What’s So Not Funny?
By Steve_in_KC on January 2, 2009 at 9:50 AM in African Americans, Barack Obama, Daily Show, Humor, Saturday Night Live
Like many people who visit No Quarter, I used to be a big fan of Jon Stewart and the Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and even David Letterman. Around March or April of 2008, I could no longer stand their bias against Hillary Clinton, and I stopped watching all three.
What made it even worse was that their “hip” New York audiences would go stone cold silent, or even boo, if they made any jokes at Obama’s expense. There was a classic moment when Jon Stewart made a small joke about Obama and the audience kind of moaned disapprovingly. He raised his eyebrows and said, “It’s OK to laugh at him.” The audience wasn’t so sure.
Stewart had learned, and demonstrated, the problem with Obama as regards humor. His minions will not tolerate dissent. And no satire! And mocking is right out!!
Too late, these political funnymen realized they backed the wrong horse, to the detriment of their careers. G.W. Bush was a mainstay of political humor. He was a virtual fountain of funny. Funny looking. Funny talking. Funny ideas. Funny fuckups. As Bugs Bunny would have said, “What a maroon!”
Here is a cursory comparison of the difficulty comedians face with the change in administrations. You can see in the table below how the styles of the outgoing and incoming presidents differ, and the problem this presents to the gag guys.
| Bush = Funny | Obama = Not funny |
| Nucular | Nuclear |
| Crawford, Texas | Chicago, Illinois |
| Switchgrass | Blackberry |
| Former Cheerleader | Former Communist |
And there are some things that are taboo purely because of racial sensitivities. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard Bush called The Chimp, with pictorial side-by-sides and all, but any comparisons of Obama to any type of primate will be shouted down as racist. Early in the primaries, for example, a bar owner in the South thought Obama’s ears looked like the children’s book character, Curious George, a monkey. He had some T-shirts printed up comparing the two. As a result, 70 million liberals had cardiac incidents.
Perhaps the fact that the above-mentioned programs are taped in New York City is a large part of the problem. I think they would find jabs at Obama would get much bigger laughs if they moved their studios to some place like Atlantic City or Las Vegas. Think about it… these are places where people like Jeff Foxworthy and Don Rickles draw huge cheering crowds. Alcohol may play a role in that, but that may be what’s needed to get white people to overcome their fear of laughing at a black president. I’m sure there’s a certain bar owner in the South who would agree.
Another alternative location would be Chicago. I’d bet good money that most of the folks there don’t have to overcome a sense of awe and reverence in order to get a good laugh at the expense of their hometown politico. In fact, maybe these comics should send some talent scouts to Chicago to find some writers who aren’t intimidated by Obama’s worshippers. They probably have a ton of gags about Obama and his Chicago connections. They’re proud to say Chicago has the best politicians money can buy.
Saturday Night Live has had a white guy playing Obama, which upset some people, but that makes sense to me because Obama is just as much white as he is black. So they’d have to have a “mutt” play him to make that right with the critics. And SNL has been about the only show I have seen satirize Obama at all. What comes to mind is the famous skit from the primaries in which Obama crowds Hillary during the debate and the moderators fawn over him. Having done that bit, it can’t be done again because it wouldn’t be funny twice. In fact, it kind of makes people uncomfortable with the truth in the concept of the media being “in the tank” for Obama from the start. They should keep in mind it’s a very short distance from being in the tank to being under the bus.
Past presidents were openly satirized, no matter how popular they were. Kennedy had imitators who got laughs just by doing his accent. Accents have always played well in presidential satire. There have been lots of presidents lately with Southern accents, and they were all roundly mocked.
I remember back in April when Hillary was campaigning in the Rust Belt, and she let her twang come out, knocked back a beer and a shot, and spoke from the back of pickup trucks. But hey, she’s from Arkansas, you know. That got plenty of attention from the comics, but nobody pointed out that Obama was talking hip-hop slang with a “brutha” accent at plenty of rallies, and putting on a nasal “honky voice” at others. Most of the time, to my ears, Obama sounds like Richard Pryor did when he put on his “white” voice in some of his stand-up routines.
And how will it go over when comedians first make fun of Michelle Obama? She’s the only person I know who’s “smile” looks like a Fu Manchu moustache. When she was listening to Hillary’s speech at the Convention, the corners of her mouth touched her collarbone. And if you’ve seen the old pictures of her before her cosmetic surgeries, she’s gone through more de-Africanization than Michael Jackson. I know many women have snarked about her taste in clothes, and I’ve wondered myself whether her clothes were selected by a fashion consultant or an upholsterer.
I think what it’s going to come down to is that black comedians will be the only ones allowed to make jokes about the Obama family. I think there will be a rise in prominence of black comedians who do Obama impressions and make fun of the Obama family in ways that only another black person could get away with.
Jon Stewart has already been using a black surrogate-correspondent to make all the jokes that may involve Obama’s racial makeup. Dave Letterman is such an old white honky, he doesn’t dare joke about Obama in any way that could be construed as racial; what’s he going to do, have a running joke about his “suit pants” to replace Hillary’s pant-suits? Stephen Colbert is so hard to read, you never know when he’s serious or not anyway. He can probably get away with more because he is pretending to be a Right Winger (See? He’s not being a bigot, he’s mocking bigots!).
I can’t help but think that these guys will be hard-pressed to stay on top of their games, and some may decide on early retirement. Or others may make that decision for them. Let’s see, we can have Eddie Murphy take over Letterman’s Late Show, Chris Rock can replace Jon Stewart, and Wanda Sykes would be perfect for the Tonight Show.
So, all you folks in the mainstream political comedy business, you got what you wanted. You helped get Obama elected. Now let’s see what you can do when you don’t have George Dubya Bush to kick around anymore.
Hey, great name for a country mock band: Dub and the NeoCons! I need to file a copyright on that!
(Release: November 13)
on sale for only $16.95.
has a spatula.)
8% Off at $11.95, with a rare five-star ranking by 294 customers: 
And check out these: 
("This crazy redhead is on to something. Her pink Rambler story alone is worth the price of the book," writes 
- “Richard Sale’s reportage on Washington, the CIA, the American armed forces, and foreign intrigue has created a perfect background for this account of the steady growth of President Clinton as a master of the game of nations.”--W. Patrick Lang, former head of Middle East Operations, DIA
"Anne C. Heller's stunning biography of Ayn Rand" uses a "plethora of newly unearthed research and fresh insight."
