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Friday, November 7, 2008

 

A blogger friend emailed me his post about comedians jumping out the window (it was satire, I'm pretty sure) in the wake of Obama's victory. Somehow, I don't think so -- from what I can see the comedio-industrial complex is already figuring how how to adjust. Jon Stewart even made a Bill Ayers joke the other night, and remember that you don't need a Weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing.

The perceived problem was that Obama himself had no sense of humor. Well, now he has his first press conference where he doesn't have to worry about losing an election with a slip of the tongue, and apparently he has a sense of humor after all. And it's lame! In a matter of minutes, he said his daughters' new puppy should be "a mutt like me" -- warming the hearts of mixed-race people everywhere (or was that a joke about his ears?) Then when he was asked if he's talked to all the living presidents:

"I have spoken to all of them who are living," he says. "I didn’t want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about doing any séances," he says.

Ronald Reagan just spoke to me from the Great Beyond, Mr. President-elect, and he said that "facts are stubborn things." (Although he may have said "stupid things," he was fading in and out.) Anyway, Nancy Reagan (also not a good person to make fun of in your first press conference) consulted an astrologer -- weird, maybe, but not the same thing as a seance. Most newspapers have a horoscope page, while very few of them have pages of Communications With the Dead.

I think the only thing comedians have to fear...is fear itself.

UPDATE: Obama calls Nancy Reagan with the first apology of his administration. Given that it's only taken three days, it probably won't be the last. Oy. Also, I totally forgot about Hillary's coversations with Eleanor Roosevelt. Heh.

Programming note: It was an out-of-pocket day, followed by a Daily News city desk night, so talk amongst yourselves.

Posted by Will Bunch @ 6:35 PM  Permalink | 81 comments
Comments   
Posted 07:11 PM, 11/07/2008
what is truth?
Actually I think the "mutt" joke is good for two reasons: 1) it is good to have a President who can poke fun at himself and not be oh-so-serious; it is a humanizing touch that is sorely needed 2) if we are actually going to move to a post-racial attitude then that has to include humor, and get past the "professionally offended" political-correctness industry. (By the way, my own ethnic background is one that has often been the subject of jokes, so I know what is is like - and I find it silly to be offended.)
Comment removed.
Posted 07:37 PM, 11/07/2008
will
Yeah, I think in the end the joke works because he's telling it on himself -- although I guarantee a) he would not have made that joke before Nov. 4 and b) someone out there is offended by it.
Posted 07:48 PM, 11/07/2008
SBVFT Contributor
What a fine gentleman he is. He will make us all proud as our President no doubt. both jokes bombed. he should stick to dancing with ellen. and is it true he only took 9 questions? no press availabilities in weeks, he has a press conference, and then he only fields 9 questions? HOPE. CHANGE.
Posted 07:48 PM, 11/07/2008
SBVFT Contributor
Never mind that there is no record of Mrs. Reagan ever having seances. Unlike a certain Mrs. Rodham Clinton - (Sunday Business Post) - "In 1994, reeling from the Democrats’ defeat in congressional elections, Hillary Clinton, that otherwise apparently sane woman, invited five professional feel gooders to spend the weekend with her and Bill. They included Stephen Covey, author of the Seven Habits of Highly Successful People and Jean Houston, a self-styled “sacred psychologist”. As the weekend wore on, it was increasingly dominated by Hillary’s own problems. Houston, who felt that “being Hillary Clinton was like being Mozart with his hands cut off”, informed the First Lady that she was “carrying the burden of 5,000 years of history when women were subservient . . . probably more than virtually any woman in human history - apart from Joan of Arc”. Houston and the latter-day Joan conducted seances in which they consulted Clinton’s ’spiritual archetypes’, Eleanor Roosevelt and Mahatma Gandhi." And to think, if it weren't for Barry, we would have potentially had this mental patient in the Oval Office.
Posted 08:46 PM, 11/07/2008
ET
Mr Biden has taught Obama well. 1) Insert foot in mouth. 2)Insert foot in mouth again. 3) Repeat steps 1 and 2......
Posted 08:57 PM, 11/07/2008
AHiredGun
Keep whining neo-cons. You only have another four years, less three days, until Obama is re-elected in 2012.
Posted 09:28 PM, 11/07/2008
ET
Oh about that rumor that Obama was an elitist, he said at today's press conference that his hope was to adopt a kennel dog but unfortunately the Obamas have to get an AKA certified pure bred dog because one of his daughters is "allergic" to kennel dogs. This is going to great!
Comment removed.
Comment removed.
Posted 09:42 PM, 11/07/2008
SBVFT Contributor
Is The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers really going nominate the insufferable Lurch as his Secretary of State? The same guy who named his yacht "Scaramouche"? (please tell me yes) Now THAT would be some comedy!!!!!
Posted 09:46 PM, 11/07/2008
ocjones
Joe B. hasn't even emerged yet. Oh yeah, the next four years have the potential to be pretty darn entertaining.
Posted 09:49 PM, 11/07/2008
ET
Did Michelle make Obama call Mrs Reagan to apologize or did Joe invoke rule number 4) call the affronted and beg for mercy. Michelle's only other concern was that Obama didn't make his bed again.
Comment removed.
Posted 10:12 PM, 11/07/2008
SBVFT Contributor
Got it from Ace of Spades b. atk - (ace.mu.nu/archives/277616.php) It's a keeper!
About Will Bunch
Will's book: Learn about it here and purchase it here.

Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

E-mail Will by clicking here.

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