Everyone loves a laugh. As Bob Newhart said to a graduating class at Catholic University recently, humor is an indelible part of being human. "It helps distinguish us from the animals. No matter what hyenas sound like, they are not actually laughing."

It's that universal need to laugh that allows comedy to have some incredible powers. It can cut across social boundaries faster than any political speech or public service announcement. More people probably know a joke about the horse who walked into a bar, than which president said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

I went to see the infamous Norm Macdonald show on Sunday. I, for one, was not surprised at the subject matter. Having followed Macdonald and his career for some time, I know he can be abrasive beyond all boundaries. Heck, that's what I liked about him.

For those of you that didn't see it, Norm came on after some funny -- but tame by comparison -- performances by fellow Saturday Night Live cast members Darrel Hammond and Jim Breuer, and the improvisational comedy troupe Comedy Sportz. They joked about politics, family relationships and, yes, goats.

Norm came on, looking slightly disoriented. He might have been expecting a slightly smaller venue than the 2,500-plus seat auditorium. It didn't take long for him to find the hot button issues. Within seconds, he was making AIDS jokes. Even Norm himself seemed a little taken aback by his subject matter. He quickly moved into a tirade about Abs and Buns of Steel, and being out of shape. For a moment, his comedy seemed to on the same path as his predecessors, momentarily risque, but mostly middle of the road.

But then Norm snapped. I suspect he saw the people leaving, the ones who didn't like the moderately off-color direction he was headed. What the hell... I'll show them! Damn the torpedoes! Full steam ahead! And from then on, it seemed to be a contest -- with himself, I guess -- to see how many people he could get to leave.

No taboo was left untouched. Actually, 'touch' is a little mild compared to what Macdonald was doing. He was slapping the taboos upside the head. Then, when they were still dazed, he clubbed them with a steel bat. The moment things really turned was when Macdonald made some bizarre pig-beastiality jokes.

UI Men's Athletic Director Bob Bowlsby estimated that 80 percent of the crowd left by the time the performance was over. I think he's overestimating; I'd put the number closer to 30 or 40 percent, at most. But that's beside the point.

Once the shock wore off, what seemed to be left was simply a frank discussion of things that society never speaks about, at least not in public: masturbation, societal hang-ups, sex roles and practices.

Historically speaking, taboos have always been first approached in the comedic medium. Minority groups are accepted first in the realms where humor is the point. Blacks and homosexuals, for example, have traditionally been represented in comedy first, simply because laughing makes it easier for those who object to deal with the subject matter.

We would never have seen a show like "Ellen," with a homosexual lead character, if it hadn't been a comedy. Comedy is rooted in discomfort, and dealing with something we don't understand or accept is certainly uncomfortable.

I am not condoning what Macdonald did. I found it funny, even hilarious at moments, but kids were present. Is this Macdonald's fault? Nope. Whomever was responsible for hiring the comedians should have researched and communicated with them beforehand to see what their stand-up is like. If it was inappropriate, either don't hire them or warn people. That way, people who do come have only themselves to blame. I equate it to people who brought their children to "Jurassic Park" movies. They knew it was PG-13. The MPAA doesn't just assign their ratings arbitrarily, folks.

I blame Bowlsby and Co. How could you think that Norm Macdonald, the man who popularized the term "Crack Whore," was going to be tame? Asking him to would be a crime, and everyone would pay the price.

As Bob Newhart said, "Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event we have no control over and deal with it."

Deal with it, Mr. Bowlsby.

(c) 1997 Patrick Keller, Gern Blansten Productions