The Onion Can’t Bear to Mock The One
by Christian Toto
America’s Finest News Source has some explaining to do.
The Onion , the usually biting comic weekly, just can’t bring itself to mock President Barack Obama. The One has been in office for more than a month now, and the last four Onion issues have tip-toed around anything remotely tough on the Commander-in-Chief. It’s hardly a shock, since most comics in toto seem to have a hands off approach to the new president. But The Onion?
The latest edition offers up a lame Whitman’s Sampler of Obama related gags. Its Barack Obama Black History Month graphic trots out four lame jokes, each worse than the next. And none carry any political weight.
Here’s an example: In 1969, fellow second grader Leon Hoyt became the first person to make fun of Barack Obama’s name, referring to him as “Buttock” Obama for the entire school year.
Oooooh, that’s gotta sting.
Check out this above the fold gag story – “Obama disappointed Cabinet failed to understand his reference to ‘Savage Sword of Conan’ #24.”
Here’s another zinger -”Liberals horrified by lack of inexperience among Obama appointees.”
Boy, take it easy on Obama, will ya?
The paper did find time to swipe at former Vice President Dick Cheney (”Cheney dunk tank raises $800 for nation”).
To be fair, it’s not as if Obama appointed several cabinet member candidates who flamed out in spectacular fashion … or had Iran’s president mock him over his weak foreign policy posturing … or forced a vote on a massive stimulus bill and then took a long weekend vacation … or broke campaign promises at record speed in his first weeks in office.
Obama simply hasn’t given The Onion much to work with, has he?
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56 Comments
After the treatment the New York Post got for a cartoon, can you blame them for being cowards?
Mr. T, love your blog, but I have to disagree with you on this one. My fav Onion video of recent memory did in fact mock The One. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3_95F5e-Ac
That IS a great video (and so true), but there have been quite a few swipes at Obamaniacs and even some of his cronies, but nothing at all aimed at the Messiah. In contrast, President Bush himself was a constant figure of ridicule, but there was enough to go around to encompass his friends and appointees, as well as any supporters.
I think The Onion may be hoping that Biden, Clinton, etc., will be fodder for mockery in the future, where they can be seen as taking shots at the Establishment, while still showing the requisite reverence toward The One. A tricky time to be a satirist.
I think it will take a little more time, but The Onion will take on Obama. It's how they make a living.
You said it, Northstar. The essence of the Onion is taking on the establishment.
Just like SNL, Jay and Dave, they're still up the crack of Buttock Obama (thanks, Leon!) I doubt we'll see the same savaging of Barry that we saw concerning GWB. With the Chicago gang in power, most of the lib comics don't want to end up in the Potomac or Ft Marcy Park.
They did do an awesome video segment ridiculing Obama groupies.
I think there is a massive opportunity for Conservative Hollywood to cut the legs out from under the hippies by being willing to violate the tenets of their religion when they really can't. It's like asking a believer to lampoon Christ. Exactly like that. They can't do it if they try. What they can't do is a market opportunity for normals. It should be used.
You would think some of you guys would put together some youtube shorts, you pros could probably put together something funny in a Sunday afternoon with friends. It's not like you'll have any competition with a budget, so why not?
Tread lightly – Obama now has the football.
Alex, that was last year. And it mocks only his supporters.
Well I read that now he wants to cut the deficit by half in four years? He wants to install chips in every car and send you a bill for every mile used. Excuse me if I'm becoming a paranoid. I guess the pledge to only raise taxes on the wealthy has gone the way of no lobbyist in the administration, or some of the other dilly's he's reneged on. I still would like to know who is pulling the strings? I think they need a new abacas, as this just doesn't add up.
The problem could be bias, but there is still the problem of Obama being so dry that he just doesn't inspire mirth. His followers and henchment, on the other hand, are a deep well of hilarity, as the Onion vid demonstrates.
You know what's kind of interesting about this, once again the left fails to learn the lessons of history (so what else is new, "gee, let's try socializing everything, that might work"). But seriously, by refusing to even poke fun at him in a good natured way, they make it that much harder for people to accept his failures.
There was a fascinating documentary (can't remember then name) about humor in East Germany. At first, the government sent people to prison for telling anti-government jokes. Then they realized that this caused tensions to boil over because people had no outlet for their frustrations. This nearly lead to revolution. So they changed policy and actively encouraged people to tell jokes about the system. This reduced the pressure and calmed things down. They had some great jokes too.
Buck, I can't read your posting name and the word "dry" without chuckling… POE my friend!
