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America's comedians held hostage: Day 100!
The Chicago Trib slings yet another article on how comics and others are dumbfounded when it comes to making jokes about the new president. But Steve Johnson says, citing two or three examples, “they’re still trying.”
Tell that to Peter Sagal, host of CPR’s “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me,” who uncorks this jaw-dropper:
Still, Sagal says, it wouldn’t hurt if Obama would, just once, insert his foot in his mouth.
This from a man who hosts a panel show whose sole purpose is to make jokes about the week’s current events, yet he’s still in denial.
Sagal’s not finished:
“Another thing drives me crazy,” he adds. “He often makes jokes about himself before you do. And they’re good jokes.”
It’s a sad day when a comedy writer surrenders the crown to the president’s joke writers.
If Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can co-opt Obama’s campaign slogan, so can we! We hereby proclaim, on behalf of all comedians worldwide– Yes we can! Yes, we can make jokes about Barack Obama!
5 Responses
Reply to: America's comedians held hostage: Day 100!
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Jeffrey Ross has been doing some funny Obama jokes.
In honor of <>President Obama<>, I’ve been doing my jokes in blackface. And, in honor of the <>First Lady<>, I’m doing it sleeveless.
I don’t think this article is about comedians being dumbfounded at all.
I think the only thing that isn’t right about it is the title–because the main body of the article isn’t just about comedians “searching for jokes” about Obama, it’s about a lot of comedians who have already FOUND jokes about him. They’re in there, the jokes, the article has them!
I feel like the line by Spike Feresten really sums it up…
About “the advance concern that nobody would lay a glove on the new president, either because of the comics’ own political sympathy or their fear of offending an audience strongly in Obama’s corner.
‘That’s just 24-hour cable news pundit blather,’ says Spike Feresten.”
Honestly, the article seems pretty balanced, discussing how people WERE unnecessarily worried about what jokes could be made, but now given actual fodder, we see that jokes ARE being made.
(Again, the biggest stupid thing about the article seems to be the title and subtitle, which were probably written by some editor who just feeds into the punditry blather that Feresten mentioned… Not that that’s not a problem–it’s nice for a headline to match the sentiment in an article, and I support complaining about that, but the article itself has loads of positive examples of jokes being made about the president, for sure, doesn’t it?)
Myq– We’re not so sure the head and subhead don’t match up with the sentiments expressed in the article.
The second sentences contains this: “…the satirical greeting for the new president has been more muscular than many expected.”
And that is the theme– the response has been better than expected. Not great, but good, considering the circumstances (i.e., the “normality” of the new president, the suddenly high hurdles that comics and writers must overcome, the suddenly towering standards that comics and writers must have, now that it’s Obama we’re joking about.)
New standard?
“Feresten says he is bored with the common Obama-is-black theme.”
Yes, Spike, it’s boring. We’re all so above it.
High hurdles?
“People are a lot more complicated than their ethnicity.”
Yes, Spike, our jokes must expose the inner workings of our president and must employ nuance!
Why, it’s the people who demand it!
“Audiences want something a little smarter these days.”
And then, there’s the adjusting:
“It’s not so much adjusting to an abnormally perfect president, but just adjusting to normality.”
And being driven crazy:
“He often makes jokes about himself before you do. And they’re good jokes.”
Such difficulties!
Despite the examples cited, the reader likely will take away the idea that comics are coming around to the task of joking about the president (but verrrry slowly and cautiously), but it is made clear that it’s devilishly hard!
And, in one case, when the Leno joke was cited, it was branded by as “boring.”
Most of the quotes come off as transparent “excuses.”
The article concludes with Sagal waiting, hoping for a “crack in the veneer.”
Aren’t comics supposed to make jokes about the veneer? Aren’t they supposed to -cause- the cracks to appear?
Sorry, no sale. It’s yet another example of whining by comics, aided and abetted by a reporter for a major newspaper.
Best. Obama joke. Ever.
http://www.dailycomedy.com/joke/17778