safe jokes

[Ostap]

Hello to everyone.
This is from a Trevor Noah monologue: "I love all kinds of jokes, all right? I love safe jokes. I like dark jokes. I like jokes."

What is a safe joke? I didn't find an explanation by googling.

 

[5jj]

I imagine it's one that will not offend anyone.

 

[probus]

I agree with 5jj, but I'd like to add that a joke that offends nobody probably isn't very funny. The best jokes are a bit near the bone.

 

[Ostap]

I'd like to ask - do you hear that phrase often, is the "safe joke" really a thing? Trevor mentioned it like it is. Maybe it's a recent trend? Many things that used to be funny in the past are offensive nowadays, so maybe they now had to come up with a term (category) for jokes that would offend nobody?

 

[Tarheel]

I also have never heard it before. So, as the saying goes, it goes without saying that I don't hear it often.

 

[Rover_KE]

I'd like to ask - do you hear that phrase often ... ?

I've never heard it, but but I have heard 'clean jokes', as opposed to 'dirty jokes'.

 

[jutfrank]

It's pretty obvious what Mr Noah means, but I don't think 'safe jokes' is a particularly well-known phrase. Perhaps it is among comedians.

 

[Cunning Fox]

I'd like to ask - do you hear that phrase often, is the "safe joke" really a thing? Trevor mentioned it like it is. Maybe it's a recent trend? Many things that used to be funny in the past are offensive nowadays, so maybe they now had to come up with a term (category) for jokes that would offend nobody?

Even though "safe joke" isn't something you hear in everyday English, the meaning is crystal clear (at least to me), so I can easily see myself using it.
So:
1. Is it really a thing - I don't see why it isn't. The meaning is clear.
2. Is it a recent trend? - I think it's more of an attempt to describe what kind of joke your joke is rather than "a trend".

 

[Skrej]

Maybe there's a whole genre of jokes about safes and vaults that we haven't broken into - a combination of security and humor most have yet to unlock.

Hey, is this safe to eat?
No, it's for storing valuables.

 

[Ostap]

Maybe there's a whole genre of jokes about safes and vaults that we haven't broken into - a combination of security and humor most have yet to unlock.

Hey, is this safe to eat?
No, it's for storing valuables.

Indeed, when I was searching for "safe jokes", I did come across a page with such ones, like this.