Late Night Wimps Still Won’t Mock Obama
by Tim SlagleWhat a bountiful two weeks of comedy material we had. Our elegant man in the White House thought the capital of Canada was Iowa and proved that they don’t teach Industrial History at Harvard. There was also this photo… And so I thought it was about time to check in again with the Late Night hosts.
Monday marked the debut of Jimmy Fallon’s “green” talk show. According to USA Today he has recycled carpet, used seats and bamboo floors. I wonder if he also lights the stage with CFLs, limits guests to one square of toilet paper, serves warm tap water and vegan treats, and takes the subway to work? But enough of the negative. I thought I should check in and see if Late Night’s newest host has decided that it’s okay to make fun of the President. (Fallon also claims to have three bloggers on staff, so if you three are as sharp as I hope, Welcome To Big Hollywood!) This Monday I reviewed Jimmy Fallon, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Ferguson, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert.
Many of the nights jokes centered around the snow storm (Letterman, Kimmel, Ferguson, Fallon, Colbert) that buried the East Coast. Nobody mentioned it essentially shut down the Washington DC Global Warming protest scheduled for Monday, although Letterman mentioned in his “Top Ten Things Overheard in the New York Snowstorm,” #4: Al Gore can Suck it!
Letterman and Fallon both wondered why talks show hosts don’t get snow days, Letterman and Kimmel both made jokes about the Obama daughters getting the day off school (Letterman claimed they played with Joe Biden all day, Kimmel showed a doctored video clip where two lookalikes played with a hula hoop on stage during a press briefing.)
Ferguson completely avoided politics last night, outside a few jokes about the Hollywood delegation visiting Iran: “Iran wants an apology from Hollywood — I read it in the NY Times, so it may be the truth. Hollywood never apologizes; I’ve seen a lot of crap movies, and they never once apologized to me! Of course, I don’t have a nuclear weapon …and neither does Iran!”
Jon Stewart ignored the President and spent his show, going off on the CPAC proceedings. He did his usual schtick, airing out of context quotes and then making funny response faces. He did make me laugh on one: he showed a clip of NRA President Wayne LaPierre saying, “We must view any attack on the second amendment as an attack on freedom …it’s not politically correct, and I don’t care if their butts pucker from here to the Potomac.”
Stewart claimed that the new NRA slogan will be: “From My Cold Puckered Butt!” Nothing like a butt joke to amuse my inner adolescent.
Fallon also touched on CPAC, saying that Rush Limbaugh wants Jimmy Fallon to fail. David Letterman, in an interview with Katie Couric, called Rush a bonehead who was dressed up like an Eastern European Gangster, then tried to get Katie to admit that she supports the New President more than the last guy (she demurred).
Leno’s block of Obama jokes claimed that the Obamas new dog will actually be the second dog since the first had tax problems; that he was the first black guy Canadians ever saw, and that Tickle Me Elmo was more analytical than George Bush.
He also mentioned that Wall Street gave Obama an F, to which George Bush replied, “That’s easy, try maintaining an F for eight straight years!”
So what about the new guy? Jimmy Fallon did a reasonably good job on his debut, although he seems a little nervous in the host chair. He acted more like a guest than a host, and on a couple of occasions launched into stories about his own life rather than evoke stories from his guests. He had a few of staff scripted gags: an audience participation bit called “Lick it for $10,” that really doesn’t require anymore elaboration beyond the title; and one called “target demographic,” an excuse to make stereotypical generalizations. Tonight’s target was “Blond Mothers,” (women that shop at William Sonoma, etc.) He also did a “Saturday Night Live” style skit with Robert DeNiro (“Space Train” –for astronauts afraid to fly).
His monologue was as consistent as many of his peers, but unlike most of the others (save Colbert), he actually told a funny Obama joke: “Obama released his new budget which will result in a record deficit. His next State of the Union Address will be brought to you from China.”
(Stephen Colbert also registered a decent Obama joke, claiming that the cheap, Obama memorabilia coins being sold on Late Night infomercials, were literally: “Change you have to believe in.”)
Considering Fallon had to hit the ground running, you have to admire him for at least attempting something that all the veterans have been avoiding for months and didn’t resort to Bush or Clinton for any set-ups.
This week’s nod, goes to new guy Jimmy Fallon.
