Irony is Dead; Long Live Irony!
by Andrew Leigh
After 9/11, a flood of articles proclaimed the death of irony and cynicism. That lasted about two weeks.
Jon Stewart and company were back on the irony beat faster than you could tell a dumb Bush joke. (Are we really going to miss those, by the way? Shouldn’t they go in the ash heap of history along with all the horny-Clinton jokes?)
But maybe they were just a little premature — about eight years too early. For the Age of Obama is upon us, and we’re not supposed to be cynical anymore.
Remember when dissent was patriotic? Now it’s divisive.
Instead of afflicting the comfortable, give them a bailout.
Critical thinking is to be replaced with “Yes we can!”
And speaking truth to power? It’s like farting in church.
I’m as tired of irony and negativity as the next grown-up. And I would honestly love to see Obama succeed. But it’s funny that many of the same people who had no qualms setting their cynicism levels on 11 throughout the Bush presidency, suddenly want to dial it down to 0.
Call me a mushy-headed moderate, but I think maintaining a healthy 5 or 6 on the cynicism scale, regardless of who’s in power, is best for one’s long-term sanity, as well as the nation’s well-being.
We can expect less irony in the movies, too. According to the Daily Telegraph, Golden Globe-winning “Slumdog Millionaire” is the “first film of the Obama Era.” Why?
Reporter David Gritten writes: “It does not have an ironic moment. It is utterly devoid of cynicism. Instead, it is bright-eyed, optimistic – idealistic, even. To generations reared on a drip-feed of corrosive cynicism, the elevation of greed for greed’s sake and weary disillusion with our leaders and our institutions it feels almost shocking.”
Kind of like the Obama campaign.
I liked “Slumdog Millionaire.” And I suspect we’re going to be seeing a lot of movies like it over the next four to eight years. At first, the sweetness may seem like a refreshing change from all the bile of the last half-decade. But too much for too long, and we may go into diabetic shock.
And where does that leave the comedians who thrive on irony? Stand-up comics are reportedly searching for a new meme to poke fun at with Obama, but they claim there isn’t a single chink in his shiny armor. Hey, how about making fun of all that armor?
Apparently we can’t expect any good Obama jokes until he screws up. Because he’s just so darn perfect. After all, comedians don’t like to make fun of self-righteous people.
We’re just going to have to wait until Obama gets caught, oh I don’t know, say, befriending home-grown terrorists or crooked Illinois politicians. Then we’ll see the jokes fly. Right?
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48 Comments
“befriending home-grown terrorists”
I guess that would be better than befriending international terrorists.
See: Bush’s family ties to bin Laden family.
Deb, by that logic all of OJ Simpson’s kids’ friends have befriended a murderer.
It will be fun to watch some of the usual suspects have to work harder for laughs now that Bush will be out of the picture, yes indeed.
Oh yeah, “Slumdog Millionaire” absolutely does have more than its fair share of cynical, mean-spirited moments, so I’m not sure what Mr. Gritten is talking about. Just one tiny example is in the scene where the protagonist cons some American tourists. Predictably, they’re portrayed as stupid, a bit loud, and naively Christian-ish. They’re nice enough in their wealthy, cow-eyed, doughy, innocent way, but in the context of this particular movie there is almost no combination of traits that could be less desirable.
Thanks Deb. I can always count on an inane comment by a left-winger to make me laugh.
DEB – Do you have to be so hard on the poor bin Laden family? Without them and their network of close friends would we even have the Clinton Presidential Library today?
And I would honestly love to see Obama succeed.
Nope. Not I. I want my country to succeed, to survive. If Obama succeeds, we’re sunk.
Irony may have it’s greatest era as we watch the optimistic Obama supporters go into a tailspin in the next year when nothing changes. No universal healthcare. No widespread tax relief. No reduction in the national debt. Most importantly, we will still be at war with terrorists.
When they wake up January 1, 2010 and the world looks about the same as today, cynicism might just be at an all time high. I can’t wait.