Crowder already does a great impersonation of President Uhhhhhm's voice. Now we just need to get him to say on YouTube in Obasm's voice: "If Republicans will unclench their fist, I will extend my finger."
"but there is still the problem of Obama being so dry that he just doesn't inspire mirth."
Bob Dole was also pretty dry, but he at least got mocked for *being* dry. It seems that no mainstream comic has the guts to try even that angle.
Not true. Making fun of supporters makes fun of Obama because his campaign was substance free, nothing but slogans: 1) "They have proven their minds can be taken over by empty rhetoric." Who delivered the "empty rhetoric"? 2) Calls his slogans "simple" and "vague."
Sounds like a great business opportunity for Breitbart.
Get Iowahawk to be the lead editor, start up a new site/paper, maybe see if Santelli can do comedy too, and there will be another surefire hit.
Christian…Did you miss the piece about black people being creeped out about white people high fiving them for no reason? Or the picture of John Kerry getting checked for head lice on the front page? They had 99 other senators to pick? There also was a video Onion story about Obama-maniacs a couple of weeks ago that was linked to every conservative site I can think of. I'm not really seeing the point. I'm not an Obama fan and I haven't been disappointed.
Give them a little time. I would bet my next paycheck that their beady little minds are cooking up some great stuff and waiting for the right time to drop it on us. I understand the guy who heads it interned with Fox News. He was interviewed by Fox a few months back. I don't see him backing off from any good Obamatunities.
Also, check further back in their archives. You will find plenty of Obama lampoons. During the campaign and election, "The Onion" was the only periodical in which I could find anything zinging "The One."
Here are some good ones from "The Onion"
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/obama_practi... http://www.theonion.com/content/news/internationa... http://www.theonion.com/content/news/obamas_hillb...
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_c...
http://www.theonion.com/content/whitehousewar/bar...
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_promi...
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_under...
Google The Onion and then Obama for a lot more.
Well, I suppose it's true that he doesn't have some obvious quirks that others have had (GHWB's nasal twang, Clinton's pants around the ankles, GWB's language problems), but that shouldn't stop anyone who wants to make fun of him. The "wants" is the key. They don't want to make fun of him because they are still blinded by his One-ness. Plus, given that he's black and a liberal, they are worried that they would be branded racists if they went after him. (Black conservatives are fair game, just ask Michael Steele.) At some point the shine on The One will wear off a bit and some jokes will be directed his way, but they will still be pretty tame compared to anything prior presidents have experienced.
This just proves that most comedians and comedy writers these days are gutless turds. They'll relentlessly attack Christians and George W. Bush, but when they truly show how "edgy" how they really are, they're just regular hacks. They don't dare criticize Obama or Muslims…no,no,no. That would be racist and insensitive.
Cowards…
What's the big suprise? A member of their own, doing what they they want, and with four years(maybe two, depends on Congress) to run with the ideas and schemes they agree with. Let's watch and see if the opprotunity to mock the "Messiah" overpowers their sense of duty to their "God Almighty"- liberalism.
The Onion has done numerous articles about Obama. Black Man Asks Country For Change is pretty hilarious. And it's about how there's this guy nobody wants to look at apparently panhandling, which I would say is a lampoon. You are just being a jackass.
At the rate President Obama's administration is nosediving, soon they won't have a choice. http://the100mostannoyingthings.blogspot.com/
You guys lost, get over it already.
If you want to get an inside perspective from the features editor of the Onion, then check out this vid:
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/131226.html
Sounds like they at least try to be even handed.
LOL. I still want to how he shot himself dead then dragged himself up the hill. Facinating.
It's ethnicity folks, it's the 800 lb. er, gorilla in the room. SEE, I hesitated whether I should envolk an age old expression when referencing Obammy. Look for the press to see what is happening at the N. Y. Post and demur from frontally assualting 'Bammy.
Very very funny. thanks for the link
Sorry, got myopic for a minute, missed your similar post. It's obvious. I do somewhat disagree about the quirks. Um, er, der, ummm, ya know?
A good post, this has struck me too. Toward the end of the Bush administration and even after Bush was out, The Onion kept up the Bush-bashing, getting even more desperate with it.
The few lame Obama gags they trot out show the Onion writers don't even know anything about Obama. For instance, there was an article about Obama's long-lost cousin, who was portrayed as a n'er-do-well black hillbilly, a la Billy Carter. Apparently, the Onion's writers don't know that the "Black" side of Obama's family is Kenyan, not African-American. I also suspect that "Leon Hoyt" is supposed to represent a black classmate of Obama's, when Obama actually grew up in Hawaii, mostly among whites and Pacific islanders.