Great article SteveinKC…Fascists are not known as having a well developed sense of humor…or tolerance.
Welcome to Americanistan…
Fascists, indeed.
Thank you, workingclass artist. I’m not to worried about these modern-day fascist wannabes. But if I hear jackbooted troops marching into my cul-de-sac, I’ll be in the attic!
Wow, are you going to get slammed!
The fireworks are a day late, for the bots are going to blow you out of the water and then re-load!
This is a great point that I did not think about. We will soon have to whisper our complaints about The Messiah in dark closets. No room in his cour for a jester.
That will be the role of Sen. Stuart Smalley (D-Minn.). We’ll have King Barack, Princess Caroline, and Al Franken, fool.
Well said, re Franken the Fool. MN is becoming a laughingstock (no pun intended).
No offense intended, Tess, but wasn’t that “laughingstock” thing pretty well accomplished when Jesse Ventura was elected governor?
I guess we all kind of forgot about him once Ahnold was elected in Cafilornia. Now that we seem to have waived the natural born citizen thing, we can expect him to run for Prez now, I suppose. I think he should run in 2012, just to make it an issue!
Steve…THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I also stopped watching Jon Stewart around the same time, and I was a die-hard Daily Show fan too.
Let me tell you, it was very, very depressing to pull the plug on one of my favorite shows. However, unless Jon, Steven and the others are willing to rip princess to shreds like they did Hillary and McCain I will NEVER go back to watching them.
FYI – I live in KC too, Brookside area! Any local group of NQ posters that get together????
I hope as time wears on that comedians can poke fun at BO without fear of protest. But, making fun of Michelle could sign your death warrent. She does not look like a fun person.
MEchelle will say, “Off with his head!”
yeah, she might “scratch your eyes out.”
You are so right about all of this! It took me until early August to stop watching Jon Stewart, and I had been a loving fan. And ever since I heard him call Sarah Palin a f-ing b, I get sick and angry when I hear his evil drivel.
Add Oprah to the struggling entertainer bunch. She’s toast.
Yes, Oprah has become a total snob. I grew up watching Oprah back in the day but once she became the most powerful and well paid woman on television, she completely changed. She’s proof that money does change people because she is so far from reality or maybe her true colors finally came out once she had so much money she didn’t care what anyone else thought about her.
I was glad to see her ratings go down this year. I never watch her show anymore. She’ll still be filthy rich if her show is canceled tomorrow but like so many other media whores on tv, Oprah lives to remain in the spotlight. I expect that Oprah will try to remain on television for as long as possible because other than her fans, she has no one else in her life (besides Gail) to share her life with.
Did you hear Oprah is looking for a house in DC? She has to be close to the one. Holy crap! If her show tanks, she’ll be paying to play for a role in the administration!
That is no joke!
Oprah apparently wants to be Obama’s own personal Washington “hostess with the mostess”.
In addition to being annoyed with Oprah’s Obama love, I don’t watch her any more because her shows are too often centered on Celebrityville movie promotions, overly-cloying self-help advice or conspicuous consumption fests.
I also heard that she requested an interview with Palin AFTER the election but was turned down. Apparently the BIG O was a bit miffed.
I do like Dr. Oz and occasionally watch those when I happen to catch them during channel surfing episodes, but Oprah is pretty much dead to me.
There is one group of people that they make jokes about regardless of color and that is WOMEN! This election was to painful for me and I WILL NEVER WATCH OPRAH AGAIN! Oprah made her money off of women, she was the ’sista’ that didn’t see color, then when a QUALIFIED CANDIDATE THAT JUST HAPPENED TO BE A WOMAN CAME ALONG, poof, she chose racial identity. We learned that she too had been in that ‘Audacity’ church listening or claiming not to have heard the sermons of hate…hate towards women too.
Then we heard, that electing Obama was the ‘ONLY’ first anyone needed to see. Now we hear he is representing ALL people of color (I think NOT) and that he will do X and Y.
The comedian’s could joke about Hillary, and Palin but never touched Obama…even with Blago in Chicago. If it had been anyone else or say a woman it would have been open season…in fact they are still hunting down Sarah Palin and her family (just take a look at HoffHate)
Most recently I heard someone on the radio being critical of her college (dopes, most of America doesn’t attend IVY league Unis/colleges) and making fun of her ‘working class’ status (dopes, most of America is working class) and stressing her HillBillyness. I am so tired of it, it reminds me of someone beating an Ole horse thinking they haven’t beat it to death yet!
I’m glad so many of her women viewers sent her hate mail after she endorse the empty suit. She made her millions off of white women but couldn’t even stay quiet until a nominee was chosen. I would’ve had no problem if she had endorsed Obama after he stole the nomination but to come out for a man in an election where a woman was running for president is appalling to me. Oprah has always regarded her race more important than her gender. It’s just sickening that she’s made her money off of her gender and not her race.
I think you’re on to something here. If the comedy folks can’t make fun of Obama they’ll probably take it out on women. There will most likely be an uptick of misogynistic “humor” in the coming months.
You know as much as i hate Obama supporters, the truth is that Obama has a very messed up effect on people, I really feel like Oprah is not her self right now.
You and I and pretty much everyone else here, will be glad to know that Oprah is ending her show in 2011.
I never understood why people thought so highly of her. She succeeded by doing trashy shows and then decided to be “serious.” I think of her as a lightweight.
Well, she has her pack (should say “passel” since they are her kid replacement) of dogs.
Oprah’s a pig and I hope she rots.
I could only watch occasionally up until the conventions and then I, too, had to stop watching Jon the hypocrite. He was so rude to Newt Gingrich during the convention it royally pissed me off. He was yelling at him about how Palin used choice for her family, but wanted to take everyone elses choice away. Gingrich was not there to speak for Palin and told him he should have her on and ask her about it. That and the whole nonstop Obama cheerleading squad! Blech! To top it off, CNN ran a piece on how you could not make fun of Odrama. Many of the so called funny men late night comedians said they couldn’t find things to make fun of Obama for because he is flawless???? Geezus. I have never had any problem making fun of “The One”. Do I need to be a writer for these losers?