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226 Comments
It is similar to the way the media will never criticize a certain rogue nation committing genocide and invading other countries, threatening other countries, in violation of the UN, that regularly undermines the US and manipulates our markets to suit their goals, has WMDs and costs us a fortune with no benefit to the common American. This nation even attacked and murdered Americans on a US naval vessel and the media rarely mentions this and when it does it is only in the terms this foreign country has used to excuse their actions.
Our media is controlled. If you don't know by whom, ask who you can't *question.*
I get any political jokes made by late night talk show hosts from Newsmax.com (in my email), and I don't have to worry about wasting my time actually having to watch them…LOL!
I haven't watched in a couple weeks, are they at least making fun of Vice President Gaff?
Why are you so fixated on Belgium?
Ahh, a day without Rexter is like a day without a rug burn.
Late night TV strikes one as a dated anachronism… what with the DVR being the new Greatest Invention Ever who, I would ask, really watches this stuff? after all, you get home late and there is Jimmy Fallon or 'UFO Hunters' on History in HiDef?… c'mon, who're you kidding? Don't expect any criticism of 'The One' until his poll ratings drop (oh, theyre dropping like a stone? sorry) but even then the racial politics thing (no chimp jokes!!) will trump the truly unadventurous…
belgium, an old german word meaning "speedbump".
Tim, let me suggest that it's a good thing for our side that they won't make fun of Obama. If no one is allowed to laugh at the Messiah, every mistake he makes becomes painful instead of funny, and the tension builds up because people lack an outlet for the natural human need to laugh. Allowing people to have a little fun with you defuses those tensions and gives you a lot more leeway.
Think about it, is it easier to excuse a boss's mistakes when the boss is someone who lets you laugh at their mistakes or when the boss is utterly humorless?
From Feb. 17 email – From Jay Leno – Sen. Judd Greg, who wanted to be in Obama’s Cabinet as commerce secretary but changed his mind, said that after withdrawing his name he hoped he was just embarrassing himself and not President Obama. To which Joe Biden said, “Don’t worry about it – I do it all the time.”
Who are these persons, that you speak of?
Whose life history was he plagerizing when he said that?
[...] Continued here: Wimps at Late Night Still Won’t Mock Obama [...]
Suzie1 – don't bring our private affair into this, please.
you gotta love the conspiracy guys… the only folks I know that can take 2&2&2&2 and come up with 1,480… the daily connect the fuzzy dots thing…
"he has recycled carpet, used seats and bamboo floors"
Don't forget that he is still trying to recycle and re-use what little talent he has.
Any attempt at humor that mocks or satirizes Obama is going to be a dicey affair… it's hacking off Clint Eastwood, amongst others. Remember 'political correctness' is actually cultural Marxism. Make a mistake, and you'll get hissed at. Yes, the jokewriters (or what passes for them) will certainly miss 'W'…
Keep drinking the Flavor-Aid. Market STRONG. Economy STRONG. Israel GOOD. Everyone else (including ourselves) BAD! Vote MCCAIN! Free trade GOOD. Enormous trade deficits…..WHERE (covering eyes)? Dollar STRONG! Invest in market! Inflation…..OVERRATED. Keep printing money. Everything will be FINE! Don't question authority! Don't read anything except fluff. Don't listen to anything except predigested corporate news……
There isn't enough whiskey and oxycontin in the world…
Personally, I enjoy the jokes about him from the people on this site more than the unfunny late night talk show hosts. If they're not gonna do it, then the door is open for someone else to capitalize on the opportunity. I get where Tim Slagle is coming from, but at this point it reminds me of the gays complaining that e-Harmony wasn't catering to them. They forced e-Harmony to cater to an untapped market when an opportunistic individual would have created their own website to fill the void. If there really was significant demand there, someone missed out on an opportunity to make some money. I think the same applies to relying on liberals to make fun of a liberal president. I'm sure there's a non-liberal out there that can do a much better job.
I have no idea, but can provide more jokes if requested. I have at least three months worth stored in my email account (too lazy to clean it out…LOL)!
+3 within 7 minutes of posting? If I can't have two women at once, how about one with multiple sock puppet accounts?
[...] Read more: Wimps at Late Night Still Won’t Mock Obama [...]
Why, I'm sure the only, ah, release you have for your pent-up, um, frustrations is the internet, so you go ahead and keep those sock puppets busy.
Nothing like a butt joke to amuse my inner adolescent.
