Halle Berry's Joke Gone Wrong

Oh God, Have I just ruined my career?" Halle Berry asked.

Workplace comedians beware. Halle's appearance on "The Tonight Show" to promote her new movie "Things We Lost in the Fire" could have been a career-ending disaster. According to the New York Post, her remarks about a "Jewish Nose" were viewed by some people as anti-Semitic and offensive. Here are a few tips to make sure you don't become the butt of your own jokes at work.

Think before you speak.

Comedy is an art form that is often up for interpretation. Trying to impress your buddies at work? Tread lightly. Your workplace reputation is always at stake. If you are known as a person who uses comedy to ease tension in uncomfortable situations, you might come out as a hero. If you are not considered a winner or job superstar by your peers or bosses, leave the slapstick to Jay Leno --- and get to work on your image.

Avoid racial, sexist, and obesity jokes like the plague.

Ms. Berry is a major movie star. She employs a team of publicity masterminds that help to fix any lapse in judgment. The next day after her appearance on The Tonight Show, she issued a quick public apology to appease any and all who were offended. Before you begin to try to repeat a joke said by one racial, sexual or animal group that you are not a member of...think again.

In this hypersensitive, politically correct world, it's easy to offend someone. Your coworkers' self esteem can be easily hurt. Your humor can unearth some issues in your colleagues past that you are unaware of. If you are unsure of whether a funny story is offensive, it probably is.

Don't make fun of other people at work, particularly your boss.

This may sound like a no-brainer to you, but many people have become workplace casualties by making fun of the higher ups. It doesn't matter if your boss was in earshot of your comedy or whether the joke occurred in a private outside-of work conversation, just don't do it. The stakes are too high. If your supervisor hears about your mention of him or her out of context, the long term effect of your amusing tale could follow you for the rest of your career.

Halle learned a valuable career lesson from a joke gone wrong. Humor in the office can lighten the load in a serious environment, but it can be a disaster in the hands of an unfunny or newbie comedian.

Without a Hollywood publicist on hand your workplace comedy could have a far greater reach than the weekly water cooler chats. In this new online world of communication where everyone has a blog and an opportunity to post their opinions, a bad funny can and will live on forever.