When the 57 states comment was made and I watched Stewart and Colbert for 2 weeks waiting for that humor and it didn’t happen, they lost me.
I just don’t understand.
Add Doonesbury, who couldn’t quit on Palin.
Agreed. I stopped reading Doonesbury, and stopped watching all the shows Steve mentioned, ones that had been my staples for YEARS. I was sick of the way they ALL piled on Hillary, even though when she came on their shows, they seemed to genuinely like and respect her. But as soon as she was gone, back to ripping on her and elevating Obama no matter the numerous gaffes he made (never mind the unqualified bit)…
Thanks for the post, Steve!
Aww, shucks, Rev… tweren’t nuthin…
I thought Garry Trudeau was relatively fair most of the time, portraying Alex Doonesbury as an Obot, just as she was a “Deaniac” in the last election.
I guess we shouldn’t be surprised by Doonesbury lampooning Sarah Palin, but I think the lag time between turning in strips and publication made some of his stuff seem like he wasn’t letting it go. And after all, he’s a known liberal and she a conservative.
I’ve NEVER watched those shows because the “humor” was never anything but nasty, rude, mean ridicule and yelling.
i think that the way they refused to subject their messiah to any of the same treatment that they’ve been heaping on everybody else for years just made it more apparent to everybody how blatantly in the O-tank the media is.
the censorship (fully supported by “progressives”) is scary indeed.
Stand strong sisters, and promise me only one simple thing: NEVER FORGET.
Yes, never forget — and I just may never forgive . . . .
I stopped watching all of those shows during the primaries. I don’t miss any of them!
Steve in KC–very amusing and perceptive article! Eddie Murphy could do serious comedic damage to O, if he were ever so inclined. Just imagine him doing versions of the shoulder-brushing and inadvertent- middle-finger routines! So far the funniest monologue directed at The One was performed by–stodgy old John McCain! Come on comedians–don’t be a bunch of wimps! O is a comedic gold-mine who will eventually be exploited by intrepid funnymen.
I’d rather have black comedians take over these dull white sexists on television. They deserve to lose their jobs after the way they’ve acted in this election. These white guys acted worse than most black folks whose main reason for supporting Obama was obviously to see a “black” (or half black?) person in the White House. But these white guys on television were disgusting. I hope they are all out of jobs in 4 years.
Yes, I have a feeling that we will see scathing comedic critiques of the O presidency by black comedians before we will see much of anything from the white comics, who will be scared-to-death of the “racist” charge. Black comedians have long been on the forefront of comic irreverence.
For example, it seems to me Rev. James David Manning of ATLAH is a good example of cutting-edge iconoclastic black comic excellence.
Oowawa said:
Thanks! I think Eddie would be perfect for that kind of show, and I have no doubt he could nail Obama mercilessly!
Nice rant Steve! Here’s a story for all. I was in Harrisburg, Pa (I live nearby) and went to hear Hillary speak at a rally the day before the Pennsylvania primary at a really cool mosque. I got there 1 /1/2 hours early to make sure I got close to the stage, and while I was waiting around I saw Rob Dribble from The Daily Show there. He had driven down from NY that morning. I chatted him up and he was a pleasant guy. However, he asked me if I thought Hillary was going to drop out of the race after the primary the next day. I said ‘no, she’s going to do very well’. And of course she won by 9 points. But I thought about his question later and realized I hadn’t been in contact with someone from inside the ultra-liberal bubble Obama-world. I think that Rob’s eyes were opened to a scene outside the bubble somewhat after her primary win. I watch the Daily Show occasionally now and though its still pretty funny he still does seem to be heavily pro-Obama. And that’s too bad for our country. I thought Stewart was the Mark Twain/Will Rogers of our time, but his in-the-tank-for-Obama behavior cripples his credibility.
avwrobel, you are exactly corect with this statement: “I thought Stewart was the Mark Twain/Will Rogers of our time, but his in-the-tank-for-Obama behavior cripples his credibility.”
Stewart could have been a Mark Twain. He certainly has the inteligence, talent and the great sense of humor. But he let his personal feelings get in the way of being an objective observor of the American scene. So sad.
Jon Stewart is way too hyperactive to be a Mark Twain. Twain had a measured pace in his witticisms. Stewart is just a fast-talking New Yorker with a big ego. He can’t even let his guests finish a thought without interupting to try to make a joke, often at their expense.
A better comparison for a modern Mark Twain would be Stephen Colbert. IMO, of course.
I hear ya, JS. I’m WAY more afraid of Michelle than the PEBO.
I apologize for my double posts. New Years Resolution: proof read comments before hitting “Add comment”.
I’ve started calling Obama the President Elect Weekly Scandal.
Or should I make it weakly scandal?
Remember, it wasn’t until Colbert slammed Bush at the National Press Club Dinner that anyone had the audacity to point out the nakedness of Bush…and that was 5 years after he was elected. 0bama Facists are not going to allow that to happen. Bush was untouchable to comics or the MSM for years. It has only been since Colbert cut him down to size standing right next to him that the floodgates of insults have opened to all to show Bush for what he is. Who knows how long the coward media and the chicken shit comics will have to wait to notice the nakedness of 0bama?
As I recall, Colbert really cut into the complacent MSM of the time. Too bad Colbert didn’t do the same to the media during the bias, misogynistic coverage of the primaries.
Obama’s National Press Club Dinner will be one big suck up! Perhaps a giant penis could do the comedic honors when that event comes around.
They do have those available for bachelorette parties. I’m sure the MSM will find one.
If they are looking for a giant penis, the MSM need look no further than the host of Hardball: complete with spewing effects guaranteed to get everybody wet!
LMAO!!!
Great article.
You mentioned everything that I have been thinking.
Once again:
The hardest thing for people to admit to is the obvious.
None of the comics go after Obama the way they go after Hillary. But they have been doing that since the 90’s so I guess it’s become the norm for them.
Obama gets a free pass when it comes to jokes and Hillary gets lambasted all day everyday. And you know what? I sometimes think that it makes her stronger. They can make fun of her, “clown her” all they want, but she’s stilll here, she’s taken the jokes for what, almost 20 years and she’s still a powerful woman.