Joe Biden’s 5 deferments for Vietnam is pretty ironic. At least Cheney could claim at the time he didn’t want to fight in a democrat war based on lies. Reverse time and party and Cheney would be a hero to the left today.
While you’re watching the hearings on Obama’s appointments and these “issues” show up remember in FannieCrat World Sam Fox deserved to be denied an ambassadorship because he donated to the swiftboats.
After 9/11, a flood of articles proclaimed the death of irony and cynicism. That lasted about two weeks.
Remember Letterman after 9-11? You would have thought he would never make another joke in his life he was so serious about the attacks. Now he acts like he wants to hire lawyers to get the poor misunderstood goat herders out of Gitmo. After all the U.S. is the bad guy in the world.
At least I think Letterman was sincere at the time. I never felt that way about Stewart and Maher.
And speaking truth to power? It’s like farting in church.
Heh. Irony. It’s like um… rain on your wedding day, right?
It’s not like the Left has ever seen this thing you call Irony. It’s like Sasquatch to them.
It does get old watching the MSM’s same old election ritual.
When a Republican gets elected, bad times.
When a Democrat gets elected, release the doves, and let the choir sing ‘Hallelujah’.
Yeah. Gets old.
That poster is the BEST!
That article in the Tribune was stomach turning. Talk about cult of personality. slumdog is an Obama movie because its awesome?
That’s like saying Frankenberry is an Obama cereal because it’s awesome.
Propaganda like that gets people to ignore this:
http://www.popmodal.com/video/1704/Obama-Shock
If comedians are having trouble finding jokes about Obama, they could always turn to Joe Biden. That dude is a gaffe and a haffe.
“but they claim there isn’t a single chink in his shiny armor. Hey, how about making fun of all that armor”
Oh, I don’t know about no chinks in his armor. Personally, I think it’s pretty funny that he’s not even officially in office and he’s already had to meet with Federal Prosecutors. Not to mention almost every cabinet pick he’s made has come complete with scandalous baggage. (It’s almost as if he’s corrupt AND incompetent… hmmmm….)
You know, Nostradomus was right on…..
I’d love to see Obama succeed, too. And I’ve even toyed with giving him a nice long honeymoon period by not posting anything critical about him on my blog. That way, both my readers will have to admit I gave him a shot. However, I’m far too familiar with the job FDR’s media did in his first hundred days. When Obama signs a bill or enacts a policy we know will hurt our country, and we’ll know this because he’ll be reading out of his copy of The New Deal for Dummies at the time, it’s imperative that we go on record as opposing him. And we have to a better than average job of explaining why.
Joan: I think you mean it’s like a free ride when you’ve already paid.
I’m not sure if I want Obama to fail spectacularly and have the whole country crash; or whether I want him to do nothing at all.
Never forget Sturgeon’s Law: “90% of EVERYTHING is crap.” Everything. Including people. ESPECIALLY people.
Just as one example: Very, VERY few people are fundamentally intellectually honest and even-minded. 10% is probably WAY to high a number, really. MOST people are craven, cowardly and reflexively hypocritical by nature and by instinct. MOST people are suspicious and ironic as HELL about their leaders when said leaders are on the “other team,” but then don’t want to hear anything but toeing-the-line when “THEIR guy” is in charge.
“Conservatives” were the most cynical, government-distrusting, black-helicopter-dodging dudes on the PLANET for 8 years of Clinton. But Bush? They’d already made a frakking Golden Calf out of the dolt BEFORE 9-11. Because he wore a cowboy hat. Because he called Jesus his favorite philosopher. Because he was their latest possible shot at the cherished wish-dream of rolling back Roe v Wade. But most of all, because he was “theirs.” He the Golden Child – they didn’t nominate him, they CORONATED him. And meanwhile, “liberals” were the snarkiest, most distrustful they’ve been since NIXON every step of the way. They went SO nutty and conspiratorial that Ron Paul’s cadre of whackjob acolytes briefly seemed sane enough by comparison to emerge from their bunkers. Briefly.