Is there anything better than a good butt joke? I think not. Penis jokes are kinda funny too. Vagina jokes? Not so much. And just try getting laughs with a pancreas joke sometime.
Gall bladder jokes can go either way. I don't know why.
Why do people like you waste your time here? All you do is make inane comments and annoy the rest of us educated productive citizens who post here.
"Our media is controlled. If you don't know by whom, ask who you can't *question.*"
Right, which is why Alex Jones is now rotting in prison. Oh wait……
I never thought of it that way. Great point
[...] Read more from the original source: Wimps at Late Night Still Won’t Mock Obama [...]
rex, you are not performing to minimum troll standards. you need to step up your game, or you will be cut.
As long as people keep replying to his posts , he will keep posting.
Poop jokes are always a sure thing. Richard Pryor perfected the art form of poop jokes.
"They'll always be an ISRAEL, and ISRAEL shall be free…" C'mon Rex, lighten up, you're gettin' to be a one-trick pony.
LOL!! Now that is funny!
Thank you. Having had many humorless bosses, I've learned this lesson well.
And the "when you are on fire" jokes.
It has just been reported that the head gardener at The White House has been dismissed after 28 years of loyal service to many US presidents.
When interviewed the gardener protested his innocence and said "All I did was go into the Oval Office and ask, "Has anyone seen the spade and hoe?"
Now I've told more quality Obama jokes than all of the late night hosts since election day – combined.
My cousin told a pancreas joke that was funny once. When I told it later, I could never get the timing right…
they also put fluoride in the drinking water!
Sorry man, but racist jokes ain't gonna fly here.
I take it that your use of the mild "inane" was merely a typo, and that you meant to write inSane?
On second thought, it's probably not fair to disparage clinically insane folks by comparing them to T-Rex (Troll Rexter), who was almost certainly driven insane by constantly re-reading his inscribed (by David Irving?) copy of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion"…
Hey, how about this. Maybe we could get the FCC to propose some fairness rule for late night comedians…maybe some sort of a…hmmm…doctrine.
They won't attack Obama because he is BLACK.
Ask yourself this: If everything about Obama were precisely the same, but he was white, would we be having this discussion?
Here's another good question: Would he still be President, or would he have been rejected, early in the primaries, if he were not black? Bill and Hillary might have an opinion about this, and they might be right.
call it the Biden principle; the guy laughs at himself, others laugh at him, eventually the criticism loses its sting, the moment passes and we all move on.
I think he's hating on Zimbabwe, maybe Mynmnannnmvnvnar er, BURMA dammit, BURMA!
DVR…truly life changing….THE single most important invention of the second half of the 20th century….
I have a German friend who vacations in France every year, but not without driving through Belgium first.
[...] America jumped on the Twitter wagon this morning, and the only way it could have been lamer Late Night Wimps Still Won’t Mock Obama – bighollywood.breitbart.com 03/04/2009 What a bountiful two weeks of comedy material we had [...]
I think they'll fly
He also mentioned that Wall Street gave Obama an F, to which George Bush replied, “That’s easy, try maintaining an F for eight straight years!”
OK, that is funny!
Ok, if we're talking fodder for late night comedians, can you say Tim Geithner? Talk about the gift that keeps on giving. That man cracks me up every time he opens his mouth and says anything about people paying taxes.
Agreed, again. Simple message: Don't feed the troll!
And sadly, they're so important because they allow us to watch movies made in the first half of the 20th century, i.e. pre-political correctness and lefty propaganda.
You make a point. Dukakis had a similar persona, and he was ridiculed mercilessly.
Go for it!
Heaven forbid! The dentists are in on this too!
What was racist? I have a spade and a hoe in my garage. Beside the shovel, the rake, the weed-killer and the wheelbarrow. They should make it illegal to shout "Racist!" in a crowded room, same as "Fire!"
At this point in his presidency Clinton was taking a few more hits from the late night comics, but most of the jokes were still on the level of "Bubba just loves him some McDonald's". And while the late night field was pretty limited back in 1977, the general tone of the comedians a month into Jimmy Carter's term was on the level of "Boy, he a straight-laced taskmaster/Billy's a real redneck/Isn't Miss Lillian a sassy old broad?" Nothing like the "Ford is an idiot/GW Bush is an idiot/GHW Bush is a goofball/Reagan is a goofball/idiot" types of jokes that were showing up on those same shows even before they took office and continued right into their first month(s) on the job.
