I agree that jokes don't cause suicide but they don't help either. It's like the argument about guns not killing people. Mental illness is a beast. Not all people who commit or attempt suicide are mentally ill. Cruel jokes aren't necessary and they complicate the lives of both the mental ill and the mentally sound. Why not avoid them when we can.

And yes, a joke can be the final straw that pushes someone over the edge. It doesn't make the joke or the joker responsible but why is your right to tell a stupid joke stronger than my right to mind my own business and live in peace?

A person can choose not to watch a comedy special. They can't choose not to go to school, work, or walk down the sidewalk without some idiot quoting that comedian to taunt them.