But now? Oh, now the president is a Democrat. So now the “liberals” get to stand there in awe like dumbstruck Britons watching Arthur yank Excalibur from the stone for the next 4 to 8 years; while the “conservatives” rummage through their closets for the trusty old foil hats and learn how to mistrust the government again.
Spare me the performance. If I want to see people badly pretending to love or hate something, I’ll watch wrestling.
Andrew, Andrew, Andrew
There is no need to crack jokes about Obama. He is the joke.
Where is the irony in this presidential term????
Over There ….. In a Box ……….
——————————————————————-
No I won’t go home!!!!!
Cognitive dissonance is a wonderful thing. It’s amazing Bush had the power to completely turn the creative class of this country into an ironic, cynical self-effacing bore. It had nothing to do with themselves.
And they say religious people are weak-minded …
“They’d already made a frakking Golden Calf out of the dolt BEFORE 9-11. ”
I don’t remember it that way. I remember casting my vote for him as a lesser evil. He was way too comfy with “more government” as an answer to social issues like education, campaign finance and the cost of prescription drugs.
Pleasure at getting rid of the Perjurer in Chief? Guilty. Think pardon scandal, trashing the White House, stealing the furniture and an avalanche of regs being added to the Federal Register that he didn’t have the guts to try while there were still political consequences to he had – a tidal wave of new restrictions on Americans that had to be sifted and dealt with by a new administration that had an unusually rushed transition (thanks, Florida!). Relief at not having a president from the Disney Animatronics labs foisted on us in a stolen election? You betcha!
But there was hardly that swell of support for Bush at the beginning. It took 911 to suddenly make him the right man for the time. Even the Bush Hating left was suddenly glad he was our President and not Gore. Do you remember those days at all?
You don’t get to choose your own facts, dude.
There’s nothing funny about a man who thinks there are 57 states (just one left to go!) and who claims he’s the risen Messiah who will heal the oceans. But the man who’s kept America safe for the last 8 years…he’s the idiot.
“Just one tiny example is in the scene where the protagonist cons some American tourists. Predictably, they’re portrayed as stupid, a bit loud, and naively Christian-ish.”
Coming from a British production team that doesn’t surprise me. Ever seen In Bruges? Someone should tell the Brits the world laughs at them, too.
I love love love Bob Hope. He was a great American for sure.
Gina – January 13th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
That poster is the BEST!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gina, so is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWpU8sX10_4
Hey Deb,
Comparing ODUMA’s terrorist friends who roobed our banks, blew up private companies, ROTC buildings and other goverment facilites, bombed police stations, police cars and who KILLED Americans with anything Bush did puts YOU in the RETARD catagory.
Do yourself a favor, save you r money and go buy a real brain as the one you have does not work well at all.
And since someone mentioned GITMO, I will point out at least SIXTY ONE GitMo “Grads” have returned to commit TERRORIST acts!
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/
I wonder what Keith Olbermann will do without Bush and Cheney to rail on each and every day. I liked Olbermann much better when he was just a sports anchor on ESPN and before he became the moral authority of the country.
What about Keith Olbermann? He must be despondant at the thought of not having Bush & Cheney to attack each and every day. Who will he declare to be “The Worst Person EVER!!!!”? I liked Olbermann a lot better when he was just a sports anchor at ESPN and before he decided he was the moral authority of the country.
Quite a contrast, isn’t it? Although I expect the contrast to come most flamboyantly and triumphantly into focus at noon on Tuesday. “All hail the Superman Messiah who’s come to miracle away the bloodstains from all those adorable kittens that putrid monster Bush has mangled with his teeth! The coming of President Obama is the greatest moment in American history! There’s that brain-damaged warmongering bowlegged freak Bush fleeing to Crawford with his miserable-failure tail between his legs — quick, America needs truckloads of shoes to throw at him! The Dark Ages of America are over! The American Renaissance has begun, for our dear, dearly loved President Obama has delivered us! Our multicultural Beowulf has slain the Hee-Haw Grendel from Texas! Hallelujah! America’s finally worth rooting for! Free at last, free at last!”
Deb
Bush’s family ties to bin Laden family.
