokes, saxophone jokes, well musical jokes in general. For example click here Musical instrument jokes

Laugh as I do at viola jokes, I would love to have one and to be able to play it well.

You know the story of Pretorius throwing a crumhorn across the Danube. Actually he was trying to throwing it into the Danube.

I'm a life-long violist, and find some viola jokes hilarious; others, just mean. More often, though, it's who tells the joke that creates the problem (an arrogant person whose own technique is markedly deficient, for instance, telling one of the 'how to make a violist vibrate' jokes, is not funny).
Yeah, they're funny. I can say that now because I am one.

Bring down others' expectations with jokes about your own ineptitude, then wow 'em. The number one defense tool of all sensitive persecuted types...

Good viola jokes are the best - and this coming from a violist!
There good, but I hate the violinist that insults us violas and isn't good themselves!
All joking aside (the side I'm standing on, of course!), but I voted "No", because viola jokes (to me, as a psychologist) only show how jealous & insecure violinists are ~ they "w-i-s-h" they could make that awesome treble, soul-shaking, sound ...but they can't, period! {:~)) [I play both; checkmate!]
Viola jokes are actually more funny one realizes that the object of the joke could be anyone who chooses a less popular instrument, say oboe or harp. Non-musicians probably make musician jokes, it's all the same.

There are two main reasons I really never seriously considered switching to the viola. First, I just happen to really like the huge violin repertoire. (Also a reason I like the piano.) But the second reason is because I already have issues with left hand and shoulder stiffness and it's hard enough to be comfortable on the violin, reaching all the notes on the fingerboard, and my guess is that playing the viola would just be that much harder. I actually do think that for the purely physical reasons playing the viola is probably harder than playing the violin. And I suppose there is the financial constraint of having to buy a viola and a case and a bow and strings and music and ...

Well, I voted 'no' because while viola jokes are sometimes witty, I can't remember ever laughing at one.... I play violin.
I voted "yes", but this only applies to jokes that truly pertain to violas (e.g. "violas burn longer"), as opposed to general insults that could be applied to any instrument you didn't like.
There would not be viola jokes if violinists played with classical guitarists.
I play both the violin and the viola, and I think viola jokes are funny. I also think the joke that the reason violins look smaller is because violinists' heads are so much bigger, is funny.