If the Onion, and other comics are so bereft of ideas, how about "Bob the Builder' and his sidekicks, sue Obama for stealing their punchline, 'Yes We Can'? Which he did. Hope [theft] you can believe in. But I digress.
As Bob and the others would obviously be union members, it will bring the Obama/Union conflict to a head. Or if not a head, at least to some sort of toilet near you.
Or to show they''re all buddies – yeah, that's better, pass the joint – how about a YouTube mash up of Obama and Bob doing Bob's theme song, 'Yes We Can'. But make it look as though Bob and the team – all different coloured animated figures. Good safe imagery (no monkeys) – are the backing singers and give the One center stage. Could be something in that.
But run it through the 'Obam A Sun Of God' reflective filter and remove any rays that deflect in the wrong direction. Could work. Keep thinking.
Underling — I did see the stories you mentioned. Again, they did not tweak Obama. John Kerry isn't Obama … and making fun of white liberal guilt over Obama's election isn't making fun of Obama. Making fun of Obama is making fun of Obama. And they don't seem too keen on it yet … nor are the majority of the late night comics.
Alex, I should have mentioned I was monitoring the print editions of The Onion … but I appreciate your clarification.
Some comics have no problem making fun of Mr. Gore:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWFbjBwEGfM
There was a fantastic piece The Onion did a couple months ago about BO being a con-artist and was going to abscond with campaign funds after winning the election. Also, the Cheney dunk tank raised $800 million, not $800.
I caught the Daily Show for a couple of minutes last week, and they actually edited together all the pauses, Ah's and Um's from the Obama press conference. It was actually on the edge of being critical (although not enough that it might upset the sensibilities of the Obama worshipers in the audience). I think most of them will get there, especially once he really disappoints them a couple of times (which since he campaigned on nothing but platitudes, is inevitable).
You guys think comedy is much easier to successfully make than it is. A simple gaffe or mistake doesn't create a funny article andwhat you listed as 'material' is pretty weak for anything other than the boring political cartoons that have never been funny to any demographic: "HA HA HIS HEAD IS A BOMB, THIS IS POLITICAL GENIUS!!! HA HA THE UNITED STATES IS A TANK WITH A BABY'S BUTT."
StevefromMKE you're full of complete crap and have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Check out "Muslims to Boycott All Pope Merchandise" or "Christ Converts to Islam" with "As part of His conversion, Christ said He has taken a new name, Isa Ibn Maryam al-Salaam Christ Shabazz. " That's definitely making fun of the Arabic name. Ok what about "World's Muslims Lighten Up" or "Jews, Muslims, Hindus Agree On Chicken" Not to mention, Obama hasn't yet dragged us into a war by using intelligence he knows to not be credible. Honestly, how do you not get that christian fundamentalists speaking in tongue are far more hilarious than muslims answering a call to prayer? Brainlost twatbreath.
so then, "bettterthanyou," If you really are better than all the rest of us, come up with something!
Leftists can't poke fun at Obama. He's one of them – which means they'd be making fun of themselves. And as all of us conservatives have painfully found out – that is the one thing leftists can NOT do.
Interesting information about criticism in the form of humor in East Germany: humor used as a check valve to release pressure and thereby relieve the threat of revolution.
From the lefties that I know and love, they have no sense of humor when it comes to the One. (Actually no sense of humor–period.) Some of them are questioning who they've supported because their not sure now who he is or if he's going to keep those promises he made. ( Heck of a time to think of that NOW!)
When I see O give a speech ( I can only handle 5 seconds of it!) I just can't help thinking of Nancy, or Harry, or Barney, with their hands alternately shoved up his—well, you know–like a ventriloquist's doll mouthing what they want him to say. There's gotta be something there.
The left can't and won't make fun of His Highness because they're a bunch of cowards and sissies. How is it that the press/media of the United States of America has fallen head over heals over this phony, this fraud is beyond me.
I wash my hands & feet of the MSM and His Holiness…
Bunch O Crybaby Hypocrites. The Right refused to make fun of Bush and cried every time someone on the left made a joke about him.
I'm playing the world's smallest violin for you all.
Hopefully, they'll find their
backbonefeet again soon. If nothing else, there's a goldmine to be had from mocking Obama's more inane supplicants. You'd think they could handle that.Incidentally… watched The Onion movie last night. Can't say as I'd recommend it.