They handle Obama with kid gloves because they have to know that he’s a propped up, weak, media creation. The same media that created him can destroy him, but you can’t say the same thing about Hillary.
And yes, you hit the nail on the head about Michelle Obama, including the super-obvious plastic surgery. When Hillary was first lady, the press tried to portray her as this evil woman, so we will see how they treat Meshelle $600 earrings Obama.
It’s very disgusting and I stopped watching Letterman a loooong time ago because of this.
Good point about HRC’s endurance vs. Obama’s fragility Thinker. He gets irritable and testy if they ask him more than 8 questions, let alone the beating HRC has taken for years. She’s a warrior. He’s a man-child.
BTW: just a small correction: HRC is not from Arkansas. She is from Illinois too. She didn’t go to AK until after law school to be with Bill.
? ? ?
…yeah, I know that Hill is actually from Illinois.
& lol @ Obama the “man-child”
Hillary spent enough time in Arkansas to gain the love and respect of many in her adopted state. I only need to speak to my cousins 10 minutes on the phone to start drawlin’. Her “twang” is a cross between a drawl and her Illinois background. Mimic of old speech patterns aren’t “studied”. They just pop up in the right company.
Thank you! Thank you for mentioning this and calling out these jerks. I absolutely loved Jon Stewart for years but I stopped finding him and many other comedians funny this year. When comedians start having double standards and joining the hate Hillary bandwagon but give Obama a free pass, you’ve lost my support. Jon Stewart wasn’t as bad as many others during the election but he caved into his young Obot audience who wouldn’t allow him to make any jokes about their Messiah but would allow any comedian, “journalist”, or talk show host piss on female candidates.
I expect all of their ratings to go down once people start realizing they aren’t funny anymore because they are too scared to be called a racist.
Here’s the truth — it’s not that the comedians “couldn’t find anything to laugh at about Obama”–that’s just an excuse–it’s that they were declaring they wouldn’t be making fun of Him and that we shouldn’t make fun of him either.
Fascism even from our comedians….never thought I’d see the day…then again, never thought I’d see the likes of GWB and BO as POTUS!
Did I mention that it is Apocalypse and Armageddon all week long on the History Channel? Nice way to start off January programming, since Ofraud will be inaugurated on the 20th. It’s uncanny how the History Channel gets it right when it comes to airing certain shows in response to current events. I hope they feature Hitler leading up to the inauguration.
Trixta, you said “I hope they feature Hitler leading up to the inauguration.”
But I would suggest that Jonestown might be a better match! After all, that’s where the phrase “Drank the Kool-Aid” came from!
Well, this suggestion really suggests a plethora of band-name possibilities for the Coming Administration:
And here’s a cool rock band name for the rest of us:
LOOOOOVE Precious and the Swooners! Wish I’d thought of it.
Tess, I noticed a typo (Sooners), and since we don’t want to offend innocent Oklahomans, I fixed it for ya!
What a guy! Big grats.
If these comics think they can survive forever on making fun of Sarah Palin and Hillary and Bill, they are sadly mistaken. Leno still thinks it is hilarious to do a Monica and Bill POS. Letterman loves to honk on Sarah. Sarah is a great butt of jokes, but she has a great sense of humor and can deliver a great joke herself. 0bama’s grandiosity is being inflated by everyone. One prick by a comic and his balloon will burst. 0bama is just pompous and humorless. And now the comics are the same.
“0bama is just pompous and humorless. And now the comics are the same.”
Don’t forget the MSM like Williams, Couric, and Gibson, alibe. They are pompous pricks, too!!!
Perhaps PUMA websites should sell Obama balloons in honor of the inaugural celebration. We could all prick the balloon right after He delivers the speech and watch him fizzle in the air.
Considering your choice of words, Trixta, perhaps the balloons would be Trojan brand?
I am not sure our leaving their viewer-ship will even be noticed…there are far more who have signed on for every glimpse of the “O”!
The bottom line will be ratings and commercial success, and so far the sponsors seem to be willing to garner the rewards of the trolls!
You held out longer with the comedians than I did, Steve. I discovered that what I once thought was funny had become smart-assed and juvenile. What a difference a year makes.
I’ve always found Stewart to be overrated. Juvenile is the word–and self-satisfied. If you talk to almost anyone from NYC or LA, it’s a blind Obama love-fest. These are the entertainment capitols, so the comediennes are pandering to that audience, and are part of that culture. I am looking forward to the day when the bubble bursts, and it will–it’s a law of nature. An illusion cannot be sustained. It will lead to dis-illusion. It happened to Bush. Remember post-9/11? No one dared question the Emperor. I wish we had a Lenny Bruce now when we need one. These are not courageous comics–they are like little kids who get paid a ridiculous amount of money. Who is brave enough to take on the blowtorch of the mainstream fantasy of O? Look what happened to Hillary and Palin when they dared to criticize the gaping chasm between his faux-MLK words and his record and actions! But it WILL happen. Karma is a bitch.
I’ve been a fan of Dave Letterman since he had his daytime show on NBC … that’s a long, long time. But when he turned in a very sour direction during the primary season, I stopped watching and haven’t looked back since. I have repeatedly emailed comments to that effect to his show. I am a native New Yorker who lives in Manhattan and I’ve been in the Letterman audience several times over the years since he move to CBS. (By the way, Letterman’s audience in the Ed Sullivan Theater is overwhelmingly from out of town.) I never expected him to turn into a kool-aid drinker. It is a shock and I’m so disappointed. At about the same time as I stopped watching Dave, I also stopped watching CNN and MSNBC and I started watching FoxNews for the first time in my life. The love affair with Obama and almost all media was so overwhelming, it made FoxNews look impartial. Fox capitalized on this with their “fair and balanced” tagline because they knew their competitors had gone over a cliff with their support of Obama. And Fox also made adjustments. They handled the hot buttons of Obama’s friends and birth certificate like pseudo-statesmen, and even Alan Colmes, whose endless defenses of Obama were embarrassing, will now have his own show on Fox. I understand the problem of going after Obama, the only candidate I’ve ever seen in over 50 years of observing politics who could not be criticized without fallout to the critic … Hillary ran into that wall no matter how she approached the issues. And I discovered in my own life that several of my dearest friends remain unforgiving because I, a lifelong Democrat, did not vote for Barack Obama. Obama touched a “you’re either with us or you’re against us” nerve in this country. I have not seen something divide families and friends in this manner since the height of the Vietnam War (we had screaming arguments around the dinner table almost every night in my family’s apartment). So perhaps Letterman, whose show depends on an army of entertainers who will bleed Obama until they die, also had to make “adjustments” in order to avoid being blacklisted. But, even allowing for those “adjustments,” I expected Letterman to continue being funny without being nasty. For some reason that changed in 2008. The poison started flowing and I could not stand to watch him anymore, not so much for what he was saying, but rather because it was Letterman who was saying it. I was embarrassed for him and I wonder where his integrity has gone. Even with his hammering of Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal, in the end, Bill and Hillary made it over to Letterman’s show and fun prevailed. Always fun. Not so in 2008 … he threw away whatever was left of his classy impartiality and that’s when I stopped watching. Still, I will never forget how Dave lifted our spirits after 911. He did it in such a way that made it ok for the other shows to resume broadcasting new shows again. At that time he showed leadership. In 2008, he was led.