The main difference here is the comedians and their writers are still frightened to death of even doing the most gentle Clinton/Carter type jokes about Obama, over fear that Al Sharpton or someone else with a similar M.O. is going to throw the race card at them. It does leave the field wide open to anyone who actually is willing to make fun of the political bumbling of the administration, and willing to take the heat, possibly even from the higher-ups in their own networks still invested in Hope and Change.
This inability to laugh at Obama reminds me of the time after 9-11 when we as a nation was afraid to laugh again. As if we are all in mourning. What? Are the liberal talk show hosts really mourning the fact we have a black president? seems like it.
Luckily she is on during Red Eye so there won't be a chance I will have to endure it. Cannot skip my Bill Schulz fix.
So true. I record TCM days in advance…so much of it is SO well written. Some of those great old movies barely leave a central room, all the characters inter playing off one another. Philadelphi Story was on the other night, I've seen it several times and it's still a great movie, time after time.
You forgot Letterman's mention of Obama in his Monday monologue: "How about that President Obama, eh? Let's get some things done!" No joke, no mention of what was done, no follow up at all, just an ambiguous affirmation of Obama's existence, like it was a requirement from on high in order to stay on the air. Bizarre.
Except for the hairplugs, those are ALWAYS FUNNY. The scary part is that a plagerizing, old, ego maniac that, as an adult of 50 + years would GET HAIR PLUGZ and then become the #2 man with his hand on the button is really disconcerting.
And there's still no reason to stay up and watch late night television. A "green" talk show? Yawn. I'll stick with the SEINFELD reruns. At least they make me laugh.
http://the100mostannoyingthings.blogspot.com/
We are talking about a whole group of people that orbit in the same little universe. If Fallon breaks the ice and plays the 'Bammy card, and it bombs, he's DONE. Letterman has recently, from what I've seen second hand, sucked down the whole liberal Democrat doctrine, hook, line and sinker. He's gone over the edge, full blown lefty. He prompted a guest, I forget who, about the whole ludicris charge of try "Bush with War Crimes" mantra, and he was dead serious. Leno has no soul, he's a walking ATM machine for NBC, he won't rock the boat more than just gently. If Obammy poll numbers start to plunge (and they WILL start to plunge!) he may try out a few soft balls. As has been stated ad nauseum, as long as 'Bammy is black, he's innoculated.
Dude, you're like this site's very own Lyndon LaRouche. You keep at it and keep at it, and still nobody gives a crap. Irrelevancy, thy name is Rexter!
Just for you Mike!
From Jan. 23 email – Conan O'Brien – Earlier today, President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton all appeared together at a press conference. There was an awkward moment when both men realized they were wearing the same suit as Hillary.
If Fallon were smart (and I doubt he is) he could become bigger than Letterman, Leno and O'Brien combined if he'd start needling the left with his humor. Nothing serious, nothing all that deep or wonkish, nothing mean spirited. Maybe hire Steven Crowder as a writer.
Seriously he'd be as big as JOHNNY before its all done.
Yes, but if he plays it well, he'll win. He'll be huge but he won't get invited to the cool peoples' parties anymore and probably won't be able to sleep with as many models.
I hope you keep this up. And by next year, you have a bin full of missed opportunities that the Late Night Guys -(no women still huh Hollywood?) just wouldn't touch.
Fallon does models? Really? No way! That 12 year old looking little dude? ….. Dang, it IS "anything that moves that's on T.V. SCORES"! I guess I gotta get me a T.V. show…
not quite sure what this has to do with anything… who said everything is fine? the world is a mess, and McCain is the queen of hearts (check your 'Manchurian Candidate') and our script is worthless. Doesn't mean an Israeli-CFR-Masonic conspiracy. You've got a fever, man…
it's a shame you cannot archive your recordings- damn shame, too…
OK! So I wonder which of the 3 felt awkward. Not Hillary, I bet.
I'm confused. The pre-digested corporate news I watch doesn't tell me that the economy's in good shape. Far from it! They may goad me to invest in the market, but not because things are going well, far from it. They tell me the dollar is strong, but I think that's actually true, relative to the rest of the world. Not because we're doing well, but because they're doing worse. As for McCain, are you kidding?
The don't question authority part is partly accurate. And I'm not even gonna say it's only because Obama's in office. For however much they criticized Bush, that was a sideshow. They never attack the edifice as a whole, only particular temporary occupants. As for the rest of it, what corporate news are you watching?
