Re: TR 9/4 Big Show Synopsis

On Sep 5, 5:43 am, Yeechang Lee <y...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Brady wrote:
Did it ever occur to you that the relative lack of Obama jokes has
less to do with partisanship than it does a lack of an easily-pegged
'comedy narrative?'

Then Letterman's joke writers are awfully unimaginative. Look at Jon
Stewart--not exactly a right-wing pundit--frequently mocking Obama's
calls for change, or the embarrassingly rapturous way The One's
supporters gushingly worship the Obamessiah. Look at Leno who has an
Obama impersonator on retainer[1] along with others for Hillary
Clinton and Bush.

Despite Letterman eating a big serving of crow over Palin on Thursday
she still got the first of, presumably many many to come, "looks like
. . ."  bits. (Yes, I found the "LensCrafters model" and "mom in a
Tide commercial" bits hilarious.) I might've missed it but I've yet to
see one for Biden ("He looks like the lawyer who promises on bus stops
'no fee unless you win.'") and certainly not for Obama ("He looks like
the guy who got beaten up by the AV Club members in high school," or
"He looks like the guy voted both 'Most likely to succeed' and 'Most
likely to start his own religion.'") OK, OK, I'm not much of a joke
writer.

I am prepared to be corrected here, but I don't think Letterman ever
made a single joke about John Edwards' affair with Rielle Hunter until
after, well, pretty much every other comedian in America did, and only
after the National Enquirer's reporting was proven to be correct after
all. And yet on Wednesday Letterman made a joke that alluded to the
claims of those idiots who believe that Palin's youngest kid is
actually not her own, but her (now pregnant) daughter's.

I don't mean to say that there should be some kind of quota system to
ensure bipartisan joketelling. I don't want the comedic equivalent of
the Fairness Doctrine that Democrats are trying to reimpose on
broadcasting. But as someone who's been watching Letterman since the
NBC days and long preferred him to Leno, I don't want Letterman to
move further in the direction of becoming the late-night equivalent to
MSNBC, both in overt politics and in ratings.

Know what I'm saying?

Spare the condescension, please. If I wanted that I'd rewatch
Letterman's Tuesday episode.

[1] I realize Letterman's never relied on impersonators for his skits
the way Leno or Conan does, but work with me here.

--
<URL:http://www.pobox.com/~ylee/>                  PERTH ----> *

Y'know - I have to agree....I can't recall any Obama jokes. There
have to be some, right?
.

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  • Re: NY Times Ethicist on Letterman-Palin
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  • Re: TR 9/4 Big Show Synopsis
    ... Then Letterman's joke writers are awfully unimaginative. ... Despite Letterman eating a big serving of crow over Palin on Thursday ... NBC days and long preferred him to Leno, ...
    (alt.fan.letterman)
  • Re: TR 9/4 Big Show Synopsis
    ... Obama impersonator on retaineralong with others for Hillary ... made a single joke about John Edwards' affair with Rielle Hunter until ... And yet on Wednesday Letterman made a joke that alluded to the ... Unfortunately it's safer to mock someone's age. ...
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  • Re: TR 9/4 Big Show Synopsis
    ... regardless of whether you think the lack of narrative stems from a lack of imagination -- than it is a case of partisanship? ... Do you really think you're helping the McCain-Palin ticket by referring to Obama as 'Obamessiah' and 'The One,' and by claiming his supporters 'rapturously worship' him? ... I am prepared to be corrected here, but I don't think Letterman ever ... made a single joke about John Edwards' affair with Rielle Hunter until ...
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