I said “Amen” so many times while reading this post that I felt like a 1-man choir. Thanks, Mandelay.
Well, I am in agreement with everything you’ve said. I, too, have stopped watching Letterman and Conan O’Brien, and I never watched the other shows. The media bias in favor of Obama is incredible. But I am really looking forward to Bernard Goldberg’s book A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (and Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media. I’ve already ordered my copy.
Is Goldberg a credible source, because I LOVE that title?!
Yes, Goldberg is an award-winning journalist. Some would reject him because he will be made out to be a right-leaning ideologue, but he has always told it like it is in my book. The guy is good and generally well thought of, except among those who worship at the feet of the Obama Messiah.
Wonder if any station besides Fox will interview Goldberg about his book.
I have seen him on that station, and it looks like a good edition to the historical record as well as a barn burner.
Oops meant “addition” but guess “edition” kind of works too.
Gee, I wonder if Chris ‘Tweety’ Matthews will have his own chapter in Goldberg’s book.
Great comment.
I lost 2 people I cared about, my boyfriend and a gay male friend, who found it unforgiveable that I would not support the one. I’ve never experienced this before and both were people that I believed we could disagree on politics and still be friends, we had in the past had disagreements and life went on. Well, no more.
It has also become difficult to talk to any of my liberal friends, even those who voted for the D, but knew that Obama was a phoney. It is so hard for me to understand how one can knowingly vote for a corrupt phoney and how they will justify that as all the Oscandals break in the next 4 years. Plus, they hate Palin and just roll their eyes if I make any compliment of her.
Wake me when it’s all over. I’ll be clinging to my bible and my gun.
How does your gay male friend feel now that Warren has been elevated to give the Invocation at the Inauguration? Ask him if he enjoys having his sexuality equated with incest, pedophilia and polygamy, and then, the President-Elect decides that this bigot should be given a coveted place on his historic day? You can also mention his homophobic history: Donnie McClurkin (campaigned for BO in SC, and ministers about being “healed” of his homosexuality), and other pals of Obama, including Ministers Caldwell, Kmiec, Pfleger, Wright, & Meeks–all evangelical fundie bigots. “Inclusion?” Riiight. Where are the Buddhists, atheists, Episcopalians, and gay ministers? Like Melissa Etheridge, if he is a true Obot, he will find a way to rationalize this blatant example of bigotry to perpetuate their O fantasy.
I wish I knew. We stopped talking to each other after Palin got the pick and he started slaughtering her and slamming me. He told me that the reason I would vote for Mccain-Palin was because God gave me boobs instead of a brain and that was it. I told him being gay didn’t give him the right to be a sexist, mysogynist pig and we parted ways.
The joke is on them both though (gay friend and boyfriend). Ex boyfriend’s daughter is gay. That was one of his main points in our breakup. If I could vote for Mccain, it meant I didn’t care about gays or women and Roe v. Wade. I asked him what about supporting women by supporting Hillary? I told him part of my strong support for Hillary was for his daughter and that when she works hard for a job and the less qualified man gets it over her to let me know how she feels about that!
Anyway, I would love to know what both of them think about Warren, but am no longer in contact with either one. Based on how they freaked after their guy won, I’m sure they are not happy. They knew how this was gonna go!
Isn’t it fascinating that democrats find it unforgivable that we voted for the losing team? I don’t see how they can’t forgive after their side won. I would have forgiven them, especially if McCain had one. I would have been very humble and been able to admit when I felt McCain was wrong.
Hello, Obama supporters? WTF is with your anger? Your guy won! Hello! What happened to all the peace love and joy and “the world will live as one”?
The lastest pretzel logic from the Left is that Obama is going to dissappoint on the issues but that “we should keep our eye on the HOPE that he inspires.” Jeramy Skaihill (sp?)said as much when he appeared with Naomi Klein on C-SPAN.
What utter BULL SHIT!
Never mind that guy behind the curtain, just keep your eye on the phony special effects on the big screen.
How does your gay friend feel since the Obot voters helped to pass Proposition 8 in California?
At that time he showed leadership. In 2008, he was led.
- I feel the same way. I just expected so much more from Letterman. I expected Leno/NBC to behave they way they did, certified kool-aid drinkers, but Letterman? …I suspect that Letterman knows that Obama isn’t who he says that he is, but I’m guessing he just wants to have his show live another day, versus being labeled a racist if he tells jokes about Obama.
Obama touched a “you’re either with us or you’re against us” nerve in this country. I have not seen something divide families
- He sure did!! I have been sort of a political outcast with my family and friends. NQ was my little safehaven.
Well said, Mandelay and Steve in KC. I thought I was the only one who noticed that Letterman was bashing Clinton, McCain, Romney, and Palin mercilessly during the primaries, but never made one joke about Obama. After having the best show on TV for the last 25 years, and with him being an unbiased political jokester during that whole time, I haven’t watched him since. This election continues to be an eye-opener in so many ways. Thanks again for the great post.
My family has also fled from the non-comedy of Stewart, Colbert and Letterman, as well as the non-news of the MSM.
ROTFLMAO! While watching her on The View and other shows during the campaign, I could have swore the dress she was wearing came from the same material as my 95 year old mother-in-law’s draperies! I never saw pics of her before her plastic surgery, I’ll have to check that out.
