So Richard Donner was the original director and had a different opening, ending, and didn't have the jokes?
Interesting.
"Happy slaves are the worst enemies of freedom." - Marie Von Ebner
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell
That makes a bit of sense now that you think about it.
Although, I thought Superman II was the darkest of the 4 Supermans, so I don't exactly get what jokes or funny parts were put in it that they are referencing...