- "(Stephen Colbert also registered a decent Obama joke, claiming that the cheap, Obama memorabilia coins being sold on Late Night infomercials, were literally: 'Change you have to believe in.')" The thing you always have to keep in mind about Colbert is that he never means what he says. When he makes fun of Obama, he's really making fun of people who make fun of Obama. In this case, he's not even pretending to make fun of Obama, anyway. It's an old-fashioned pun. Nothing more.
You're absolutely right. Look at the insane things this idiot has said, and yet everyone dismisses it by saying, "oh, it's just Joe", because he's embraced it. Humor is a powerful tool when used properly, but it will eat you alive if you don't know how to handle it. Obama doesn't know how to handle it, and the MSM is setting him up by being so uptight about any perceived slight.
I was really stunned that he plagerized someone else's family history. That shows a real loose grip on reality if you ask me.
Relax. I doubt Biden could even FIND the button.
Relax, James. I doubt Biden could even FIND the button.
Rexter, Dude, Stop drinking the bong water!
What if the gardener was an old black guy and said, 'Has anyone seen the spade and the hoe?' Would it fly, then?
Or if the gardener was Hispanic? Got wings?
What you really mean is the joke wouldn't fly if the gardener was WHITE.
A very entertaining site you have there Writer X. If you cannot laugh…
Thanks, Shannan.
In the early days of East Germany, the Stasi (secret police) would arrest anyone making fun of the government. The inability to criticize the leaders caused a lot of frustration in the populace and the Stasi had more problems than they could handle when unreleased tempers boiled over. The Stasi quickly realized they would have to let some criticism occur. When they relaxed their policy and people were able to laugh at the govt's mistakes without fear of incarceration, tempers were reduced and the Stasi was able to go back to spying on the citizens for treason.
Right now no one can laugh at Obama because it's politically incorrect. I have faith that even the most PC Hollywood writers will get tired of that self-imposed rule before long and we'll soon see real jokes about Obama. He won't like it at all and that's just icing on the cake.
DISCLAIMER: I just received this from a friend. I CANNOT vouch for its authenticity, but it appears to be real. If it is, it is more proof of how all mainstream TV was in the tank for Obama since it never appeared on SNL (as far as I know). If not, it's still a very funny skit, a la SNL. Apparently it was done before the November elections. It certainly is too biting to satisfy the Obmassiah, Pelosi, Frank and the "victims" of the crash. If it's a goof, it's a good one. http://msunderestimated.com/SNLBailoutSkit.wmv
A bit off topic:
Does anyone know how Jimmy Fallon landed a bit-part in "Band of Brothers"?
[...] Check out – Late Night Wimps Still Won’t Mock Obama by Tim Slagle at Big Hollywood, as he reviews the late night and other liberal funny people. [...]
[...] Obama Joke Watch March 5, 2009 Posted by Jehuda in Uncategorized. Tags: Entertainment, News, Politics, TV trackback Still little willingess from late nigh talk show hosts to make fun of The One. [...]
Rexter: are you Jesse "Hymie Town" Jackson in reality or are you actually this disconnected from reality? Just curious.
The other Biden Principle:
Hi-Tech Lynch A Man of Superior Character because you a twit with the inferiority complex you so richly deserve.
(biden + principle; actually that is an oxymoron)
DaveS – you are an optimist of amazing proportions. Bam is Hollyweirdos Messiah and there will be no apostates allowed in the Land of Bam & Manchelle.
Re: eHarmony and the Lavender Mafia – like Obama, another article on "Big Hollywood," it is about control and shoving it in your face until you accept their premise(s) and fear ever crossing them again on anything.
Ya, true. Mine has a conversion to tape feature witch I've never figured out. Well, haven't tried very hard either.
Good point. Someone give him an unmarked map of DisneyWorld. That'll keep him busy for the next four years.
If Fallon did an Obama joke he's got my vote. Then again there isn't much competition out there in late night television. Which reminds me of the last election cycle.
[...] every last joke out of an administration that left office over a month ago, Late Night hosts struggle to find something funny about the new guy. (In other news, Rich Little is still doing an impression [...]
[...] And this weak attempt: “Obama released his new budget which will result in a record deficit. His next State of the Union Address will be brought to you from China.” —Jimmy Fallon http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/tslagle/2009/03/04/obama-update-3/ [...]
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