This year has been a strange one…this was the year that my husband saw what Stewart, Leno and MSM did to Hillary and Sarah Palin. His eyes will now be for ever open to this type of sh… He told me the day that President Johnson once said…”I am not an idiot, I know the difference between chicken sh… and chicken salad.” So…if this man can see what was going on, so does middle American, and this will bite Leno, Stewart and Letterman in their backsides.
Ain’t paybacks a bitch…
Wanda Sykes worked overtime this year to ridicule both Hillary and Sarah; she’ll never be funny to me again. I’m also done watching Letterman, Stewart, Leno, Colbert, you name it.
oowawa is right – other than the one Obama-fawn-debate on SNL, the only person to nail Obama this year with humor was John McCain at the Smith dinner. He did a hell of a good job, too.
McCain was awesome that night! Obama looked stupid.
Man, McCain would have been a great leader. It makes me so sad when I stop and think about it.
My bottom line, closing argument for voting for McCain is that he has my and the country’s best interests at heart and I can’t say that about Obama. I still feel that way.
Ironically, Wanda Sykes came out of the closet after Proposition 8 was passed in CA.
Wanda Sykes is also gay. Wonder how she feels now with the glorification of Warren? Such hypocrites.
Excellent! Thank you. I wit’chu!
I think the most disappointing was Jon Stewart taking to attacking Hillary to promote Obama.
And, yes, they will suffer for what they’ve down and they SOOOO deserve it. They hung themselves. They thought way too much of themself and what they could get away with, so I say they will deserve their own demise.
Great post.
How I agree with this. The world changed last year and it wasn’t for the better. However, that was all last year, let’s hope things start to right themselves in 2009.
Michelle had plastic surgery? I’m slow about these things, plus I don’t pay any attention to her, so when? What?
I read somewhere that she won’t have a fashion consultant or anyone to advise her about style because she’s so good at it herself. I must say I laughed heartily at that. Somebody better watch what happens to the old drapes in the WH after the redcorating is finished!
She doesn’t only need fashion advice, she needs to learn how to walk without lumbering along.
I know, I thought the same thing “She had plastic surgery?” She needs to get her money back.
Here’s a link to the picture I had in mind when I wrote that bit about her plastic surgery. The photo is legitimate, to the best of my knowledge, and the source of this particular link is just the first one I could find with a Google search of Images.
Michelle “before”:
http://www.theodoresworld.net/pics/0408/michelleandhusseinImage1.jpg
No need for links to “after” pix, they are everywhere!
Wow – she sure DOES look different in the old photo.
Hey, if drapes are good enough for Scarlett O’Hara, they’re good enough for Michelle Obama. Please don’t call me racist because Scarlett thought of drapes first.
Texas Playwright — these were my very thoughts! Michelle ain’t no Jackie . . . she’s Scarlett all the way on this one. The red and black drapes she wore during His acceptance speech were in such bad taste (symbolism and all). And to parade her cute children in gloomy black dresses, as if they were in mourning, was an hostile act, I believe.
BTW, Obama also has had his nose surgically thinned out. Check out his college pics against his most recent ones.
Just a small point, but they were in mourning for their great-grandmother.
oh, bs, one of the girls dresses was red, the other black and Meechelle wore red and black.
Judy, Judy, Judy — the Obama Kids still looked gloomy in their color coordinated red and black socialist garb (that was my point). It was obvious that they were being used politically by their parents — i.e. to send a socialist victory message.
Or Adams Family redux.
I’m thinking more Carole Burnett playing Scarlett with curtain rod and all, than Scarlett herself.
Tee HeeHee
I do remember the show when Stewart turned to the audience and said: you “can” laugh at the man [Obama]. A telling moment.
Good essay, too, Steve. Loved your grid of “funny not funny.” So true. Though the press may have treated GW with kid gloves in the early years, it seems to me the cartoonists always pictured him chimp-like with the waggling ears.
It will be interesting to see what they do with Obama’s image–play it safe or let it rip.
We should be accustomed to this kind of treatment by now. We already had eight years of it. Welcome to Bush term 3.
What treatment?
Did you read the piece?
It says comedians can’t make fun of Obama, how is that like bush?
Sad depressed losers don’t do much laughing so I doubt these funny folks give a crap about puma maroons
All 230 of you (how is that faverau pitition you pumped for a going. LOL)
what’s a *puma maroon*? is that like a coconut macaroon?
I’m still trying to figure out what the heck a “faverau pitition” might be . . .
beats me… i thought it was an inside joke or something.
Wasn’t “puma maroon” the type of cookie Marcel Proust ate?
Was that in Remembrance of Things Pastry?
good one, oowawa!
A lot of people seem to think that “moron” is spelled “maroon”, which is a color, or to be shipwrecked on a desert island, etc.
Whenever I see that, I always wonder why so many people don’t know how to spell it.
3 stooges say maroon
You know, bloggers are the most important people in the world, there is simply no other world outside the blogs.
Kinda see the problem?
And no, you don’t.
Now, why do you think that is?
None.too.bright.
Don’t ever change, sparky.
And you won’t.
Maroon is one of my favorite colors. It goes very well with navy blue. Is a “puma maroon” a puma wearing maroon? Please explain.
I love the article but I will have to disagree not one of these comics are going to make fun about this black president in the manner that they ragged on Bush over the years.
Yes there is plenty that I have noticed that can be made fun of and plenty about Michelle that can be a barrel of laughs but they wont do it, its going to be 4 years of praise about this great coming, and I will bet anything they will still go after Bush even in his retirement years, of course Hillary and Bill will get some but where the great one is concerned nope not a word will be said.
“Yes there is plenty that I have noticed that can be made fun of and plenty about Michelle that can be a barrel of laughs….”
Yeah, the comedians can start with her scary eyebrows. (I’m just saying!)
SNL will have to revive the old skit about the people with big butts to acuurately portray Michelle Obama.
Obama IS a joke.
wow! great insight, steveinkc. you nailed it! I can only stand to watch glimpses of Colbert now and then, and have not been able to stomach Stewart for the last year. The comedy act I do check in on from time to time is Red State Update. I especially liked their interviews with Nader – Nader has an incredible sense of humor. They can be pretty crude but are generally not afraid of the racial backlash, and by being brash they get away with murder.