Oh Deb, please. GW is Bin Laden, why do you think they are never photographed together? Get a clue.
Lt. Nixon: “If comedians are having trouble finding jokes about Obama, they could always turn to Joe Biden. That dude is a gaffe and a haffe.”
Why do you think they picked ol’ Biden. Obama will definitely need a fall guy in the future.
The comedy’s already there at the edges, with the problems Obama’s nominees have had. But to most mainstream liberal comedians, touching Obama is like touching Social Security — the third rail of American politics (at least when it comes to advancing your career in New York or Hollywood).
But there’s a limit to how many Sarah Palin, George W. Bush or Dick Cheney jokes the comedians are going to be able to make six months into an Obama administration and with a Democratic congress. So expect A TON of “Joe Biden is forgotten/Joe Biden is lonely” jokes, or and just about as many jokes about Hillary being in some foreign country as Secretary of State and Bill Clinton being on the prowl in America. Because if that’s not cutting edge biting political humor, I don’t know what is.
Excelent aticle, unfortunately soo true. The MSM will not say anything derogatory about PE Obama while defiling Pres Bush for ever. Notice how the media says nothing about this massive bailout, really the largest theft in the history of the world, conducted by the RINOs and DEMOS. Jail them all NOW! It’s all good cop/ bad cop! George Soros, Dr Evil, Head Kapo of the universe, THE GRAND PUPPETMASTER!
Hey, where can I find that “Hope” bumpersticker. Thats hilarious
Deb – January 13th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
“befriending home-grown terrorists”
I guess that would be better than befriending international terrorists.
See: Bush’s family ties to bin Laden family.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OKAY Deb cause your so informed and all tell me where on earth did you find that little nugget of information. And it better not be from Hufpo, Kos, or Keith Olbermans bathroom leavings. DO you have a named source? Proof? Comeone girl give it up. Since your out there blowing this garbage around us uninformed rubes would like to hear the whole torrid story.
I mean at least in Obamawans case we do have proof he and Ayers are buddies, we have video of him praising Rashid Khalidi (whom in my opinion shuld be launched off my Manolo Blahnik Mary Jane and back into the West Bank where he belongs), and other notable anti American anti semites. But hey way to parse words and try to deflect actual concerns. You know because we can’t ask those questions of the One. Pardon me while I hork up my breakfast. If you are going to bring up bs rumors and made up storys from the land of Hate Deb at least try and bring some proof. I mean back up your claims.
The button says “21st Century Filth”, I’m not getting it, can someone explain that?
Great article and insight.
But Irony is one of the main tenants of Liberal Philosophy:
1) Emotions trump Logic
2) Worship Hypocrisy
3) Historical Ignorance
4) Self Aggrandizement because of One’s opinions
5) Debate and conduct critical thinking and analysis only with Irony and Sarcasm
Remember, the immortal words of Winston Churchill:
“If you’re 20 and are not a liberal, you have no heart;
If you’re 40 and not a conservative, you have no head.”
The Desert Fox
Lt. Nixon: “. . . gaffe and a haffe”
Nice!
Great Article, just have to respond to this comment. As the Irony is dripping all over the floor.
“At first, the sweetness may seem like a refreshing change from all the bile of the last half-decade. But too much for too long, and we may go into diabetic shock.”
The Irony of that statement is priceless. One does not go into diabetic shock from too much sweets. Diabetic shock is caused by hypoglycemia, or not enough glucose in the blood, i.e. not enough sweets.
Didn’t know if you actually knew that, and just wanted to point it out, because many people misuse the term.
Bob – The real irony here is, you misused the term “irony.” What you pointed out wasn’t ironic, it was a mistake.
Any place to buy that T-shirt? Cafe press?
Deb
Does the Huffington Post know you wondered away? Should we call them or will your choke chain bring you back?
Irony on Ivory… There will be many opportunities to make fun out of the new Administration. Here in Europe we are less politically correct. So please google after Obama+blagues and Obama+Witze.
Andrew, It fits right it with the title of the article though. If you meant it as Irony. Ah well, I laughed.
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