A black muslim with no birth certificate born of a statutory rape of his underage mother gets elected President of the United States after having a communist mentor(Frank Davis) as a boy, "fitting in with all the Marxist Professors" at Harvard (his own words), joining a Liberation Theology (Communist) Church, associating with William ("I'm a communist with a small 'C'" <his own words>) Ayers, posting Che Guevara (a communist Icon) posters on his campaign headquarters, and having a voting record to the left of Socialist Bernie Sanders in the U.S. Senate. Then after 8 years of Democrats complaigning about the "huge" deficits of George Bush, they immediately Blow the U.S. Budget over a TRILLION dollars for every year in the next four, after which they now claim, they will cut it down to manageable size…that being slightly larger than it was during the Bush Administration.
No…can't say I see any humor there.
http://www.alistz.net
The Onion may make a living taking on the "establishment," but so do most of the supposedly hard-hitting reporters of the MSM who are currently looking the other way.
"but there is still the problem of Obama being so dry that he just doesn't inspire mirth."
Bob Dole was also pretty dry, but he at least got mocked for *being* dry. It was the same story with Al Gore before his hypocritical global warming crusade gave him protected status. It seems that no mainstream comic has the guts to try even that angle with Obama.
Seriously, how long can they Onion/late night comics, etc, hold off making fun of Obama before they all start to look/sound lame. And the audience not only notices, but they get tired of 'The One-in-cotton- wool' approach.
Are any of the standup comics in the clubs doing anything vaguely Obama-barbed?
I suspect it'll only take one comic big hitter with enough guts to start the dart throwing (equal barbs for all ex-Presidents), and they'll all have to do it.
"Odds Of Pop-Locking During Inauguration:
1 in 12"
Too funny.
Here is another one I found last week:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/obama...
Sure, they aren't as hard on Obama as Bush, but give them time. Personally, I don't think The Onion has been holding back.
Hey, AlistZ. You're wastin' my time. Is that supposed to be a story an audience will pay money to see? Okay, stop crying.
Try this. Make the black guy a boxer. Yeah, fights his way up from the vicious streets to a shot at the title.
That mother thing. No rape. Let her get killed by a drunk driver. Make him white-trash with a gun rack in his truck. Waving a Confederate flag? That could work. Make him Latino? Are you kiddin'? That's racist.
Make the father a black marine. Gets killed in some waste-of-our-tax money, save-the-world for democracy type crap thing. Like World War Two or one of those. Dies savings his white lieutenant – Harvard type, all breedin' no brains. Gets the medal the kid's father deserved.
See what I mean? That's what audiences want. What you've pitched? No way. Couldn't happen.
Oh, crap, will ya knock off the cryin'. Okay, okay. Try the guy in the office next door. He's produced a few fantasy flops. Which is what you've got there. Unbelievable. Anyhow, it's just not me.
I only do family films.
Like the uber-left did when Bush won? OK. Will do. You set the rules with your behavior and now we're just reciprocating with the same. If you wanted your Messiah to be treated with civility, respect, and common decency, you should have moderated your outrage and bile for the last eight years. A loss in US politics is always temporary, as you found out. We're on the outside looking in now and we'll do whatever the hell we please so STFU, spread your prayer carpet in the direction of the White House, and pray that Saint Barack has the ability to work miracles your cohort ascribed to him. Otherwise, he's a one-term president.
I agree, attacking the Ozombies is not attacking The One himself. The most obvious humourous direct attack on Obama is that he really is a phony and is in waaaaaay over his head. And that he is just Jesse Jackson/Al Aharpton with a smile. But as many have mentioned, this strikes too close to the lefts core beliefs, so tangential auperficial and light humour is all we can continue to expect to see.
Yes, factual history is not the forte of most liberals.
[...] The Onion Cannot Bring Itself to Make Fun of the Messiah [...]
One day, the yellow brick road will come to a dead end, then folks will say, " What was I thinking? " as the roof callopses on themselves…….
I could give a flying fart about the Democrats, but you cons are the real joke. Angry because a comedian isn't making fun of somebody? Is it their fault that the Bushies were a deadly serious hyper-dangerous superblooper for eight years and you zombies lined up to support it? It was too easy.
And so hilarious the way you trotted the military out into two campaigns and left their asses hanging in the breeze for six years after mission accomplished, totally humiliating our armed forces and draining the treasury to boot! HILARIOUS! Or the way Ashcroft didn't want to hear about those "Al Qaedas" anymore, and Bush said "your ass is covered" to the hand delivered message of warning that came to his Crawford ranch. And then we got attacked! HILARIOUS! Or the way he never caught Osama Bin Laden with the largest, most powerful fighting machine on the planet deployed to do just that. UPROARIOUS!
You guys sure make for good comedy. Let's hope Obama's never that funny.
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