I think this Black guy is very funny, and I ain’t no republican either.
http://www.youtube.com/user/machosauceproduction
Steve
Great post about the humorless comics! Obama comes across as a cold fish. Whenever the media cultists are covering him, he comes across as an act or he’s trying to look presidential.
“humorless comics”
What a scary world this has become when everthing is upside down! And I thought being under Bush II was bad.
And just because Obama says he is not offended by such jokes doesn’t matter a twit… the comedians (as well as the reporters) still will be afraid to actually criticize the One with any kind of rigor.
All of them lost my respect this year, and all of them even SNL is not allowed to be on in my house anymore until they change back to real parody and not but kissing Obama.
If you ever notice, Obama actually tries to strike a John F. Kennedy pose whenever the camera’s are around. He honestly believes he IS Kennedy. Of course, if there was ever a Cuban Missile Crisis again, he’d be off in Hawaii on vacation and leaving it up to Hillary to take care of. That way, if it goes bad, it’s her fault, not his. He’s just a poser.
Yes, he wants to be Kennedy and/or Lincoln redux. I am quick to point out that those presidencies did not end well. Go for it Barfy! I’ll watch and wait.
Bring it on bots! I’m ready!
How lucky we are do have a PEBO waiting in the wings who will be the culmination of JFK, MLK, FDR and Lincoln all rolled into one fantastic package — and JUST WHEN WE NEED HIM THE MOST! Did I forget anyone?
(Just kidding of course)
Yeah, can they at least make fun of how many vacations He takes?
We should have an open thread dedicated to suggesting comedic material and jokes for all of those poor comedians who “just can’t find anything funny about Obama.” Ah, poor Dears. PUMAS will be more than happy to help out.
Steve in KC everything you wrote about Michele Obama had me rolling on the floor!
I think you need to do regular comedy for NQ readers!
Thanks for the humor.
By the way the Black community has to get over all of the fingers of racism speak (when it suits them). They have taken it too far and as a result they have sepperated themselves way to much from other Americans?! This is eventually going to either hurt Obama or them. No one wants to put up with bullys for too long. Look at the Republican party.
DanNY said:
Thank you, DanNY! I appreciate that compliment very much!
Being amusing as a writer for NQ is my ideal, but comedy is hard work! It’s easy enough to be funny when nobody is expecting it, but when humor is expected, expectations rise, for some silly reason!
What I don’t want is, “Oh, it’s the NQ comedian! Come on, funny man! Make me laugh!” It’d be like cowboys shooting at my feet to make me dance!
Why can’t anybody make fun of Obama? Is it just a racial problem? I don’t honestly know. I’m neither caucasian nor african-american. Just like Obama. And do you know my greatest fear? That Obama will fail the presidency so badly that in the future, noone will elect a colored person ever again. Nobody is gonna forget his failure.
Has everybody become so politically correct? This is gonna have a backlash and that is gonna be bad. In reality, Obie has set race relations in the U.S back by 50 years.
I fear for the future of colored folk.
As with Bush, we dare not confront Obama’s incompetence.
One joke, and the whole illusion is broken.
They can’t risk acknowledging they put a MORON in the Presidency.
I have also thought about this very same thing: Could Obama mess it up for people of color?
My answer came from history. Remember Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss American. After winning, her crown was taken away because of those naked pictures she took that were printed in Playboy. Even though all of that happened, there have been several black/people of color contestants in the Miss America pageants. Even with the scandal, Vanessa Williams opened the door for many people of color and the Miss America pageant.
I say that to say that even if Obama fails, the door has been opened for other people of color anyway. This country wants to desperately move forward with race relations — that’s a big part of why Obama won in the first place. I don’t think we’re going backwards even if he messes up.
However, as a black person, I think that black people will have to re-evaluate their “victim” mentality and become more responsible for their own destinies. The “white man” blame game will have to stop. Since Obama will be POTUS, I don’t think white people are going to fall for that excuse anymore.
I would love to see blacks in this country stop looking for a saviour and find the saviour in themselves. This country has opportunities for those who help themselves. Even though my black ancestors didn’t come here voluntarily, we’re here now and aware of our situation. We have to make that change for ourselves. Obama can’t do it (and there is nothing in his past that says that he will). The fact that he is PEOTUS will help the psychy of many blacks to make some changes for themselves, but I’m seeing too much cult behavior. As of now, if Obama dies, then the inspiration dies with him. That’s not a leader who inspires, that’s a manipulator who takes advantage.
The “white man” blame game will have to stop.
Well said. If only one good thing comes from this fiasco, it is that many Americans voted for a black man. Unfortunatly, some of us also learned that sexism is still acceptable and often rewarded.
Amen, Benny! Ain’t that the truth.
Hey Benny,
Fear not…if he messes up badly in this day and age, we may all be obliterated!
The truth is that comedians don’t make fun of Barfy because they know he’ll cry and or throw a temper tantrum. Oncce it happens though, I bet they’ve have at it! They just don’t want to be the first.
I agree, it’s only a matter of time…AA’s and dopey progressives wanted Barky as president, then he gets all that goes with it. That includes political lampooning. Get used to it Obamatrons, as soon as he pisses off enough people, comics will start to skewer him. And maybe once that happens, we’ll finally get a peak behind the curtain as to who the real Barky is. Just make sure you tell him to keep his bloody shirt on…manboobs…blech.
I don’t think you’ll ever again see him in public barechested without his “bro.”
No doubt these alleged comedians are gutless racists and misogynists.
I also think they wanted to appear hip and appeal to a younger demographic.
The same reasons I stopped viewing and can’t stomach Keith Olderman and his ongoing reports on Britney Spears.
If the kiddies’ parents had spines they’d cut off the little shits and devalue the demo overnight.
But nope, self-serving twits are still talking about how their clueless dope smoking dropouts convinced them to vote.
Do you have a website Steve?
I just got back home and have been reading through the comments, wondering how to reply and which ones to reply to first… then I see this post! Talk about doing a double take! You have absolutely the BEST login name on this blog!
Thanks for the kudos, “fan,” and while I don’t have a website under this name, it is in my plans for the near future. It will be announced in my byline here at NQ.
After all, someone has to make fun of Obama! At least until the Comedy Police lock me up!
Ok I am looking at a new video about citizenship
Seems the defination according to this video makes Obama ineligible for the office…
I am so confused…
But what saddens me even more is why Obama has not/will not show his BC that shows all the information with hospital, doctor and etc…..
If Obama had shown this BC in the open like McCain did I would be one of the ones telling everyone to just shut up and live with the election loss.
Yet with all the untruths that Obama has told over the course of the election makes me doubtful.
Srry I forgot the video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEnaAZrYqQI&feature=channel_page
The Daily News et. al. are in a bit of a pickle. They made their name being critical of a President, and now that President is soon to be gone, they will have no President to make fun of. The army of Obama won’t stand for it.
Not sure what they can do as revenues can’t tolerate antagonizing their base.
Thanks for a great article.
Glad to know others feel like I do.
I see Jon Stewart now as just a smart ass, a silly boy.
Letterman: Not funny to me now, can’t watch, a mean edge.
Conan et al–rather read a trash novel.
As for Al Franken…what a shmuck. Is he one notch better or worse than Norm Coleman? Such an angels on pinhead question.
What was funny this week was Blago presenting Burris, followed
by Bobby Rush. I was laughing out loud watching the spectacle.
Now there’s some material for Stewart. I don’t know though, it might be too conflicting for him. Plenty of room to mock Blogo, after all he’s white, but what do you do about Burris? I’m with you SantaFeK, I laughed all morning at the FU with a smile that Rod pulled off.
Let’s see..first to go was HBO due to
Bill Maher’sdisgusting PC bias toward Sarah followed byStewart,Colbert,Letterman,Leno,Oprah…show, magazine and any appearances,, what’s left? Ah yes, I didn’t renew Vanity Fair after James Reston insulted Palin and McCain on his blog by suggesting they were “F**k Buddies”. Frankly I don’t miss any of them and between canceling HBO and the magazines who drool over Fraudo, I’m saving money in the bargain.These people don’t exist anymore to me. I hope they all file for unemployment.
And for the maroon jerk above, go suck an egg! There’s no group more out of touch, more self-involved than Botheads.
I’ll be glad when this Inauguration is over so 0bama can stop hiding behind the President-elect bullshit.
It looks like Princess Caroline will be annointed. Well she won’t get my vote.
Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting.
The Blago-Burris-Obama reality show is providing much more comedy than the corporate media possibly can right now. What a spectacle that will be next week: the lily-white Senate barring its doors to Roland Burris.
Where is John Kerry in all this? Didn’t he say Obama was a superior candidate because he is black? Ergo would not Roland Burris be a superior Senator, I ask you, Senator Kerry?
I just feel a little chuckle coming on every time I think of how the race card is coming back to bite Obama and Democratic leaders in the butt. Ain’t karma wonderful?
Love this article.
My friends don’t know how to respond when I tell them that I absolutely hate O-bozo. They know that I’m as liberal as they come and can’t rectify that with their mindset that liberalism = love and fawning of Obobo. When they ask me why I hate him, I give them a laundry list of his bullshit and lies. All they can say is he’s about “change” with nothing to back it up with. He duped a lot of people and reality is gonna suck.
On the mark with everything except the SNL reference. A “mutt” does play Obama. Fred Armisen was born in New York, but his mother is Venezuelan and his father is German and Japanese.
I couldn’t watch the news whenever W. spoke, and I can’t watch the news when Obama speaks. He lied, cheated and stole the Presidency. He doesn’t deserve to be in office. I am a liberal Democrat and I can’t stand him. Or Michelle. I can’t wait for the day when he is no longer “off-limits” to comedians. But it’s going to be a long time before any Black comedian will make fun of him.
On a happier note, I was so thrilled to see Hillary and Bill in the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square! Happy New Year everyone!
Yeah, it was great watching them together! I wish Bill would take HRC’s Senate seat!
The REAL reasons you can’t make fun of BO…
$$$$$$$$$$$$/LOSS of SPONSORS/Political Hassles
The Southern Leadership Conference, NAACP et al
+
Threaten/boycott corporate advertisers/sponsors
=
Not Funny to Networks
Vanessa Williams . I remember those photos. the black princess down on all fours having her anus & perineum licked by a woman who heself did not become famous.
The only reason she ever got further exposure was that everuone just imposed that image on whatever she was ding.
Haha haha haha.Classic.
Bring on more Vanessa Williams. Bet her kids love those photos !
You condone misogyny towards Mrs Obama and Oprah Winfrey while decrying the media treatment Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. And you wonder why no one take you people seriously. Hypocrisy, thy name is PUMA!
I still have that Vaughan Meader album !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaughn_Meader
Thanks for writing this lovely rant. I miss the humor in politics, and we all know the PEBO has NO sense of humor.
I thought about this post all day – can’t thank you enough. I really felt so stupid abandoning all those “funny” people. You help me know why. This is why I hang on to NQ. You rock.
Hillary Clinton was born and raised right outside Chicago, IL. I believe she has no twang especially since I heard her speak three times and volunteered for her campaign. I ran the Veterans for Hillary Tour through Montana. I met Hillary up close and personal.
Bill Clinton is from Arkansas. He was born and raised there in a town called Hope!
I am not being critical just wanted to correct your error Steve from KC. By the way I reside in Kansas.
I live in Kansas, too… barely.
I know you aren’t being critical, but just to acknowledge your correction about Hillary’s origins, I know she wasn’t raised in Arkansas, but she was First Lady of Arkansas for 8 years, and married to an Arkansas man for many years. My point was that she’s entitled to a little drawl if the people she’s with talk that way. I can do the same with a Kansas twang, turn it on and off. Go to Texas for a weekend and you come back saying “Y’all.”
Anyway, howdy neighbor, and thanks for commenting.
i thought SNL did a parody of michelles big but.i think iv only seen 3 photos of it in the last 2 years.
Excellent analysis KC!
I recall another SNL skit where a President Obama when meeting with foreign leaders who would not agree with him on policy would accuse them of racism.
The MSM only covered the Palin skit on that episode and totally ignored any clips of the much funnier Obama one.
SNL was probably the only comedy show that offered a measure of unbiased comedy but I still felt that when Palin came on they didn’t offer her many good lines and the cast members seemed a bit tense and uncomfortable with her around.